Charles Darwin (1809 — 1882), who proposed the theory of evolution by means of natural selection.

Charles Darwin's views on religion have been the subject of much interest. His work was pivotal in the development of evolution theory which some argue helps show that God is unnecessary, while others feel that attacking Darwin and restricting teaching of evolution helps to evangelise their faith. Charles Darwin in 1854, 5 years after he published The Origin of Species. ... Charles Darwin in 1854, 5 years after he published The Origin of Species. ... In his lifetime Charles Darwin gained international fame as an influential scientist examining controversial topics. ... 1809 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... 1882 (MDCCCLXXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... A speculative phylogenetic tree of all living things, based on rRNA gene data, showing the separation of the three domains, bacteria, archaea, and eukaryotes. ... Natural selection is the metaphor Charles Darwin used in 1859 to name the process he postulated to drive the adaptation of organisms to their environments and the origin of new species. ... This article is about biological evolution. ... Michelangelos depiction of God in the painting Creation of the Sun and Moon in the Sistine Chapel) This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and derived henotheistic forms. ... Evangelism is the preaching of the Christian Gospel, or by extension any other form of preaching or proselytizing. ... The word faith has various uses; its central meaning is similar to belief, trust or confidence, but unlike these terms, faith tends to imply a transpersonal rather than interpersonal relationship – with God or a higher power. ...

Charles Darwin had a Non-conformist background, but attended a Church of England school. He studied Anglican theology with the aim of becoming a clergyman, before joining the Voyage of the Beagle. On return, he developed his theory of natural selection in full awareness that it conflicted with the teleological argument. Darwin deliberated about the Christian meaning of mortality and came to think that the religious instinct had evolved with society. With the death of his daughter Annie, Darwin lost all faith in a beneficent God and saw Christianity as futile. He continued to give support to the local church and help with parish work, but on Sundays would go for a walk while his family attended church. In English history, a non-conformist is any member of a Protestant congregation not affiliated with the Church of England. ... The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, and acts as the mother and senior branch of the worldwide Anglican Communion, as well as a founding member of the Porvoo Communion. ... The term Anglican describes those people and churches following the religious traditions of the Church of England, especially following the Reformation. ... A watercolour by ships artist Conrad Martens painted during the survey of Tierra del Fuego shows the Beagle being hailed by native Fuegians. ... Natural selection is the metaphor Charles Darwin used in 1859 to name the process he postulated to drive the adaptation of organisms to their environments and the origin of new species. ... The deepest visible-light image of the cosmos. ... Annie Darwin Anne Elizabeth Annie Darwin (2 March 1841_22 April 1851) was the second child and eldest daughter of Charles and Emma Darwin. ...

In his later life, Darwin was frequently asked about his religious views. He went as far as saying that he did "not believe in the Bible as a divine revelation", but was always insistent that he was agnostic and had "never been an Atheist". Agnosticism is the philosophical view that the truth values of certain claims—particularly theological claims regarding the existence of God, gods, or deities—are unknown, inherently unknowable, or incoherent, and therefore, (some agnostics may go as far to say) irrelevant to life. ... Atheism, in its broadest sense, is an absence of belief in any deities. ...

Darwin's religious background

Charles Darwin was born during the Napoleonic Wars and grew up in their aftermath, a conservative time when Tory dominated government closely associated with the established High Church of England repressed Radicalism, but when family memories recalled the 18th century Enlightenment and a multitude of Non-conformist churches held differing interpretations of Christianity. His Whig supporting extended family of Darwins and Wedgwoods was strongly Unitarian, though one of his grandfathers, Erasmus Darwin, was a freethinker even less restrained by religious dogma. While his parents were open enough to changing social pressures to have Charles baptised in the Church of England, his pious mother took the children to the Unitarian chapel. After her death when he was only eight he became a boarder at the (Church of England) Shrewsbury School public school. The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars fought during Napoleon Bonapartes rule over France. ... This article does not cite its references or sources. ... The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, and acts as the mother and senior branch of the worldwide Anglican Communion, as well as a founding member of the Porvoo Communion. ... In political science, the label radical denotes one who desires extreme change of all or part of the social order. (Britannica Deluxe CD2000). ... (17th century - 18th century - 19th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 18th century refers to the century that lasted from 1701 through 1800. ... The Age of Enlightenment refers to the 18th century in European philosophy, and is often thought of as part of a larger period which includes the Age of Reason. ... In English history, a non-conformist is any member of a Protestant congregation not affiliated with the Church of England. ... While the Whigs (along with the Tories) are often described as one of the two political parties in late 17th to mid 19th century Great Britain, it is more accurate to describe them as loose political groupings or tendencies. ... Historic Unitarianism believed in the oneness of God as opposed to traditional Christian belief in the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). ... Erasmus Darwin Stone-cast bust of Erasmus Darwin, by William John Coffee, c 1795, (Crown Derby Modeller and world renown artist) Erasmus Darwin (December 12, 1731 – April 18, 1802) trained as a physician and wrote extensively on medicine and botany, as well as poetry. ... Freethought is a characteristic of individuals whose opinions are formed on the basis of an understanding and rejection of tradition, authority or established belief. ... A boarding school is a school where some or all students not only study but also live, amongst their peers but away from their home and family. ... Shrewsbury School is a leading British boys public school (UK), located in Shrewsbury in the county of Shropshire. ... A public school, in current English, Welsh and Northern Ireland usage, is a (usually) prestigious independent school, for children usually between the ages of 11 or 13 and 18, which charges fees and is not financed by the state. ...

