Cardinal raps 'limits' of science

VIENNA - A senior Catholic cardinal and champion of "intelligent design" has criticised the "limits" of science in its quest for the truth.

Vienna's Christoph Schoenborn said science studied what was observable and scientists overstepped their boundaries when they concluded Darwin's evolution theory proved there is no creator.

"I see no problem combining belief in the Creator with the theory of evolution, under one condition - that the limits of a scientific theory are respected," he said.

The close associate of the Pope said it was "fully reasonable to assume some sense of design" even when science "demands restrictions that shut out this question".

The comments are a boost to American creationists, who want "intelligent design", a scientifically untestable belief in a creator, to be taught alongside evolution theory.

A Pennsylvania court is hearing a suit brought by parents against a school district's decision to make teachers read a statement about the belief before biology class.

At a lecture in Vienna, the cardinal did say that Darwin's natural selection theory was "without a doubt quite a feat, and remains one of the great works of intellectual history".

He said divine creation and Darwin were questions of science and religion, two realms he felt could complement each other rather than contradict.

Schoenborn, who ranked among the papal hopefuls last April, caused an uproar in the United States last July with a New York Times article that seemed to say the Church no longer accepted evolution and backed intelligent design.

Even Catholic scientists, including chief Vatican astronomer Revered George Coyne, contested Schoenborn's view.

Schoenborn's lecture seemed to temper earlier statements but still criticised science when it rejected divine intervention in evolution.

He said his article had led to misunderstandings and sometimes polemics. "Maybe one did not express oneself clearly enough or thoughts were not clear enough.

"Such misunderstandings can be cleared up." Schoenborn said he believed God created "the things of the world" but did not explain how a divine will would have influenced the actual evolution of species.

"They were, so to speak, let free into their own existence," he said.

Conservative proponents of intelligent design argue that Darwin's theory is flawed and alternatives should be taught in science classes.

Scientists reject the view as a disguised form of creationism, the literal belief in creation as described in the Bible and barred by the US Supreme Court from being taught in public schools.

- REUTERS