Nope, it really doesn't. All it requires is that some mechanism exist for change in physical attributes in a population over time exist, whether that mechanism be genetic mutation, transfer of genes, Lamarckian inheritance, little elves, or the direct intervention of God.
Well sidestepped...almost, but not quite.
If we accept that it is the direct intervention of God, or if we state that Evolution was the mechanism set in motion by God, then we still run into a
severe theological problem, which I would like you to explain.
Whether it is ordering a random or unrandom variation of DNA, the "survival of the fittest" requires the exisitence of death, since certain species/mutations etc must die in order that "the fittest" may survive. If Evolution is still continuing since Mankind came into being, this means that death was always an inherent part of Creation.
If we accept Evolution as the mechanism by which God sustains life, then Death is not the consequence of the Fall, but was always "part of the (Divine) plan".
Therefore, our whole Orthodox Christian Faith is a sham, since Christ's Death and Ressurection only redeems us from what He Himself created, not from the consequences of the Fall, and the Divine Apostle Paul must either be lying or mistaken when he says:
"Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.
But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one (man) many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification. For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.) Therefore as by the offence of one (man), judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one (Man) the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. (Roman's 5:10-17)And St. Paul is also telling an untruth when he says:
"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord"(Romans 6:23) ?Is St. Paul speaking of a metaphorical, spiritual death? Well, no, firstly because he says that even those who "had not sinned after the simultude of Adam" (and therefore were not spiritually dead) also recieved this death. And secondly, because he goes on to say:
"And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live." (Romans 8:10-13)So the question is, was St. Paul wrong? Was death always part of the plan anyway, and not a consequence of the Fall? Are we simply being redeemed from a situation which God put us in in the first place? Is the General Ressurection simply a metaphorical/spiritual ressurection just as the "death" which is a consequence of sin is?
If we are an Orthodox Christian who believes in theistic evolution, then we must accept that Mankind was not destined to die at some stage, but brought this upon himself by the Fall which brought death into his life. The only way this is possible is if Evolution ceased for humans the instant the first soul-bearing human came into being.
How does the Theory of Evolution cope with a species which is excluded from it's laws?