Edinburgh — medical studies and Lamarckian evolution theory

The two universities in England, Oxford and Cambridge, were under the Church of England and required students to sign the Thirty-nine Articles of the Anglican faith, so many English Non-conformists sent their children to the Scottish universities which had a better reputation in fields like medicine. Charles initially attended the University of Edinburgh, and while he was put off medicine he took an active interest in natural history and from Robert Edmund Grant learnt about Lamarckism and evolutionism. The University of Oxford, located in the city of Oxford, England, is the oldest university in the English-speaking world. ... The University of Cambridge is the second-oldest university in the English-speaking world, with one of the most selective sets of entry requirements in the United Kingdom. ... The Thirty-Nine Articles are the defining statements of Anglican doctrine. ... The term Anglican describes those people and churches following the religious traditions of the Church of England, especially following the Reformation. ... The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a renowned centre for teaching and research in Edinburgh, Scotland. ... Natural history is an umbrella term for what are now usually viewed as a number of distinct scientific disciplines. ... Robert Edmond Grant (1793-1874), born in Edinburgh and educated at Edinburgh University as a doctor, became one of the foremost biologists of the early 19th century at Edinburgh and subsequently a professor at London University, particularly noted for his influence on Charles Darwin. ... It has been suggested that Racial memory be merged into this article or section. ... Evolutionism, from the Latin evolutio, unrolling, refers to theories that certain things develop or change as natural (unplanned) outgrowths of those that existed before, in contrast to beliefs that these things are fixed and immutable. ...

Natural history had grown from the idea that the different kinds of plants and animals showed the wonder of God's creation, making their study and cataloguing into species worthwhile. In Darwin's day it was common for clergymen to be naturalists, though scientific findings had already opened up ideas on creation. The established churches (of England and Scotland) and the English universities remained insistent that species were miraculously created and man was distinct from the "lower orders", but the Unitarian church rejected this dogma and even proclaimed that the human mind was subject to physical law. Erasmus Darwin went further and his Zoönomia asks ..would it be too bold to imagine that all warm-blooded animals have arisen from one living filament, which the great First Cause endued with animality.... possessing the faculty of continuing to improve by its own inherent activity, and of delivering down these improvements by generation to its posterity, world without end!, anticipating Lamarckism. Many were outraged at such sacrilege. Charles would thus have had a perception of Christianity comfortable with ideas of evolution while being very aware of the outrage of the establishment and the patriotic mob. The history of creationism is tied to the history of religions. ... Erasmus Darwin Stone-cast bust of Erasmus Darwin, by William John Coffee, c 1795, (Crown Derby Modeller and world renown artist) Erasmus Darwin (December 12, 1731 – April 18, 1802) trained as a physician and wrote extensively on medicine and botany, as well as poetry. ... Zoonomia, vol. ... It has been suggested that Racial memory be merged into this article or section. ...

Cambridge — theology and geology

While Charles' father Robert had followed his own father Erasmus in medical practice and freethinking, he kept the latter quiet. When Charles proved unable to persevere at medical studies a career option was for his father to purchase at auction a country parish "living" as an Anglican parson. Charles was at first uncertain, but as he later wrote: "I liked the thought of being a country clergyman. Accordingly I read with care 'Pearson on the Creed' and a few other books on divinity; and as I did not then in the least doubt the strict and literal truth of every word in the Bible, I soon persuaded myself that our Creed must be fully accepted.". He then followed his father's bidding by enrolling at Christ's College, Cambridge for the required BA course. Full name Christs College Motto Souvent me Souvient I Often Remember Named after Christ Previous names Gods-house (1437), Christs College (1505) Established 1505 Sister College Wadham College Master Prof. ...

He joined the natural history course of the Revd. John Stevens Henslow who gave him tuition in theology, and Charles became particularly interested in the writings of the Revd. William Paley. Paley's Evidences of Christianity and Moral and Political Philosophy were set texts. Darwin wrote: "I could have written out the whole of the 'Evidences' with perfect correctness, but not of course in the clear language of Paley....I do not think I hardly ever admired a book more than Paley's 'Natural Theology.' I could almost formerly have said it by heart." After doing well in his theology finals Charles read Paley's Natural Theology which saw a rational proof of God's existence in the complexity of living beings exquisitely fitted to their places in a happy world, proving their design by a Creator. While this was at odds with the ideas of Grant and Erasmus Darwin, it convinced Charles and encouraged his interest in science. During this time Cambridge was briefly visited by the Radicals Richard Carlile and the Revd. Robert Taylor on an "infidel home missionary tour", causing a stir before being banned, and Taylor would be remembered by Charles as "the Devil's Chaplain", a warning example of an outcast from society who had challenged Christianity and had been imprisoned for blasphemy. John Stevens Henslow (February 6, 1796 - May 16, 1861) was an English botanist and geologist. ... William Paley William Paley (July, 1743 - May 25, 1805), English divine, Christian apologist and philosopher, was born at Peterborough, Northamptonshire. ... The deepest visible-light image of the cosmos. ... Richard Carlile (9 December 1790 – 10 February 1843) was an important agitator for the establishment of universal suffrage and freedom of the press in the United Kingdom. ... Robert Taylor (Radical) (1784 – 1844), better known as the Revd. ...

Voyage of the Beagle

Before leaving Cambridge, Charles studied geology with the Revd. Adam Sedgwick, then got the opportunity to join a survey expedition as gentleman's companion to captain Robert FitzRoy on HMS Beagle. Before they left England FitzRoy gave Darwin a copy of the first volume of Charles Lyell's Principles of Geology. Adam Sedgwick Adam Sedgwick (March 22, 1785–January 27, 1873) was one of the founders of modern geology. ... Robert FitzRoy Vice Admiral Robert FitzRoy (July 5, 1805 - April 30, 1865) achieved lasting fame as the captain of HMS Beagle and as a pioneering meteorologist who made accurate weather forecasting a reality, also proving an able surveyor and hydrographer as well as Governor of New Zealand. ... HMS Beagle (centre) from an 1841 watercolour by Owen Stanley, painted during the third voyage while surveying Australia. ... Charles Lyell The frontispiece from Principles of Geology Sir Charles Lyell (November 14, 1797 – February 22, 1875), British lawyer, geologist, and popularizer of uniformitarianism. ...

