Theological Insights fromCharles Darwin
Denis O. LamoureuxRegrettably, both secularists and numerous evangelical Christians have painted a darkand sinister picture of the religious implications of Charles Darwin’s theory of biologicalevolution. This has led to a cultural myth that sees him as one of the modern apostlesof unbelief. However, the primary historical literature reveals that Darwin was thinkingtheologically throughout his career and that his reflections were sophisticated. In particular,he dealt with the religious themes of intelligent design in nature, the problem of pain, andDivine sovereignty over the world. Theological insights from Charles Darwin are valuablein understanding the challenges that biological evolution presents to religion.
I
n his acclaimed best-seller
The BlindWatchmaker
(1986), the inimitable RichardDawkins writes: “I could not imaginebeing an atheist before 1859, when Darwin’s
Origin of Species
was published. … Darwinmade it possible to be an intellectually ful-filled atheist.”
1
Today, secularists and manyevangelical Christians agree with Dawkinsin suggesting that the father of the theoryof biological evolution is a chief apostle ofmodern atheism.
2
However, is this actuallythe case? Or is the association of Darwinwith unbelief a popular cultural myth thathas been thoughtlessly propagated through-out society today?This paper reviews the central religiousbeliefs of Charles Darwin and presents evi-dence from the primary historical literaturethat deals with his theological reflections onevolutionarytheory.Tothesurpriseofmany,Darwin not only contributed to science abrilliant theoretical outline for biologicalorigins, but his thoughts regarding the reli-gious implications of evolution are profoundand provide valuable insights to theology.
The Early Years(1809–1831)
Charles Darwin was born 12 February 1809and raised in a comfortable British settingsurrounded by a variety of religious andphilosophical beliefs.
3
His physician fatherRobert was a “free thinker on religiousmatters” and at best a “nominal” Anglican.
4
Darwin’s mother Susannah came from adevoutUnitarianfamilyandattendedchurchwith her children. Sadly, she died whenCharles was onlyeight years old. Thereafter,his older sisters assisted in raising him andbrought him to Anglican services.
5
Darwinreceived an education from an Anglican dayschool, and in his autobiography refers toreligious beliefs that are typical of a child.He writes:I remember in the early part of myschool life [1818–1825] that I often hadto run very quickly to be in time, andfrombeingafleetrunnerwasgenerallysuccessful;butwhenindoubtIprayedearnestlytoGodtohelpme,andIwellremember that I attributed my successto prayers and not to my quick run-ning, and marveled how generally Iwas aided.
6
As a teenager, Darwin read his grand-father Erasmus’
Zoonomia,
or the
Laws of Organic Life
(1794–1796), which presented adeistic God creating life through an evolu-tionary process.
7
He notes that the book hadlittle effect on him at that time, but believes
2
Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith
Article
Theological Insights from Charles Darwin
Is theassociation of Darwin withunbelief a popular cultural myththat has beenthoughtlessly propagatedthroughoutsociety today?
Charles Darwin
Denis O. Lamoureux
is an assistant professor of science and religion atSt.Joseph’sCollege,UniversityofAlberta.HisappointmentisthefirstCanadiantenure-track position in this discipline. He holds three earned doctoral degrees—dentistry, theology, and biology. Lamoureux asserts that if the limits of bothevangelical Christianity and evolutionary biology are respected, then their relationship is not only complementary, but also necessary. He is a member of the executive council of the Canadian Scientific and Christian Affiliation, anda Fellow of the American Scientific Affiliation. Recently retired from dentistry,Lamoureux continues to suffer from the idolatrous practice this professionencourages as he boasts a single digit handicap!
Denis O. Lamoureux
thatits positive lightonevolution openedthewayforseri-ous consideration of this view of biological origins.After a failed attempt at studying medicine in Edin-burgh, Darwin entered Christ College, Cambridge in 1828to study theology. His intention was not so much religiousas practical—his father insisted. Dr. Darwin recognizedthat his son lacked direction and this way he would at theleast receive an education befitting a proper young Britishgentleman. There is little evidence to suggest Charles hadapassionate faithatthatpointinhislife, thoughherecalls:“I did not then in the least doubt the strict literal truth ofevery word in the Bible.”
8
Darwin completed the divinityprogram in 1831, but decided not to be ordained as a min-ister. Yet, Cambridge gave him a purpose. He fell in lovewithscience. His views onoriginsweretypical oftheearlynineteenth century. He accepted that the earth was old,thoughcatastrophicfloodeventsstillplayedapartingeol-ogy for understanding various surface features (e.g., gravelbeds, erratic rocks, etc.). Darwin was also a progressivecreationist,
9
believing in the immutability (unchange-ability) of species, and maintaining that God intervened tocreate life at different points in geological history.
Darwin’s view of nature was steepedin the categories of British naturalist-theologian William Paley.
