To answer the question posed in the title, its core concepts are first clarified and three aspects distinguished. One is a biological theory itself (E-1), second is evolutionism claiming the status of a general scientific or even general cultural paradigm (E-2), and third is the so-called Orthodox (or Christian) evolutionism, which claims to be a variant of the previous. Next, the article considers the content of the main apologetic strategy of the Orthodox evolutionists in the face of their confessional opponents. Then it offers an analysis of the dogmatic objections raised in the church circles against such points of theistic evolutionism as the “animal” origin of man, the Fall, and the appearance of death in the natural world. In conclusion, it explores a deeper level of motivation of Orthodox anti-evolutionists and their absolutization of patristic exegesis. Before all, it is a pessimistic view of history associated with increasing degradation and opposed to a mythical “Golden Age”. This view is directly opposite to progressive intuitions and conclusions of evolutionism.