The developing science of geological strata and the finding of extinct fossils appeared to contradict the Biblical account of Noah's flood, but this was reconciled by theories such as Catastrophism which postulated a series of catastrophic floods each followed by the creation of new species ex nihilo. Lyell's book explained features as the outcome of a gradual process over huge periods of time, and in the second volume he explained extinctions by a "succession of deaths" with new species then being created. Darwin later wrote home that he was 'seeing' land-forms as if he had the eyes of Lyell. FitzRoy evidently shared this view at the time, but on the return of the Beagle he wrote a section for his account of the voyage recanting this and earnestly explaining his renewed commitment to a literal reading of the Bible, with rock layers high in the mountains containing sea shells interpreted as proof of Noah's Flood and ideas of the six days of creation extending over aeons dismissed because the grass, herbs and trees would have died out during the long nights. In contrast, Darwin by then had developed a convincing new theory on the formation of coral atolls which supported Lyell's arguments. The history of creationism is tied to the history of religions. ... Catastrophism is the theory that Earth has been affected by sudden, short-lived, violent events that were sometimes worldwide in scope. ... Fanning Atoll (Tabuaeran) is a typical, small to moderate-sized atoll located in the central Pacific Ocean. ...

Darwin's loss of faith

See also Inception of Darwin's theory. The inception of Darwins theory began with a search for explanations of contradictions in current Creationist ideas, and led him to formulate his theory of evolution which was eventually published in his book On the Origin of Species. ...

In his later private autobiography, Darwin wrote of this time:

"Whilst on board the Beagle (October 1836-January 1839) I was quite orthodox, and I remember being heartily laughed at by several of the officers (though themselves orthodox) for quoting the Bible as an unanswerable authority on some point of morality. I suppose it was the novelty of the argument that amused them. But I had gradually come, by this time, to see that the Old Testament; from its manifestly false history of the world, with the Tower of Babel, the rainbow as a sign, etc., etc., and from its attributing to God the feelings of a revengeful tyrant, was no more to be trusted than the sacred books of the Hindoos, or the beliefs of any barbarian." (Charles Darwin: The Autobiography of Charles Darwin with original omissions restored. New York, Norton, 1969. p.85) (The rainbow as a "sign of the covenant" implies that rainbows did not exist before the Biblical flood. In terms of modern science this would mean that the physics of light discovered by Francis Bacon and Isaac Newton did not apply before that time, and to Darwin it was therefore "false history" which should not be taken literally.)

In seeking to explain his observations, by early 1837 Darwin was speculating on transmutation and writing of "my theory". Having decided to marry, he visited his cousin Emma on 29 July 1838 and told her of his ideas on transmutation. On 11 November he returned and proposed to Emma. Again he discussed his ideas, and she subsequently wrote beseeching him to read from the Gospel of St. John "our Saviour's farewell discourse to his disciples", a section on following the Way which also includes "If a man abide not in me...they are burned". His warm reply eased her heart's concern, but this tension would remain. HMS Beagle (centre) from an 1841 watercolour by Owen Stanley, painted during the third voyage while surveying Australia. ... Charles Darwin 1836 was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... 1839 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Separate articles treat Eastern Orthodox Christianity and Orthodox Judaism. ... The Bible (Hebrew תנ״ך [tanakh], Greek η Βίβλος [hē biblos] ) (sometimes The Holy Bible, The Book, Good Book, Word of God, The Word, or Scripture), from Greek (τα) βίβλια, (ta) biblia, (the) books, is the classical name for the Hebrew Bible of Judaism or the combination of the Old Testament and New Testament of Christianity... Note: Judaism commonly uses the term Tanakh, but not Old Testament, because it does not recognize the concept of a New Testament. ... The Confusion of Tongues by Gustave Doré According to the narrative in Genesis Chapter 11 of the Bible, the Tower of Babel was a tower built by a united humanity to reach the heavens. ... A complete half-circle rainbow at Lake Zurich. ... Hindu scripture is overwhelmingly written in Sanskrit. ... A complete half-circle rainbow at Lake Zurich. ... Sir Francis Bacon For other people named Francis Bacon, see Francis Bacon (disambiguation). ... Sir Isaac Newton, PRS, (4 January [O.S. 25 December 1642] 1643 – 31 March [O.S. 20 March] 1727) was an English physicist, mathematician, astronomer, alchemist, inventor and natural philosopher who is regarded by many as the most influential scientist in history. ... 1837 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... Transmutation is the conversion of one object into another. ... Emma Darwin Emma Darwin (née Wedgwood, 2 May 1808–7 October 1896) was the wife of the English naturalist Charles Darwin. ... July 29 is the 210th day (211th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 155 days remaining. ... | Jöns Jakob Berzelius, discoverer of protein 1838 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... November 11 is the 315th day of the year (316th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 50 days remaining. ...

Darwin was interested in ideas of Natural "laws of harmony", and made enquiries into animal breeding. Having read the new 6th edition of the Revd. Thomas Malthus's Essay on the Principle of Population, around late November 1838 he compared breeders selecting traits to a Malthusian Nature selecting from variants thrown up by chance so that "every part of newly acquired structure is fully practised and perfected", thinking this "the most beautiful part of my theory". He was well aware of the controversy his theory would cause, and of the likely reaction of the scientific establishment he was trying to become part of, so was very cautious in considering all possible arguments against his theory and in discussing his theory with friends. As Richard Millner wrote: "Darwin dreamt of being beheaded or hanged; he thought a belief that went so contrary to biblical authority was `like confessing a murder'." (Encyclopedia of Evolution (1990), p. 113). Darwin himself wrote to his friend Joseph Dalton Hooker, "I am almost convinced... that species are not (it is like confessing a murder) immutable." The Rev. ... | Jöns Jakob Berzelius, discoverer of protein 1838 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... Joseph Dalton Hooker Dr. Sir Joseph Dalton Hooker, GCSI , OM , FRS , MD (June 30, 1817 – December 10, 1911) was an English botanist and traveller. ...

Death of Annie

At the end of June 1850 his bright nine year old daughter Annie who had become a particular favourite and comfort to him fell sick and after a painful illness died on 23 April 1851. 1850 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Annie Darwin Anne Elizabeth Annie Darwin (2 March 1841_22 April 1851) was the second child and eldest daughter of Charles and Emma Darwin. ... April 23 is the 113th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (114th in leap years). ... 1851 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ...

