Suffering in evolutionary biology and Christian theology: Mutually exclusive notions?
Bentley, Wessel
The question of suffering, specifically that experienced by human beings, has been contentious
in the discourses of biology and religion. The dilemma, especially in the Christian faith
tradition has been to reconcile suffering with the idea of a benevolent deity in whose image
humans are believed to have been created. Evolutionary biology, and specifically the field of
cognitive psychology, contends that the experience of suffering may have more pragmatic
origins, while not necessarily being to the benefit of the individual, may be a mechanism that
favours the longevity of a species. This article explores the understanding of ‘natural suffering’
from the perspective of evolutionary biology and Christian faith convictions and proposes
principles that can facilitate a mutually beneficial religion and science discourse.
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