Teilhard de Chardin, << `tay` YAR duh `shar` DAN, >> Pierre (1881-1955), was a French paleontologist (expert on prehistoric life). He helped discover the Peking fossils, the remains of an early type of human being. Teilhard’s greatest fame, however, rests on his attempt to integrate evolutionary theory and Christian revelation. According to Teilhard, the universe evolves toward the fullness of Christ, who is the Omega, or end point of the cosmic process.
Teilhard entered the Jesuit order in 1899 and was ordained a priest in 1911. He lectured at the Catholic Institute in Paris. His view of the Catholic doctrine of original sin in light of evolution was not considered to be sufficiently orthodox. Thus, church authorities forbade him to continue teaching in Paris. Teilhard lived in China from 1923 to 1946, where he was a consultant to the National Geological Survey. He began his fossil research in 1923. He wrote extensively in China. Since most of his writings were controversial, they were not published until after his death.
Teilhard’s thought influenced some of those who attended Vatican Council II. He insisted on dialogue between the Catholic tradition and modern science and culture. This view is reflected in the council’s Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World. Since his death, Teilhard’s views have been criticized by scientists and theologians for being too speculative and optimistic. His best-known works, both published after his death, are The Phenomenon of Man (1955) and The Divine Milieu (1957).
