Vatican City - Scientists advising
Pope Benedict XVI told the pontiff that they will study scientific insights into evolution, reflecting his special interest in the subject.
Nicola Cabibbo, a physics professor at Rome's La Sapienza University and president of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, said Monday in a speech to the pope that academy members shared the pontiff's view that "faith and reason need to come together in a new way."
No date has been set for the meeting exploring "scientific insights into the evolution of the universe and of life," which Cabibbo noted was of "special interest" to the pope. Generally, the plenary session of the academy meets every two years.
Benedict's predecessor, John Paul, told the academy in 1996 that Charles Darwin's theories on evolution were sound as long as they took into account that creation was the work of God and that Darwin's theory of evolution was "more than a hypothesis."
Evolution has come under fire in recent years by proponents of intelligent design who believe that living organisms are so complex they must have been created by a higher force rather than evolving from more primitive forms.
In the United States, supporters of both camps have often clashed over what students should be taught in public schools.
The academy is currently grappling with predictability in science. It is an advisory body of scientists, researchers and scholars who help shape papal pronouncements.
Exploring the relationship between faith and reason has been a theme for Benedict, a former theology professor, since he became pope last year.