Was Charles Darwin an atheist?

Answer 1

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. However, at the time of writing the Origin of Species he remained a theist, convinced of the existence of God as a First Cause.

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".

Answer 2

He was probably an agnostic, but later becamse pretty atheist. Probably the key factor was the death of a daughter or grand-daughter. Also his evolutionary theory showed that a naturalistic explanation could be found for development of animals, even perhaps humans (although personally i don't think you can rule God's involvement out at any time, since its not poss to go back in time and observe the DNA changing, and identify exact causes, is it).

In those times medecine was much weaker and a lot of children died before reaching adulthood. The grief would be hard whoever you were.

His wife remained a devoted (evengelical I think) christian all her life, which just shows you don't have to abandon belief in God due to misfortune. She probably knew the Holy Spirit's presence and action in her life -with that you have evidence of God even if other evidence looks uncertain.

Answer 3

concept in God potential no longer plenty. human beings are loose to have self assurance or no longer have self assurance. it somewhat is while human beings immediately push aside the main possible maximum doable concept on how actual selection of lifestyles exceeded off for extremely vulnerable motives that they ought to be arranged to acquire grievance. An occasion: maximum atheists will ridicule the reality that Isaac Newton believed in YECism yet they'll fortunately applaud his brilliance and supply him the credit of being a scientist who made between the final contributions to the scientific approach together with his calculus. while someone is right, realize that they are precise, while someone is inaccurate element it out.

Answer 4

He went from being a Christian in his youth to proclaiming himself as an agnostic when he was older. The above answer is rubbish- it's the exact opposite of the truth.

Answer 5

He called himself an agnostic, though by modern standards he was indeed an atheist.

Reports of a deathbed conversion are an outrageous and unfounded slur on his character.

CD

Answer 6

No...most likely he was agnostic...he was considered a freethinker in his earlier days, but pretty much lost all belief in god later in life...and he did not convert to christianity on his deathbed...just a big lie that was fabricated to try to disprove his views on evolution...

Answer 7

wikipedia

Answer 8

He was a Christian his whole life. The church of England doesn't toss people out for saying "I don't know."


and the deathbed convertion story is a myth. google it.

Answer 9

he was a Christian for a number of years, then agnostic. he was surely influenced by his grandfather and father, who were Freethinkers

Answer 10

He was an agnostic; he said so himself.