Natural Science

This page is currently under re-constrruction.

I. General Topics

Christian Faith and Natural Science: Doctrines and Principles

• The Freedom of Science, by Joseph Donat (New York: J. F. Wagner, 1913). With Imprimatur. Available on Open Library and Internet Archive (Digitizing sponsor: MSN; Book contributor: Kelly Library, University of Toronto). According to Open Library, it has the following sections: The freedom of science and its philosophical basis; Freedom of research and faith; The liberal freedom of research; Freedom of teaching; Theology.

Christian Faith and Natural Science: History and Relations

• The Catholic Church and Science, by Rev. John Gerard, S.J., William Matthews, Dr. B.C.A. Windle, Walter Sweetman (London: Catholic Truth Society, 1908). May be read online and available in multiple formats (pdf, epub, kindle/mobi, etc.) on Internet Archive and Open Library. Science, History, Apologetics.
• Catholic churchmen in science; sketches of the lives of Catholic ecclesiastics who were among the great founders in science, by Dr. James Joseph Walsh (Philadelphia: American Ecclesiastical Review, 1906). Available at Internet Archive (Digitizing sponsor: MSN; Book contributor: University of California Libraries). Science, History, Apologetics.
• Catholic Churchmen in Science: Sketches of the Lives of Catholic Ecclesiastics who were among the Great Founders in Science, 2nd edition, by James J. Walsh, K.ST.G., M.D., PH.D., LITT.D. (Philadelphia: American Ecclesiastical Review, The Dolphin Press, 1906, 1910). Available on Project Gutenberg.
• Catholic Science and Catholic Scientists, by Rev. J. A. [John Augustine] Zahm, C.S.C. (Philadelphia: H.A. Kilner and Company, 1893). May be read online, and available in various formats (mobi/kindle, epub, pdf, etc.), at Internet Archive; and available at Forgotten Books (with some pages accessible to members only).
• The Church and Science, by Sir Bertram C. A. Windle (London: Catholic Truth Society, 1917). Available at Internet Archive and Open Library (Digitizing sponsor: MSN, Book contributor: University of California Libraries). Subjects: Apologetics, History, Science.
• Papal Addresses to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences 1917-2000 and the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences 1994-2001 (Scripta Varia 100), by Popes Benedict XV, Pius XI, Pius XII, John XXIII, Paul VI, and John Paul II (Vatican City: Pontifical Academy of Sciences, 2003). Available in pdf format at the Pontifical Academy of Sciences.
• The Popes and Science; the History of the Papal Relations to Science During the Middle Ages and Down to our Own Time, by Dr. James Joseph Walsh (New York, Fordham University Press 1908). Available at Internet Archive (Digitizing sponsor: MSN, Book contributor: Cornell University Library).

Science and Possible Supernatural Phenomena

• The Question of Miracles, by George Hayward Joyce (B. Herder; Manresa Press, 1914). With Imprimatur. Available at Internet Archive.
• The Stigmata and Modern Science, by Rev. Charles M. Carty. With 1958 Imprimatur. 11 pages. Available in PDF format on this page of Catholic Pamphlets.net.

II. Particular Scientific Fields

Astronomy

• Gregorian Reform of the Calendar: Proceedings of the Vatican Conference to commemorate its 400th Anniversary, 1582-1982: Extra Series 3, edited by G.V. Coyne, S.J., M.A. Hoskin, and O. Pedersen (Vatican City: Pontifical Academy of Sciences, Specola Vaticana, 1982). pp. xxv-323. Available in PDF format on this page of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, and on this page of the Vatican Observatory Foundation. Also available at the SAO/NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS) and at Internet Archive.
• “On the Gregorian Revision of the Julian Calendar”, by Jacques Dutka, The Mathematical Intelligencer, Vol 10, No. 1 (1988): pp. 56-64. Available in pdf format at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

Biology

• Prospects for Xenotransplantation: Scientific Aspects and Ethical Considerations, by the Pontifical Academy for Life, September 26, 2002. May be of read online (on this page) of LifeIssues.net, and at the Holy See.

