Does the World Truly Change or Is It Evolving as Part of God’s Continuous Creation?

We often hear, “The world is changing”, an assertion that seems hard to argue with as we see technology advancing, societies evolving, and ideologies shifting. But does this mean the world is in a state of constant, chaotic flux, or is something deeper at play? Could it be that what we see as “change” is actually part of a divine, purposeful evolution within God’s continuous creation? And, if so, how can we make sense of the ways the world both transforms and remains steady?

Understanding this question involves important distinctions between substantial and accidental change, as well as between God’s eternal act and the world’s temporal process. These ideas help us see that while the world undergoes meaningful shifts, it remains anchored in an unchanging purpose, sustained by God’s continuous act of creation.

Substantial Change vs. Accidental Change: What Really Changes?

Let’s start with an essential question: does change affect the essence of things, or just their appearance? Substantial change is a transformation that alters what something fundamentally is. Consider a caterpillar metamorphosing into a butterfly; this is a substantial change, as it’s an essential shift in the creature’s nature. Now, compare this to accidental change, when only the qualities of something shift, but its essence remains the same. For instance, a tree growing taller or a person aging reflects accidental changes; they affect outward appearances without altering the fundamental identity of the tree or the person.

So what does this mean for the world? We see many accidental changes: technologies advance, cultures develop, and languages evolve. Yet, beneath these surface shifts, creation remains fundamentally what God intended, a world ordered toward beauty, truth, and goodness. Human beings, too, may live differently in each age, but the quest for meaning, purpose, and moral truth endures. In other words, the accidental changes we observe do not alter the essence of creation, which is God’s work designed to reflect His glory. As Thomas Aquinas teaches, substantial change in a divine context occurs only when God intervenes profoundly, as in the Incarnation, which fundamentally reoriented human nature toward grace.¹

God’s Eternal Act vs. Temporal Process: Does God Create Only Once?

Now, we might ask, if God created the world “in the beginning,” is creation really ongoing? Christian theology has a fascinating response: creation is not only an event in the past but a continuous act in the present, sustained by God’s eternal will. This concept, creatio continua, or continuous creation, suggests that God’s act of creation is unceasing. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church explains, “With creation, God does not abandon his creatures to themselves. He not only gives them being and existence but also, at every moment, upholds and sustains them in being.”²

But how does this ongoing creation fit with our experience of change? The answer lies in the difference between God’s eternal act and our experience of time. God exists outside of time, perceiving all of history as a single, timeless reality. From this divine perspective, creation is a complete, single act. Yet, from our standpoint within time, we experience creation unfolding sequentially, moment by moment, in what appears to be an evolutionary process. Augustine of Hippo captures this well, describing how God’s eternal act holds all of time, past, present, and future, in a single, unchanging “now.”³

Accidental Change as Evolution Within God’s Eternal Act

If God’s creative act is eternal and unchanging, what are we to make of the ongoing shifts and developments we observe? Is all this change simply superficial? Not quite. The accidental changes we see, advancements in science, shifts in culture, new philosophies, are indeed real and have a profound impact on how we live and understand the world. But they do not disrupt the fundamental purpose or nature of creation; rather, they reflect a gradual unfolding within God’s original design.

Think of humanity’s shift from ancient to modern societies. On the surface, much has changed: our technology, our social structures, our understanding of the cosmos. But are we not still wrestling with the same core questions, about morality, truth, love, and our relationship with God? In this sense, accidental changes reveal aspects of God’s purpose rather than alter it. St. Paul hints at this final unity when he speaks of a time when “God will be all in all” (1 Cor 15:28), envisioning an ultimate state in which temporal evolution reaches its fulfillment in God’s eternal will.4

Are We Changing or Part of God’s Timeless Design?

So, does the world truly change, or does it evolve within God’s unchanging act of creation? Seen through this lens, the world’s changes are accidental rather than substantial, temporal processes that do not disrupt the eternal purpose of God’s creation. God’s continuous creation isn’t about random change but rather a divinely ordered evolution that brings each of us, and all creation, closer to the fullness of His plan.

Understanding life as part of God’s timeless creation within the unfolding of time invites us to find meaning even in the changes around us. While we may witness shifts in culture, technology, and society, these changes are threads in the larger tapestry of God’s eternal purpose. As co-creators with God, we aren’t merely reacting to change; we’re participating in a continuous evolution that is leading creation toward unity with Him.

So perhaps the real question isn’t whether the world is “changing,” but whether we can recognize the deeper, divine purpose guiding it all.

Footnotes

¹ Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae, I, Q. 45, Art.1.
² Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2nd ed. (Vatican City: Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 1997), 301.
³ Augustine of Hippo, Confessions, Book XI.
4 The Holy Bible, Revised Standard Version, 1 Corinthians 15:28.