During Annie's long illness Darwin had read books by Francis Newman, a Unitarian evolutionist who called for a new post-Christian synthesis and wrote that "the fretfulness of a child is an infinite evil". With Annie's death Darwin lost the last embers of his faith in a beneficent God and saw Christianity as futile. Darwin wrote at the time, "Our only consolation is that she passed a short, though joyous life." For three years he had deliberated about the Christian meaning of mortality. This opened a new vision of tragically circumstantial nature. Francis Newman (?-1660) was an English colonist in America, Governor of New Haven Colony in 1658-59. ... Historic Unitarianism believed in the oneness of God as opposed to traditional Christian belief in the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). ...

On Sundays Emma took the children to church. After Annie's death, Darwin sometimes went with them as far as the lynch gate to the churchyard, and then he would go for a walk. During the service, Emma continued to face forward when the congregation turned to face the altar for the Creed, sticking to her Unitarian faith. Historic Unitarianism believed in the oneness of God as opposed to traditional Christian belief in the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). ...

The Origin of Species

Darwin continued to avoid public controversy and to accumulate evidence supporting his theory against the anticipated arguments. In 1858 the information that Alfred Russel Wallace now had a similar theory forced early joint publication of Darwin's theory. The reaction to Darwin's theory, even after publication of the Origin of Species in 1859, was more muted than he had feared. In 1860 seven liberal Anglican theologians caused a much greater furore by publishing a manifesto titled Essays and Reviews in which they sought to make textual criticism of the Bible available to the ordinary reader, as well as supporting Darwin. Their new "Higher Criticism" represented "the triumph of the rational discourse of logos over myth." It showed that the Bible should not be read in an entirely literal manner, thus becoming "a bogey of Christian fundamentalists ... but this was only because Western people had lost the original sense of the mythical." 1858 is a common year starting on Friday. ... Alfred Russel Wallace for the Cornish painter see Alfred Wallis Alfred Russel Wallace, OM , FRS (January 8, 1823 – November 7, 1913) was a British naturalist, geographer, anthropologist and biologist. ... The publication of Darwins theory followed on from the development of Darwins theory of evolution and culminated in the publication of his book On the Origin of Species. ... The reaction to Darwins theory came quickly after the publication of Darwins theory which had followed twenty years of development of Darwins theory of evolution. ... The title page of the 1859 edition of On the Origin of Species. ... 1859 is a common year starting on Saturday. ... 1860 is the leap year starting on Sunday. ... The term Anglican describes those people and churches following the religious traditions of the Church of England, especially following the Reformation. ... Essays and Reviews, published in 1860, is a collection of seven essays on religion, covering topics including the Biblical researches of the German critics, the evidences of Christianity, religious thought in England, and the cosmology of Genesis. ...

The Christian fundamentalists were as vocal, and in an 1860 letter to his collaborator Asa Gray Darwin expressed his doubts about the teleological argument which claimed nature as evidence of god : 1860 is the leap year starting on Sunday. ... Asa Gray, Botanist Asa Gray (November 18, 1810 - January 30, 1888) is considered the most important American botanist of the 19th century. ... The deepest visible-light image of the cosmos. ...

"With respect to the theological view of the question: This is always painful to me. I am bewildered. I had no intention to write atheistically, but I own that I cannot see as plainly as others do, and as I should wish to do, evidence of design and beneficence on all sides of us. There seems to me too much misery in the world. I cannot persuade myself that a beneficent and omnipotent God would have designedly created the Ichneumonidae with the express intention of their feeding within the living bodies of caterpillars or that a cat should play with mice... On the other hand, I cannot anyhow be contented to view this wonderful universe, and especially the nature of man, and to conclude that everything is the result of brute force. I am inclined to look at everything as resulting from designed laws, with the details, whether good or bad, left to the working out of what we may call chance."

Downe parish

Although he is commonly portrayed as being in conflict with the Church of England, Darwin was supportive of the local parish church. The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England, and acts as the mother and senior branch of the worldwide Anglican Communion, as well as a founding member of the Porvoo Communion. ...

On moving to Downe, Kent in 1842, Darwin supported the parish church's work, and became a good friend of the Revd. John Innes who took over in 1846. Darwin contributed to the church, helped with parish assistance and proposed a benefit society which became the Down Friendly Society with Darwin as guardian and treasurer. His wife Emma Darwin became known throughout the parish for helping in the way a parson's wife might be expected to, and as well as providing nursing care for her own family's frequent illnesses she gave out bread tokens to the hungry and "small pensions for the old, dainties for the ailing, and medical comforts and simple medicine". Downe is a village in the London Borough of Bromley, England. ... Kent is a county in England, south-east of London. ... 1842 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... 1846 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Emma Darwin Emma Darwin (née Wedgwood, 2 May 1808–7 October 1896) was the wife of the English naturalist Charles Darwin. ...

In 1864 Innes retired to a property he had inherited in the Scottish Highlands, changing his name to Brodie Innes and leaving the parish in the dubious hands of his curate, the Revd. Stevens, while still remaining the patron. The meagre "living" and lack of a vicarage made it hard to attract a priest of quality. Innes made Darwin treasurer of Downe village school and they continued to correspond, with Innes seeking help and advice on parish matters. The Revd. Stevens proved lax, and departed in 1867. His successors were worse, one absconding with the school's funds after Darwin mistakenly shared the treasurer's duties with him. The next was rumoured to have disgraced himself by "walking with girls at night". Darwin now became involved in helping Innes with detective work, subsequently advising him that the gossip that had reached Innes was not backed up by any reliable evidence. 1864 (MDCCCLXIV) was a leap year starting on Friday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a leap year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... The Scottish Highlands are the mountainous regions of Scotland north and west of the Highland Boundary Fault. ... 1867 (MDCCCLXVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ...