Biology: Evolution

• “Address to the Plenary Session [of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences] on ‘The Origins and Early Evolution of Life’”, by Pope St. John Paul the Great, 22 October 1996. Also entitled “Magisterium is Concerned with Question of Evolution for It Involves Conception of Man” or “Message to the Pontifical Academy of Sciences: On Evolution”. May be read online on this page of of Catholic Culture.org;  on this page of the EWTN Library; on this page of the Interdisciplinary Encyclopedia of Religion and Science (linked by the Vatican Observatory Foundation); at the Pontifical Academy of Sciences. Available in pdf format at the Smithsonian Institution’s Human Origins Initiative. [But see also “Media Twists Papal Statement on Evolution, by Michael S. Rose at the EWTN Library].
• “Address to the Symposium ‘Christian Faith and the Theory of Evolution’”, by Pope St. John Paul the Great, April 26, 1985. Translated by Paolo Zanna. May be read online on this page of the Interdisciplinary Encyclopedia of Religion and Science (© Interdisciplinary Documentation on Religion and Science 2003 – 2020).
• Attitude of Catholics towards Darwinism and Evolution, by Hermann Muckermann (St. Louis, Mo.: B. Herder, 1922). With imprimatur. Available at This book has an Open Library and Internet Archive.
• “The Catholic Church and Evolution: The Value of Interdisciplinary Scholarship” (lecture), by Dr. Daniel Kuebler, 21 December 2015. May be watched on this page of the Franciscan University of Steubenville Youtube channel.
• “Catholics and Evolution”, by Erich Wasmann, The Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. 5 (New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1909). May be read online on this page at New Advent: Catholic Encyclopedia (Copyright © 2017 by Kevin Knight).
• Communion and Stewardship: Human Persons Created in the Image of God, by the International Theological Commission (2004). Available in pdf format (on this page) and may be read online (on this page) at Evangelical Catholic Apologetics; and likewise available in pdf format (on this page) and may be read online (on this page) at Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine (from the 04 February 2012 snapshot of an earlier version of that website). May also be read online at the Holy See.
• Encyclical “Humani Generis” Concerning Some False Opinions Threatening to Undermine the Foundation of Catholic Doctrine, by the Venerable Pope Pius XII, May be read online on this page of Catholic Culture.org and at the Holy See. The passages of Humani Generis on the theory of evolution are excerpted on this page of the Interdisciplinary Encyclopedia of Religion and Science (© Interdisciplinary Documentation on Religion and Science 2003 – 2020).
• Scientia et Fides, Vol 8, No 2 (2020): Philosophical and Theological Aspects of Evolution. The individual articles are available in pdf format at the Table of Contents of Vol. 8, No. 2 at the Scientia et Fides Archives page.
• Thomistic Evolution: A Catholic Approach to Understanding Evolution in the Light of Faith, by Nicanor Pier Giorgio Austriaco, OP, James Brent, OP, Thomas Davenport, OP, and John Baptist Ku, OP. (Cluny Media, 2016), The paperback edition may be purchased on this page of Cluny Media; and the kindle and paperback editions may be purchased at Amazon.com.
• “Thomistic Response to the Theory of Evolution: Aquinas on Natural Selection and the Perfection of the Universe”, by Mariusz Tabaczek, O.P. [Note: The text states it is “an accepted manuscript of the article published by Taylor & Francis Group in Theology and Science in August 2015”. It was published on Theology and Science, Volume 13, Issue 3 (2015): pp. 325-344.] May be read online, and may be downloaded in pdf format, at ResearchGate (uploaded by Mariusz Tabaczek, O.P.).

Physics

• Thomism and Mathematical Physics, Dissertation by Bernard I. Mullahy (July 1946). Available on Internet Archive. (Creative Commons license: Attribution-Share Alike 3.0)

