Darwin was a christian?

Question

I would like to know how many people out there know that before Sir Charles Darwin (he was knighted by the queen) wrote the theory of evolution he studied to become one of the preisthood of the Catholic Church just like his father, before joining the crew of the Beagle. Also that in his now 'infamious' Origin of Species he actually credited god with creating the first life form (and in so doing eluded, at least I think, to his strong belief in god). It was only later after his death that the modern theory of amino acid chains forming links through random chance came along. Why then is Darwin so hated amonst them Christian community if he creditied god with the first life form. When you answer this question could you include wheather your ocupation is in the scientific field or not. I thank you in advance.

Answer 1

it's not like you had much choice in those days is it, the deathbed thing is a made up Christian myth

Answer 2

At the time, there was no explanation for that first life form - matter and energy was yet to be explored in the kind of detail that would be required to explain it. The Theory of Evolution angered Christians because it weakened Creationism, despite Darwin's crediting God as the creator of the first life form. Was Adam a man, or did he evolve from another life form? Not the kind of question that many Christians wanted to hear.

Answer 3

I've heard this and other interesting tidbits about Darwin's private life before, but I don't think it matters whether he was religious or not- religion and science are not mutually exclusive! Science depends on logic; religion depends on faith. It is silly to nitpick the details of Darwin's spiritual life. Think of it this way: a person may be a great president but have a less than perfect family life. So can a man be a brilliant scientist but have complicated spiritual beliefs. Why does anyone really think that Darwin's religion (or lack of it) have anything to do with his Theory of Evolution? He was not the pope; he was a pretty normal guy who happened to come up with one of the most influential and controversial scientific theories of all time. Let the poor man rest in peace!

Edit: As to my occupation, I am a Biology major in college.

Answer 4

Darwin was never knighted.

He studied for the Anglican (not the Catholic) priesthood, and although he completed his studies he was never ordained.

Although conventionally religious in his early life, he later became agnostic.

Darwinian or neo-Darwinian evolution is accepted by the mainstream of both the Roman Catholic and Anglican Churches, as well as many other religions. It's mainly American Protestant fundamentalists and some Muslims that seem to have a problem with it.

My occupation is in a scientific field.

Answer 5

I'm into Artificial Intelligence and Robotics.

Yes, Charles Darwin and most of the Scientists who discovered a lot of things related to Evolution were also Christians.

I wasn't aware of any animosity by Christians towards Darwin and must say that if there is any, it's misguided, for obvious reasons.

Cheers!!!!

Answer 6

Creation Science Magazine did an article on whether Darwin did a deathbed confession or not, and they said the best evidence available shows he did not make a death bed confession.
And amino acids don't form randomly to make DNA.

Answer 7

^ johnny cee, that story has been debunked decades ago. Why continue spreading a lie?

Darwin's daughter Henrietta, "I was present at his deathbed," she wrote in the Christian for February 23, 1922. "Lady Hope was not present during his last illness, or any illness. I believe he never even saw her, but in any case she had no influence over him in any department of thought or belief. He never recanted any of his scientific views, either then or earlier. We think the story of his conversion was fabricated in the U.S.A. . . . The whole story has no foundation whatever."


Oh yeah... and Darwin was an agnostic; an unbeliever all the way to his death.

Answer 8

According to his biography Darwin said he didn't believe his own theories and latter in life enveloped Christianity. Most people repeat what they hear and don't check things out for themselves.
Construction Electrician w/ a Masters

Answer 9

Ignorance of what you have written plays a large part. Fear of losing the Bible and thus their salvation is a real part. And not understanding the scalpel sharp difference between faith and science is yet another factor.

Rev. Dr. S. M. aka Joe Cool

Answer 10

Darwin was not only a Christian, he was an ordained minister. He finished his famous "Species" book by say that God was responsible for evolution.

Then he was told that he and his uncles were going to Hell because they didn't agree with the church position.

Then, and only then did he publish his next study denouncing the existence of God. He was bitter, and it ruined his judgement. His fellow scientists at the time and even now are ashamed of his second study, not because he denounced God, most of them were atheists anyway, they were ashamed of him for his flawed scientific premises.

Answer 11

I am glad that it was the queen who knighted him.

He never knew scripture, and what he wrote was what he had been taught, by his elders and peers. He just got it wrong. He missed what God was doing in the world. He preached what man say, and not what god was revealing to him.