A fascinating interview with Rabbi Nosson Slifkin can be found in Rafi’s blog. What ever one’s view are about Rabbi Slifkin or his views, this is a must read.
I would only add that I was recently informed in e-mail list I belong to about a private conversation the list owner had with the renowned Charedi Posek, Rav Dovid Cohen. In it he was told that Rav Dovid’s Halachic position is that belief in evolution per se is not an inherent contradiction to Torah, and of course, neither is belief in an ancient universe. Neither of these beliefs are in any way heretical and do not contradict any of the 13 Ikkarim.
Rav Dovid also unequivocally stated that it is permissible to believe that Chazal might have been wrong in matters of science. There are two acceptable approaches to this and one of them is to say that Chazal could have erred.
I have heard that Rav Cohen was not on the “ban” band wagon, and this interview confirms it.