Currently Unsorted

• Abortion: The Myths, the Realities, and the Arguments, by Germain Grisez (New York, Cleveland: Corpus Books, 1970). Available in PDF format at The Way of the Lord Jesus (copyright 2009). [N.B., The book provides a history and summary of the abortion issue. The webpage states: “Because Grisez… published it before Roe v. Wade, much of its content is out of date… However, some parts of this book remain relevant and sound, and careful readers may find them useful.”]
• Catechism: doctrinal, moral, historical, and liturgical: with answers to the objections drawn from the sciences against religion, by Patrick Power (Dublin: J. Duffy; London: Burns and Oates, 1905). With episcopal approbation. Available at Internet Archive and Open Library (Digitizing sponsor: MSN, Book contributor: Kelly Library, University of Toronto)
• The Catholic Church and Healing, by Dr. James J Walsh (1928). May be read online at Church in History, part 1, part 2, part 3 (link obtained through Wikipedia entry “James Joseph Walsh”). [N.B., I also recommend checking out the wonderful resources at Church in History, intended to refute historical misconceptions and myths.] Medicine, Science, History, Apologetics.
• Christian anthropology, by John Thein, with an introduction by Prof. Chas. G. Herbermann, Ph.D. (New York, Cincinnati: Benziger Brothers, 1892). Available at Internet Archive. [N.B., No Imprimatur, but it is published by a reputable Catholic publisher, and the content appears to be Catholic.]
• The Church and Science, by Sir Bertram Coghill Alan Windle (London: Catholic Truth Society, 1917). Apologetics, History, Science. Available at Internet Archive (Digitizing sponsor: MSN, Book contributor: University of California Libraries).
• Communio: International Catholic Review, vol. 32, no. 1, The Baptism in the Jordan (Spring 2005). The following articles may be downloaded in PDF format through this page of Communio: ”The Ages of the Life of Jesus: The Mystery of the Baptism in the Jordan” by José Granados, ”Liturgical Architecture and the Classical Tradition: A Balthasarian Approach” by Denis R. McNamara, and various articles on the Altered Nuclear Transfer Proposal for stem cell reproduction, including ”A Way Around the Cloning Objection Against ANT? A Brief Response to the Joint Statement on the Production of Pluripotent Stem Cells by Oocyte Assisted Reprogramming” by Adrian J. Walker and ”Veritatis Splendor and the Foundations of Bioethics: Notes Toward an Assessment of Altered Nuclear Transfer (ANT) and Embryonic (Pluripotent) Stem Cell Research”, by David L. Schindler.
• Communio: International Catholic Review, vol. 32, no. 4: God and Reason (Winter 2005). The following articles may be downloaded in PDF format through this page of Communio: “Rationality and Faith in God” by Robert Spaemann, ”’Wie kommt der Mensch in die Theologie?’: Heidegger, Hegel, and the Stakes of Onto-Theo-Logy” by D. C. Schindler, and various articles on the Altered Nuclear Transfer Proposal for stem cell reproduction, including “ANT-OAR: A Morally Acceptable Means for Deriving Stem Cells. A Reply to Criticisms” by E. Christian Brugger, and “Reasonable Doubts. A Reply to E. Christian Brugger” by Adrian J. Walker.
• Critiques of Altered Nuclear Transfer (ANT) and Oocyte Assisted Reprogramming (OAR). Various articles from Communio: International Catholic Review 2004-2006 concerning proposed methods of stem cell reproduction, which may be downloaded separately in PDF format through this page of Communio.
• Galileo and His Condemnation, by Ernest R. Hull (London: Catholic Truth Society, 1913). Available at Internet Archive and Open Library.
• The humanizing of the brute; or, the essential difference between the human and animal soul proved from their specific activities, by Hermann Muckermann (St. Louis: B. Herder, 1906). With imprimatur. Available at an Open Library and Internet Archive.
• Modernism, by Cardinal Mercier, Archbishop of Malines, translated from the French by Marian Lindsay (St Louis, Mo.: B Herder; London: Burns & Oates. 1912). May be read online at St Athanasius Press’s Traditional Catholic Library.
• The popes and science; the history of the papal relations to science during the middle ages and down to our own time, by Dr. James Joseph Walsh (New York, Fordham University Press 1908). Available at Internet Archive (Digitizing sponsor: MSN, Book contributor: Cornell University Library).
• Twelve Catholic men of science, Sir Bertram Coghill Alan Windle (London: Catholic Truth Society, 1912) Available at Internet Archive (Digitizing sponsor: MSN, Book contributor: University of California Libraries).
• Twelve lectures on the connexion between science and revealed religion: delivered in Rome, by Nicholas Patrick Cardinal Wiseman (Dublin: J. Duffy, 1866). Available at Internet Archive and Open Library (Digitizing sponsor: National Institute for Newman Studies, Book contributor: Saint Mary’s College of California)
• The origins of contemporary psychology, by Cardinal Mercier. Translated by W. H. Mitchel. (New York: P. J. Kenedy, 1918). Available at Open Library and Internet Archive.
• Science and Morals and Other Essays by Sir Bertram Coghill Alan Windle (London: Burns & Oates, Ltd., 1919). Available at Project Gutenberg. No Imprimatur, but published by a reputable Catholic publisher, and appears from a brief perusal of its contents to be consistent with the Faith.·
• Some Lies and Errors of History, by Reuben Parsons (Notre Dame, Ind., Office of the “Ave Maria”, 1893). Available at Internet Archive and Open Library [N.B.–This is a collection of articles refuting the various “Black Legends” used to calumniate Catholics: the civilization of Latin (Medieval) Europe, the Eastern schisms, the case of Galileo, the Inquisition, holy wars, St. Bartolomew’s Day, the career of Pope Alexander VI and Cardinal Richelieu, and “the man in the iron mask”.]