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Explore Evolution, Now in Polish

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Congratulations to our friend Father Michael Chaberek whose Polish translation of the textbook Explore Evolution is out now and doing a truly excellent job of catching the attention of Polish media. Someone in the publicity department of the book’s publisher in that country, Fronda, knows what he’s doing.

I don’t claim much knowledge of Polish affairs — cultural, scientific, or political — but check out this link to a 35-minute interview on Poland’s TV-Republika with Father Michael, covering Explore Evolution, Darwinian theory, and how or whether it’s reconcilable with Poland’s majority faith, Catholicism. I don’t speak Polish either, but the demeanor and body language of the interviewer seem to convey respect with a touch of skepticism.

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Certainly, a TV interview of that length in any language is serious stuff. Besides being a translator, Father Michael is a Dominican priest, a PhD theologian, and a very smart (and nice) guy. He has visited with us at Discovery Institute. I can only imagine he more than holds his own in such a discussion.

The Polish Explore Evolution has also turned up for coverage in articles in a variety of publications, including Poland’s second largest daily newspaper, Rzeczpospolita; the country’s largest magazine, Go?? Niedzielny; as well as being covered by Radio Plus, Poland’s major Catholic network, and in an upcoming hour on Polish Public Radio. Not bad!

The publisher wanted to get Father Michael together with an opponent for a public panel or debate, but evidently no one on the other side was willing to undertake the challenge.

Speaking of Darwin-defenders who are wary of facing skeptics in debate, on our side of the Atlantic the book appeared in a post at Jerry Coyne’s Why Evolution Is True. It was photographed being snuggled by a Polish cat. Cute picture. Not surprisingly, though, Coyne’s Polish correspondent gets it wrong:

The title is “Examine Evolution” and it is a Catholic publication in which they deny evolution. Why we got it is a long story.

Nope, no one among the authors (led by Stephen Meyer) “denies” evolution. The question is whether the Darwinian mechanism of unguided natural selection adequately explains the development of complex life forms. The textbook, which is not “Catholic” though obviously Father Michael is, explores both sides of a scientific controversy.

The original English-language edition of Explore Evolution is a book we recommend to ambitious teachers who want to introduce students to the strengths and weaknesses of Darwinian theory.

For comparison, by the way, take a look at the Korean edition, which has been out a few years now.

David Klinghoffer

Senior Fellow and Editor, Evolution News
David Klinghoffer is a Senior Fellow at Discovery Institute and the editor of Evolution News & Science Today, the daily voice of Discovery Institute’s Center for Science & Culture, reporting on intelligent design, evolution, and the intersection of science and culture. Klinghoffer is also the author of six books, a former senior editor and literary editor at National Review magazine, and has written for the Los Angeles Times, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Seattle Times, Commentary, and other publications. Born in Santa Monica, California, he graduated from Brown University in 1987 with an A.B. magna cum laude in comparative literature and religious studies. David lives near Seattle, Washington, with his wife and children.

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