THE EVOLUTION IDEA AMONG THE 



THEOLOGIANS AND NATURAL 



PHILOSOPHERS 



100-1800 



Prolonged Influence of Greek Philosophy on Theology — 

 The Fathers and Schoolmen: Gregory, Augustine, Erigena, 

 Aquinas, Roger Bacon — Arabic Science and Philosophy: 

 Avicenna, Avempace, Abubacer — Transition to the Literal 

 Interpretation of Genesis: Leonardo da Vinci, Bruno, Sua- 

 rez — The Awakening of Science — Influence of the Natural 

 Philosophers: Francis Bacon, Descartes, Leibnitz, Kant, 

 Lessing, Herder, Schelling. 



AS all learning in Europe was for centuries 

 L under the guardianship of the Church, it 

 is important to look into the teachings of the 

 great theologians upon the origin and develop- 

 ment of life. This teaching sprang from two 

 sources — the revelation of the order of creation 

 in the Book of Genesis and the natural philoso- 

 phy of Plato and Aristotle. Up to the time of 

 Francisco Suarez (1548-1617) Plato and Aris- 

 totle exerted a much stronger influence on the 

 natural philosophy of the Church than did the 

 literal interpreters of the first chapter of Genesis. 

 Philo of Alexandria introduced in the first 

 century what has been described as the 'Helle- 



105 



