I trust the Fathers in matters of theology, but don't pay much attention to their views regarding science because more often than not, as is the case here, their views on science do not affect my understanding of God or my relationship to Him. All of the Fathers were men of their times. Pope Clement I of Rome believed that a Phoenix lived in Egypt. While that belief is absurd, it in no way diminishes his pastoral and theological views. It is worth noting that the Ecumenical Councils, as far as I know, have never concerned themselves with science, but have focused their attention upon theological truths.
And IMO, many people become atheists or secularists because our faith is seen as irrational. I know a lot of learned people that don't take us seriously because of the pseudo-science insisted upon by some members of the clergy.
Metroplitan Ware gave a talk at a Protestant university a couple of years back about evolution and the Christian faith and it put me at ease. He said that the theologian and the scientist has different sets of questions, and therefore, different sets of answers. It doesn't mean that the different answers are irreconcilable, it just means that they are different.
But to each his own. I don't insist one way or another what people should believe when it comes to science. Evolutionist or creationist? Doesn't matter to me. Heliocentrist or geocentrist? Don't care. It is only when people start teaching heresy or when certain \"scientists\" insist that science can speak about the spiritual realm, that I begin to have a problem.
Just my two cents...
John
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