Religion and Evolution
Religion and evolution research papers can be written from the perspective of creationism or evolutionism. There are a wide variety of beliefs when it comes to evolution. When it comes to the origins of man and the world in which he lives, different opinions emerge based on varying levels of scientific and religious beliefs. Generally speaking, the three predominant western faiths:
The three prdominant western religions all support the idea of creationism as opposed to evolution. All three believe that an entity outside of the natural world, one they refer to as God, is responsible for the existence of everything. While many in these faiths might believe in the concept of evolution as a component of development - that is, species can change as time passes as a result of selective breeding, survival of the fittest, etc. - the existence of these species in the first place is a direct result of the actions of a higher power.
Another approach is that of intelligent design, or the idea that there are some aspects of the natural world that cannot be explained by science and thus must be the result of the intervention of a divine entity. However, unlike scientific approaches to evolution, proponents of the idea of intelligent design are unable to analytically prove their claims or provide evidence that their beliefs are rooted in the scientific method. With an inability to actively research their claims, members of the scientific community largely reject the ideas of intelligent design.
In Eastern religions, the concept of evolution is met with differing opinions. Because the concept of evolution is not mentioned in Buddhist scriptures, and because there are no contradicting principles in the tenets of Buddhism, practitioners of the faith accept the concept of evolution. However, Hindus, like the three predominant western faiths, believe in a creation story found in their holy texts. Globally, the Hindu support for evolution can vary dramatically based on society; those practicing in western countries are more likely to support the ideas of evolution while those living in India and other Asian nations are less likely.