A new reforming High Church vicar, the Revd. George Sketchley Ffinden, took over the parish in November 1871 and began imposing his ideas. Darwin had to write to Brodie Innes, explaining what had upset the parishioners. Ffinden now usurped control of the village school which had been run for years by a committee of Darwin, Lubbock and the incumbent priest, with a "conscience clause" which protected the children from Anglican indoctrination. Ffinden began lessons on the Thirty-nine Articles of the Anglican faith, an unwelcome move from the point of view of the Baptists who had a chapel in the village. Darwin withdrew from the committee and cut his annual donation to the church, but continued with the Friendly Society work. 1871 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... The term Anglican describes those people and churches following the religious traditions of the Church of England, especially following the Reformation. ... The Thirty-Nine Articles are the defining statements of Anglican doctrine. ... A Baptist is a member of a Baptist church. ...

For two years Emma organised a winter reading room in the local school for local labourers, who subscribed a penny a week to smoke and play games, with "Respectable newspapers & a few books... & a respectable housekeeper..there every evening to maintain decorum." This was a common facility to save men from "resorting to the public house". In 1873 the Revd. Ffinden opposed it, as "Coffee drinking, bagatelle & other games" had been allowed and "the effects of tobacco smoke & spitting" were seen when the children returned in the morning. Emma got Darwin to get the approval of the education inspectorate in London, and just before Christmas 1873 the Darwins and their neighbours the Lubbocks got the agreement of the school committee, offering to pay for any repairs needed "to afford every possible opportunity to the working class for self improvement & amusement". A furious Ffinden huffed that it was "quite out of order" for the Darwins to have gone to the inspectorate behind his back. In the autumn of 1874 Darwin let off steam at Ffinden and formally resigned from the school committee on health grounds. An amusingly named pub: the Old New Inn at Bourton-on-the-Water in the Cotswolds (southwest Midlands of England) A pub in the Haymarket area of Edinburgh, Scotland A public house, usually known as a pub, is a drinking establishment found mainly in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Canada, Australia... 1873 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calaber). ... 1873 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calaber). ... 1874 (MDCCCLXXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ...

Ffinden then refused to speak to any of the Darwins, and when two evening lectures were proposed for the village in 1875, Lubbock had to act as an intermediary in requesting use of the schoolroom. The committee agreed, but Ffinden refused to co-operate, writing that "I had long been aware of the harmful tendencies to revealed religion of Mr. Darwin's views, but.. I had fully determined.. not to let my difference of opinion interfere with a friendly feeling as neighbours, trusting that God's grace might in time bring one so highly gifted intellectually and morally to a better mind." Darwin was equally haughty in return, condescending that "If Mr. F bows to Mrs D. and myself, we will return it". He found dealing with Ffinden, along with arguments about natural selection with the Roman Catholic convert Mivart, increasing his private hostility to Christianity. However, although he disagreed with Brodie Innes about evolution and politics they remained good friends. 1875 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Natural selection is the metaphor Charles Darwin used in 1859 to name the process he postulated to drive the adaptation of organisms to their environments and the origin of new species. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... St George Jackson Mivart (November 30, 1827 - April 1, 1900) was an English biologist. ...

Religion as an evolved social characteristic

In his 1871 book The Descent of Man Darwin clearly saw religion and "moral qualities" as being important evolved human social characteristics. Darwin's frequent pairing of "Belief in God" and religion with topics on superstitions and fetishism throughout the book can also be interpretted as indicating how much truth he assigned to the former. 1871 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... The Descent of Man and Selection in Relation to Sex by British naturalist Charles Darwin was first published in 1871. ...

In the introduction Darwin wrote:

"Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge: it is those who know little, and not those who know much, who so positively assert that this or that problem will never be solved by science."

Later on in the book he dismisses an argument for religion being innate:

"Belief in God- Religion.- There is no evidence that man was aboriginally endowed with the ennobling belief in the existence of an Omnipotent God. On the contrary there is ample evidence, derived not from hasty travellers, but from men who have long resided with savages, that numerous races have existed, and still exist, who have no idea of one or more gods, and who have no words in their languages to express such an idea. The question is of course wholly distinct from that higher one, whether there exists a Creator and Ruler of the universe; and this has been answered in the affirmative by some of the highest intellects that have ever existed."

"The belief in God has often been advanced as not only the greatest, but the most complete of all the distinctions between man and the lower animals. It is however impossible, as we have seen, to maintain that this belief is innate or instinctive in man. On the other hand a belief in all-pervading spiritual agencies seems to be universal; and apparently follows from a considerable advance in man's reason, and from a still greater advance in his faculties of imagination, curiosity and wonder. I am aware that the assumed instinctive belief in God has been used by many persons as an argument for His existence. But this is a rash argument, as we should thus be compelled to believe in the existence of many cruel and malignant spirits, only a little more powerful than man; for the belief in them is far more general than in a beneficent Deity. The idea of a universal and beneficent Creator does not seem to arise in the mind of man, until he has been elevated by long-continued culture."

Enquiries about religious views

The classic image of Darwin as an old man

Fame and honours brought a stream of enquiries about Darwin's religious views, leading him to comment "Half the fools throughout Europe write to ask me the stupidest questions." He sometimes retorted sharply, "I am sorry to have to inform you that I do not believe in the Bible as a divine revelation, & therefore not in Jesus Christ as the Son of God", and at other times was more guarded, telling a young count studying with Haeckel that he "did not believe that there ever has been any Revelation. As for a future life, every man must judge for himself between conflicting vague probabilities." He declined a request by the Archbishop of Canterbury to join a 'Private Conference' of devout scientists to harmonise science and religion, for he saw "no prospect of any benefit arising" from it. Charles Darwin in 1880, as an old gentleman. ... Charles Darwin in 1880, as an old gentleman. ... Arms of the see of Canterbury The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior clergyman of the established Church of England and symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion. ...

When Brodie Innes sent on a sermon by E. B. Pusey, Darwin responded that the Origin had no "relation whatever to Theology", though when he wrote it his own "belief in what is called a personal God was as firm as that of Dr. Pusey himself." Brodie Innes deplored "unwise and violent" theological attacks on his old friend, for while they had disagreements, "How nicely things would go if other folk were like Darwin and Brodie Innes." Pusey aged about 75 Edward Bouverie Pusey (August 22, 1800 - September 16, 1882), was an English churchman, and one of the leaders of the Oxford Movement. ...

