The blog Unapologetic Catholic has taken to task a priest publishing in the blog SoDakMonk over the perennially recurring topic of evolution, of the intelligent design (ID) variety. The priest has replied firmly, including a posting replete with references to the usual ID articles and books.

Such "discussions" occur frequently enough on the internet, and are quite capable of continuing indefinitely without my help. But taking them within the context of the Catholic Church, a more significant question can be raised: does Intelligent Design constitute a threat to the well-being of Catholics?

I should briefly point out my own positions:

• the classical idea of evolution (inheritance, variation, selection) is correct (and not merely correct, but unavoidable);
• ID is, in its essentials, incorrect;
• the over-claims of materialists (e.g. Dawkins) are incorrect, for both scientific reasons, and because they are in opposition to Catholic teaching.

What threats exist? I can see four threats to Catholics believing in ID

Firstly, it is not consistent with the dignity of any human being to think something true that is false. By itself, that is perhaps not too dangerous. No doubt we all think some things that are not true, and that does not always prove to be a threat. (However wrong it may be to think that Paris is in Australia, in most circumstances it would not hurt me gravely.)

Secondly, it potentially brings Catholics into disrepute with others. This was was pointed out by Augustine a long ago. If some Catholics think incorrectly on some issue that is well known and understood by others, then they may provide a weaker witness to those others. That is a much graver problem than the first.

Thirdly, anyone discovering the falsity of ID may (quite incorrectly) have their faith in the Catholic Church weakened, perhaps seriously. That, too, may be a grave problem.

Fourthly, incorrect thinking may impede the development of details in Catholic teaching. (For example, given the strong role played by inheritance in the Old and New Testaments, any incorrect preconception in that area may hinder a fuller understanding of what is to be found there.)

Reading only books and articles written by ID proponents can be a real problem; they are not paid to describe the weaknesses in their own arguments. A better and deeper understanding of classical evolution would help. It would also help if there were more understanding that evolution can be described in very simple mathematical terms, since it is a principle that has very much wider application than biology. Properly understood, classical evolution offers glory to God.