Charles Darwin? Did his theory give him doubts about the almighty Creator/God?

Question

Didn't Darwin think he was just dscovering how God did it...not thinking he was proving there was no God?

Answer 1

I'm not sure, but I heard he believed in Jesus, and ended up giving his life to Him, and even on his death bed he begged people not to believe his theory of evolution, and yet it lives on today. Sad.

Answer 2

The very idea that Darwin was setting out to prove "there was no God" is a bizarre idea with no foundation whatsoever. The idea that the theory of evolution springs from atheism is a baldfaced lie promoted by certain creationists with no actual morals or principles at all.

Charles Darwin was raised as a devout Christian in the Church of England, and studied to become an Anglican clergyman.

If anything, it as (as you say) his research that caused him to doubt his faith, not the other way around. It was during his research on the Beagle that he began to question the *literal* interpretation of scripture, as it just led to conflict with evidence.

But the real blow was the death of his ten-year-old daughter Annie from scarlet-fever. Most Darwin biographers credit this as being the last parting of the ways between Darwin and his Christian faith.

However, even then, and throughout the rest of his life, he was quite clear that he was NOT an atheist. He had some faith that there had to be a Creator, but it was with specific tenets of the Christian version of religion that he had doubts.

From his autobiography (1878, long *after* the death of Annie in 1851 and the publication of 'Origins of Species' in 1859): "Another source of conviction in the existence of God, connected with the reason and not with the feelings, impresses me as having much more weight. This follows from the extreme difficulty or rather impossibility of conceiving this immense and wonderful universe, including man with his capacity of looking far backwards and far into futurity, as the result of blind chance or necessity. When thus reflecting I feel compelled to look to a First Cause having an intelligent mind in some degree analogous to that of man; and I deserve to be called a Theist." (p. 92.)

Answer 3

Excerpt from Darwin's autobiography retelling his reaction to his father wishing Darwin to enter the clergy.
"from what little I had heard or thought on the subject I had scruples about declaring my belief in all the dogmas of the Church of England; though otherwise 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. "
During the course of the Beagles voyage he came to question the explicit truth of the Bible as historic fact. It was impossible to reconcile with empirical evidence.

To know what he felt other wise there is one other quote
"At present the most usual argument for the existence of an intelligent God is drawn from deep inward conviction and feelings which are experienced by most persons. But it cannot be doubted that Hindoos, Mahomedans and others might argue in the same manner and with equal force in favour of the existence of one God, or of many Gods, or as with the Buddhists 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 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...."

Answer 4

Darwin's personal writings and journals suggests that he questioned Christianity very much. It wasn't just his work with evolution though, the death of one of his daughters hit him very hard.

His sister and wife however were devout, along with just the general Victorian sentiment, kept Darwin from expressing his views publicly.

Answer 5

He did realize that many would have their faith threatened because it disproves many things they assumed were true. In fact, it doesn't threaten rational religious belief, just the notion that all animals and humans were created in recent times or created in their current form.

Answer 6

Yes, i think he did question his beliefs and one should. You should always try and find the truth or at least question what you feel isnt entirely true for yourself.

Answer 7

You're quite right -- Darwin was Christian and he didn't see any conflict between his discoveries and his beliefs.