In a letter to a correspondent at the University of Utrecht in 1873, Darwin expressed agnosticism: 1873 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calaber). ... Agnosticism is the philosophical view that the truth values of certain claims—particularly theological claims regarding the existence of God, gods, or deities—are unknown, inherently unknowable, or incoherent, and therefore, (some agnostics may go as far to say) irrelevant to life. ...

"I may say that the impossibility of conceiving that this grand and wondrous universe, with our conscious selves, arose through chance, seems to me the chief argument for the existence of God; but whether this is an argument of real value, I have never been able to decide. I am aware that if we admit a first cause, the mind still craves to know whence it came from and how it arose. Nor can I overlook the difficulty from the immense amount of suffering through the world. I am, also, induced to defer to a certain extent to the judgment of many able men who have fully believed in God; but here again I see how poor an argument this is. The safest conclusion seems to me to be that the whole subject is beyond the scope of man's intellect; but man can do his duty."

Caution about publication, spiritualism

In 1873 Darwin's son George wrote an essay which boldly dismissed prayer, divine morals and "future rewards & punishments". Darwin wrote "I would urge you not to publish it for some months, at the soonest, & then consider whether you think it new & important enough to counterbalance the evils; remembering the cart-loads which have been published on this subject. – The evils on giving pain to others, & injuring your own power & usefulness... It is an old doctrine of mine that it is of foremost importance for a young author to publish.. only what is very good & new... remember that an enemy might ask who is this man... that he should give to the world his opinions on the deepest subjects?... but my advice is to pause, pause, pause." 1873 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calaber). ... George Howard Darwin Sir George Howard Darwin, F.R.S. (July 9, 1845 – December 7, 1912) was a British astronomer and mathematician, the second son and fifth child of Charles and Emma Darwin. ...

During the fad for Spiritualism, Darwin attended a séance at Erasmus's house in January 1874, but as the room grew stuffy Darwin went upstairs to lie down, missing the show, with sparks, sounds and the table rising above their heads. While Galton thought it a "good séance", Darwin later wrote "The Lord have mercy on us all, if we have to believe such rubbish" and told Emma that it was "all imposture" and "it would take an enormous weight of evidence" to convince him otherwise. At a second séance Huxley and George found that Williams was nothing but a cheat, to Darwin's relief. Spiritualism is a religious movement, prominent from the 1840s to the 1920s, often believed by adherents to be a revival of practices in various ancient religions. ... Erasmus Darwin Stone-cast bust of Erasmus Darwin, by William John Coffee, c 1795, (Crown Derby Modeller and world renown artist) Erasmus Darwin ( December 12, 1731 – April 18, 1802) trained as a physician and wrote extensively on medicine and botany, as well as poetry. ... 1874 (MDCCCLXXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ...

In 1876 Darwin wrote the following regarding his publicly stated position of agnosticism: "Formerly I was led... to the firm conviction of the existence of God and the immortality of the soul. In my Journal I wrote that whilst standing in the midst of the grandeur of a Brazilian forest, 'it is not possible to give an adequate idea of the higher feelings of wonder, admiration, and devotion, which fill and elevate the mind.' I well remember my conviction that there is more in man than the mere breath of his body. But now the grandest scenes would not cause any such convictions and feelings to rise in my mind." 1876 (MDCCCLXXVI) is a leap year starting on Saturday. ...

In November 1878 when George Romanes presented his new book refuting theism, A Candid Examination of Theism by "Physicus", Darwin read it with "very great interest", but was unconvinced, pointing out that its arguments did not rule out God creating matter and energy at the beginning of the universe, with a propensity to evolve. If theism were true, "reason might not be the only instrument for ascertaining its truth". 1878 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... A 19th century naturalist, George John Romanes (May 19, 1848 - May 23, 1894), coined the term, and laid the foundation of, comparative psychology, and postulated a similarity of cognitive processes and mechanisms between humans and animals. ...

Agnosticism

In 1879 a letter came asking if he believed in God, and if theism and evolution were compatible. He replied that a man "can be an ardent Theist and an evolutionist", citing Charles Kingsley and Asa Gray as examples, and for himself, he had "never been an Atheist in the sense of denying the existence of a God". He added that "I think that generally (and more and more as I grow older), but not always, that an Agnostic would be a more correct description of my state of mind." 1879 (MDCCCLXXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Charles Kingsley (July 12, 1819 - January 23, 1875) was an English novelist, particularly associated with the West Country. ... Asa Gray, Botanist Asa Gray (November 18, 1810 - January 30, 1888) is considered the most important American botanist of the 19th century. ...

Those opposing religion often took Darwin as their inspiration and expected his support for their cause, a rôle he firmly refused. In 1880 there was a huge controversy when the militant atheist Charles Bradlaugh was elected as MP and then prevented from taking his seat in the House of Commons. In response, the secularist Edward Aveling toured the country leading protests. When Aveling later requested permission to dedicate a book on Darwin and his Works to Darwin, he declined in a four page letter marked PRIVATE, adding that "though I am a strong advocate for free thought on all subjects, yet it appears to me (whether rightly or wrongly) that direct arguments against christianity & theism produce hardly any effect on the public; & freedom of thought is best promoted by the gradual illumination of men's minds which follows from the advance of science. It has, therefore, been always my object to avoid writing on religion, & I have confined myself to science. I may, however, have been unduly biased by the pain which it would give some members of my family, if I aided in any way direct attacks on religion." 1880 (MDCCCLXXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Charles Bradlaugh (26 September 1833 _ 30 January 1891) was a political activist and one of the most famous English atheists of the 19th century. ... British House of Commons Canadian House of Commons In some bicameral parliaments of a Westminster System, the House of Commons has historically been the name of the elected lower house. ... Edward Bibbens Aveling (29 November 1849 – 2 August 1898), English Marxist and partner of Eleanor Marx. ...

