Človek kot gospodar svoje usode : evangeljska vizija v luči razširjene evolucijske sinteze
Man as master of his own destiny : the evangelical vision in light of the expanded evolutionary synthesis

slovenian

2025

volume 85, issue 4

dialogue between faith and science   evolutionary game theory   extended evolutionary synthesis   genetic assimilation   human freedom   niche construction theory

Univerza v Ljubljani, Teološka fakulteta
(Obvezni izvod spletne publikacije)

Modern synthesis (neo-Darwinism) presents evolution as a blind process at the genetic level, based on chance, in which the carriers of genes are passive and resigned to whatever fate may bring them. In this view, chance leads the development of living beings to an unknown destination, which is inconsistent with theology, which advocates the directionality of evolution. However, modern science has come to realize that evolution is also reversible, meaning that organisms actively influence their course. While mutations are only one of the sources of evolutionary variation, organisms, through the construction and transformation of their environment constitute the deeper origin of the selective conditions that gives this variation direction. The article discusses the possibility that modern biology—especially the Extended Evolutionary Synthe-sis (EES), which includes Niche Construction Theory (NCT), Evolutionary Game Theory (EGT), and Gene Assimilation (GA)—supports the theological view of man as the “master of his own destiny.” Using a modern understanding of evolution, the article shows that humans can change their environment through their peaceful evangelical attitude, thereby transforming selection pressures and shaping their own evolution toward spontaneous reconciliation as a response to injustice. This theoretical possibility points to a resonance between faith and science and opens new topics for their mutual dialogue.

17.02.2026