Theory of Evolution

According to the Theory of Evolution, humans probably evolved from lesser primates.

The Theory of evolution is a scientific theory which explains how organisms change over time. It was proposed by Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace in the 19th century. According to the theory, organisms produce more offspring than can survive, and in a struggle for limited resources, those with traits that better suit their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. These advantageous traits are passed down to future generations, while less beneficial traits diminish over time.

Over millions of years, this process can lead to significant changes in populations, potentially resulting in the emergence of new species. The theory is supported by a vast body of evidence from various fields, including genetics, palaeontology, and comparative anatomy, all of which show that life on Earth has changed and diversified over time. Evolution not only explains the complexity and variety of life forms but also how they are all interconnected through a common ancestry.

It is opposed to the theory of Young Earth Creationism which uses the ages of the patriarchs in the Book of Genesis to attempt to calculate the age of the world, usually resulting in an age between 6000 and 10,000 years. Despite modern Christian backlash, Young Earth Creationism was not the majority interpretation of Genesis amongst the earliest Church Fathers or even the Reformers, for instance, Irenaeus of Lyon, Augustine of Hippo and John Calvin all subscribed to the theory of Old Earth Creationism, which does not reject the theory of Evolution.