In Germany militant Darwinismus elevated Darwin to heroic status. When the eminent Freethinker Doctor Ludwig Büchner requested an audience he thought he was greeting a noble ally. To Darwin this was a grotesque misunderstanding, but he felt unable to refuse. Darwin's wife Emma Darwin expressed her expectation that their guest "will refrain from airing his very strong religious opinions" and invited their old friend the Revd. Brodie Innes. On Thursday 28 September 1881 Büchner arrived with Aveling. Darwin's son Frank was also present. Darwin wittily explained that "[Brodie] & I have been fast friends for 30 years. We never thoroughly agreed on any subject but once and then we looked at each other and thought one of us must be very ill". In uncharacteristically bold discussions after dinner Darwin asked his guests "Why do you call yourselves Atheists?", saying that he preferred the word "Agnostic". Aveling replied that "Agnostic was but Atheist writ respectable, and Atheist was only Agnostic writ aggressive". Darwin responded "Why should you be so aggressive?". Freethought is "all very well" for the educated, he argued, but are ordinary people "ripe for it?" Aveling retorted what if "the revolutionary truths of Natural and Sexual Selection" had been confined to the "judicious few" and Darwin had delayed publication of the Origin, where would the world be? Surely "his own illustrious example" encouraged freethinkers to proclaim truth "abroad from the house-tops". Darwin agreed that Christianity was "not supported by the evidence", but he had reached this conclusion only slowly: "I never gave up Christianity until I was forty years of age." It has been suggested that Freethinking be merged into this article or section. ... Friedrich Karl Christian Ludwig Büchner (March 29, 1824 – May 1, 1899) was a German philosopher, physiologist and physician who became one of the exponents of 19th century scientific materialism. ... Emma Darwin Emma Darwin (née Wedgwood, 2 May 1808–7 October 1896) was the wife of the English naturalist Charles Darwin. ... September 28 is the 271st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (272nd in leap years). ... 1881 (MDCCCLXXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Sir Francis Darwin, F.R.S. (August 16th 1848 - 19th September 1925) was the botanist son of Charles Darwin. ...

Funeral

Darwin's Westminster Abbey funeral expressed a public feeling of national pride, and religious writers of all persuasions praised his "noble character and his ardent pursuit of truth", calling him a "true Christian gentleman". In particular the Unitarians and free religionists, proud of his Dissenting upbringing, supported his naturalistic views. The Unitarian William Carpenter carried a resolution praising Darwin's unravelling of "the immutable laws of the Divine Government", shedding light on "the progress of humanity", and the Unitarian preacher John Chadwick from New York wrote that "The nation's grandest temple of religion opened its gates and lifted up its everlasting doors and bade the King of Science come in." The Abbeys western façade The Collegiate Church of St Peter, Westminster, which is almost always referred to as Westminster Abbey, is a mainly Gothic church, on the scale of a cathedral, in Westminster, London, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. ... Historic Unitarianism believed in the oneness of God as opposed to traditional Christian belief in the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). ... John Chadwick (21 May 1920 - 24 November 1998) was a British linguist and classical scholar most famous for his role in deciphering Linear B along with Michael Ventris. ... Official language(s) None, English de facto Capital Albany Largest city New York City Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 27th 141,205 km² 455 km 530 km 13. ...

Posthumous Autobiography

Darwin decided to leave a posthumous memoir for his family, and on Sunday 28 May 1876 he began Recollections of the Development of my mind and character. He found this candid private memoir easy going, covering his childhood, university, life on the Beagle and developing work in science. A section headed "Religious Belief" opened just before his marriage, and frankly discussed his long disagreement with Emma. At first he had been unwilling to give up his faith, and had tried to "invent evidence" supporting the Gospels, but just as his clerical career had died a slow "natural death", so too did his belief in "Christianity as a divine revelation". "Inward convictions and feelings" had arisen from natural selection, as had survival instincts, and could not be relied on. He was quick to show Emma's side of the story and pay tribute to "your mother, so infinitely my superior in every moral quality... my wise adviser and cheerful comforter". May 28 is the 148th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (149th in leap years). ... 1876 (MDCCCLXXVI) is a leap year starting on Saturday. ... HMS Beagle (centre) from an 1841 watercolour by Owen Stanley, painted during the third voyage while surveying Australia. ...

The Autobiography of Charles Darwin was published posthumously, and quotes about Christianity were omitted by Darwin's wife Emma and his son Francis because they were deemed dangerous for Charles Darwin's reputation. Only in 1958 Darwin's granddaughter Nora Barlow published a revised version which contained the omissions. This included statements such as the following: The Autobiography of Charles Darwin is the autobiography of the British naturalist Charles Darwin which was published in 1887, five years after his death. ... Emma Darwin Emma Darwin (née Wedgwood, 2 May 1808–7 October 1896) was the wife of the English naturalist Charles Darwin. ... Sir Francis Darwin, F.R.S. (August 16th 1848 - 19th September 1925) was the botanist son of Charles Darwin. ... 1958 (MCMLVIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

"By further reflecting that the clearest evidence would be requisite to make any sane man believe in the miracles by which Christianity is supported, --that the more we know of the fixed laws of nature the more incredible, do miracles become, --that the men at that time were ignorant and credulous to a degree almost incomprehensible by us, --that the Gospels cannot be proved to have been written simultaneously with the events, --that they differ in many important details, far too important as it seemed to me to be admitted as the usual inaccuracies of eyewitness; --by such reflections as these, which I give not as having the least novelty or value, but as they influenced me, I gradually came to disbelieve in Christianity as a divine revelation. The fact that many false religions have spread over large portions of the earth like wild-fire had some weight with me. Beautiful as is the morality of the New Testament, it can hardly be denied that its perfection depends in part on the interpretation which we now put on metaphors and allegories." (p.86)

"Thus disbelief crept over me at a very slow rate, but at last was complete. The rate was so slow that I felt no distress, and have never since doubted even for a single second that my conclusion was correct." (p.87)

"I can indeed hardly see how anyone ought to wish Christianity to be true; for if so the plain language of the text seems to show that the men who do not believe, and this would include my Father, Brother and almost all my best friends, will be everlastingly punished. And this is a damnable doctrine." (p. 87)

"The old argument of design in nature, as given by Paley, which formerly seemed to me so conclusive, fails, now that the law of natural selection had been discovered. We can no longer argue that, for instance, the beautiful hinge of a bivalve shell must have been made by an intelligent being, like the hinge of a door by man. There seems to be no more design in the variability of organic beings and in the action of natural selection, than in the course which the wind blows. Everything in nature is the result of fixed laws." (p.87)

"At the present day (ca. 1872) the most usual argument for the existence of an intelligent God is drawn from the deep inward conviction and feelings which are experienced by most persons. But it cannot be doubted that Hindoos, Mahomadans and others might argue in the same manner and with equal force in favor of the existence of one God, or of many Gods, or as with the Buddists of no God...This argument would be a valid one if all men of all races had the same inward conviction of the existence of one God: but we know that this is very far from being the case. Therefore I cannot see that such inward convictions and feelings are of any weight as evidence of what really exists." (p.91)

"Nor must we overlook the probability of the constant inculcation in a belief in God on the minds of children producing so strong and perhaps as inherited effect on their brains not yet fully developed, that it would be as difficult for them to throw off their belief in God, as for a monkey to throw off its instinctive fear and hatred of a snake." (p.93)

Christianity is a monotheistic religion centered on the life, teachings, and actions of Jesus as recounted in the New Testament. ... For the genre of Christian-themed music, see gospel music. ... See New Covenant for the concept translated as New Testament in the KJV. The New Testament, sometimes called the Greek Testament or Greek Scriptures, and, in recent times, also New Covenant, is the name given to the part of the Christian Bible that was written after the birth of Jesus. ... Doctrine, from Latin doctrina, (compare doctor), means a body of teachings or instructions, taught principles or positions, as the body of teachings in a branch of knowledge or belief system. ... William Paley William Paley (July, 1743 - May 25, 1805), English divine, Christian apologist and philosopher, was born at Peterborough, Northamptonshire. ... 1872 (MDCCCLXXII) was a leap year starting on Monday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a leap year starting on Wednesday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar. ... A Hindu (archaic Hindoo), as per modern definition is an adherent of philosophies and scriptures of Hinduism, the predominant Vedic religious, philosophical and cultural system of India (Bharat), Nepal, and the island of Bali. ... Islam (Arabic: ; ( (help· info)), submission (to the will of Allah)) is a monotheistic faith, one of the Abrahamic religions, and generally recognised as the worlds second-largest religion. ... A replica of an ancient statue of Gautama Buddha, found from Sarnath, near Varanasi. ... Cynomolgus Monkey at Batu Caves, Malaysia Monkeys, Mori Sosen (1749-1821) A monkey is any member of two of the three groupings of simian primates. ... Superfamilies and Families Henophidia Aniliidae Anomochilidae Boidae Bolyeriidae Cylindrophiidae Loxocemidae Pythonidae Tropidophiidae Uropeltidae Xenoplplplpeltidae Typhlopoidea Anomalepididae Leptotyphlopidae Typhlopidae Xenophidia Acrochordidae Atractaspididae Colubridae Elapidae Hydrophiidae Viperidae Snakes are cold blooded legless reptiles closely related to lizards, which share the order Squamata. ...

The Lady Hope story

See Lady Hope for details of this story and arguments refuting it. Lady Hope in 1887 Lady Elizabeth Reid Hope (née Cotton1; December 9, 1842–8 March 1922) was a British evangelist who is generally believed to be the Lady Hope who claimed in 1915 that she had visited the British naturalist Charles Darwin shortly before his death in 1882. ...

In his 1879 biography of his grandfather, Charles Darwin recounted how the story had been started that Erasmus Darwin had called for Jesus on his deathbed in 1802, and concluded by stating "Such was the state of Christian feeling in this country at the beginning of the present century... we may at least hope that nothing of the kind now prevails". 1879 (MDCCCLXXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Erasmus Darwin Stone-cast bust of Erasmus Darwin, by William John Coffee, c 1795, (Crown Derby Modeller and world renown artist) Erasmus Darwin (December 12, 1731 – April 18, 1802) trained as a physician and wrote extensively on medicine and botany, as well as poetry. ... --69. ...

After Charles Darwin's death it was claimed that he too underwent a deathbed conversion to Christianity. Beyond being a common myth frequently applied to famous non-believers, the claim can be dismissed by his never having left the church. The claims were refuted by Darwin's daughter Henrietta, but resurfaced several times. In his lifetime Charles Darwin gained international fame as an influential scientist examining controversial topics. ... A deathbed conversion is the adoption of a particular religious faith, typically to some type of Christianity or Islam, immediately before dying. ... Christianity is a monotheistic religion centered on the life, teachings, and actions of Jesus as recounted in the New Testament. ... The Darwin — Wedgwood family was a prominent English family, descended from Erasmus Darwin and Josiah Wedgwood, the most notable member of which was Charles Darwin. ...

Sources

• Darwin, Adrian Desmond and James Moore, Michael Joseph, the Penguin Group, London 1991 ISBN 0-7181-3430-3
• Voyage of the Beagle, Charles Darwin (including Robert FitzRoy's 'Remarks with reference to the Deluge'), Penguin Books, London 1989 ISBN 0-14-043268-X

External links

• Dr Paul Marston: Charles Darwin and Christian Faith
• Life and Letters of Charles Darwin: Chapter on religion
• Creationism: bad science, bad religion, bad education - Derek Gillard
• Talk.Origins Archive: The Lady Hope Story: A Widespread Falsehood
• Answers in Genesis: Did Darwin Recant? (concludes no)
• A Dog and the Mind of Newton – discusses Darwin and his faith (adapted from Evolution by Carl Zimmer, ISBN 0060199067)
• 2004 National Georgaphic article, which has Darwin as a deist at least at one point of his life