Morespecifically, Darwin’s view of naturewas steepedin the categories of British naturalist-theologian WilliamPaley. His
Evidences of Christianity
(1794) and
Natural The-ology
(1802) were required reading at Cambridge in theearly 1800s, and Darwin claimed that studying theseworks were the only valuable part of his education. Wellknown for the watchmaker argument,
10
Paley held thatthe universe features: (1) Intelligent Design
11
—the beauty,complexity and functionality of nature ultimately reflectthe mind of the Creator; (2) Perfect Adaption—each andevery detail found in the world fits perfectly in its place;and (3) Beneficence—the creation is very good. Lookingback on his career, Darwin recognizes in 1871:I did not at that time trouble myself about Paley’spremises; and taking these on trust I was charmedand convinced by the long line of argumentation …I was not able to annul the influence of my formerbelief, then almost universal, that
each
species hadbeen purposely created; and this led to my tacitassumption that
every detail
of structure, exceptingrudiments, was of some special, though unrecog-nized, service.
12
ItisimportanttoemphasizethatPaley’sunderstandingof design is both static and conflated to the notion of per-fect adaptability. That is,
each
and
every detail
in the worldhad some specifically designed purpose, with the excep-tion being rudimentary structures such as mammaryglands in males. Consequently, there was no room formal-adapted structures or creatures, especially evolvingones, in God’s good and perfectly ordered creation.
The
HMS Beagle
Voyage(1831–1836)
Darwin boarded
HMS Beagle
with these assumptionsabout nature on 27 December 1831. He also came withChristian beliefs and recalls:Whilst onboardthe
Beagle
Iwasquiteorthodox,andI remember being heartily laughed at by several ofthe officers (though themselves orthodox) for quot-ing the Bible as an unanswerable authority on somemoral point. I suppose it was the novelty of theargument that amused them.
13
More significantly for the development of his science,Darwin embarked with the first volume of Charles Lyell’snewly published
Principles of Geology
(1830–1833), whichset down the foundations of modern geology. Soon afterarriving in South America, his field experience of theregion led him to embrace fully uniformitarian geology.Darwin boasts: “I am proud to remember that the firstplace, namely, St. Jago, in the Cape Verde Archipelago,which I geologised, convinced me of the infinite superior-ity of Lyell’s view over those advocated in any other workknown to me.”
14
Uniformitarianism did not extend to Darwin’s biology,however. Late in the voyage, he was still an anti-evolu-tionist, arguinginaperfectPaleyanfashion,thatevolutionwas “a supposition in contradiction to the fitness whichtheAuthorofNaturehasnowestablished.”
15
Ninemonthsbefore returning to England, Darwin remained a progres-sive creationist. He writes: “The one hand has surelyworked throughout the universe. A Geologist perhapswould suggest that the periods of Creation have beendistinct & remote the one from the other; that the Creatorrested in his labor.”
16
In the last entry of the
Beagle Diary
, Darwin’s accep-tance of intelligent design is obvious:Amongst the scenes which are deeply impressed onmy mind, none exceed in sublimity the [Brazilian]primeval forests … [for they] are temples filled withthe varied productions of the God of Nature. NoVolume 56, Number 1, March 2004
3Denis O. Lamoureux
one can stand unmoved in these soli-tudes, without feeling that there ismore in man than the mere breath ofhis body.
17
Throughout the famed trip, Darwinbelieved in a Creator. Not only did natureprofoundly impact him by reflecting design,but this God intervened to create life atdifferent points in geological history.
First Period of ReligiousReflection (1836–1839)
HMS Beagle
docked in Falmouth, England,on 2 October 1836 after a five-year voyagearoundtheworld. DuringthenextfewyearsDarwin entered his first period of intensetheological reflection. As he recalls: “I wasledtothinkmuchaboutreligion.”
18
Thiswasalso the time that he formulated his theoryof biological evolution. To be sure, evolu-tionary theory has significant religiousimplications, and Darwin recognized them.In this period herejected whatever Christianfaith he had. Regarding the Old Testament,he reveals:I had gradually come by this time, tosee that the Old Testament from itsmanifestly false history of the world,with the Tower of Babel, the rainbowasasign,etc.,etc.,andfromitsattribut-ing to God the feelings of a revengefultyrant, was no more to be trusted thanthesacredbooksoftheHindoos,oranybarbarian.
19
With a growing appreciation for the reg-ularityofnaturalprocesses, Darwinalsodis-missed the New Testament and its record ofmiracles.Inapositivistic fashion,heargues:Themoreweknowofthefixedlawsofnaturethemoreincredibledomiraclesbecome … the men at that time [firstcentury] were ignorant and credulousto a degree almost incomprehensibleby us.”
20
Concluding this period, Darwin confesses:“I came to disbelieve in Christianity as adivine revelation.”
21
Though Darwin rejected the personalGod of Christianity, he remained a firmbeliever in a Creator. More specifically, herenounced theism and espoused deism.
22
During the late 1830s, Darwin outlined atheory on the origin of life, includinghumanity, that did not require the dramaticDivine
interventions
of progressive creation,and he based his model entirely on
providen-tial
natural laws.
23
That is, he envisionedGod creating living organisms indirectlythrough physical processes. Excerpts fromhis scientific notebooks reveal this distinc-tion in God’s activity:Astronomersmightformerlyhavesaidthat God ordered each planet to movein its particular destiny—In the samemanner God orders each animal withcertain form in certain country. Buthow much more simple & sublimepower [to] let attraction act accordingto certain law; such are inevitable con-sequences; let animalsbecreated, thenbythefixedlawsofgeneration.…Manin his arrogance thinks himself a greatwork worthy of the interposition of adeity,morehumble&Ibelievetruertoconsider him created from animals.
24
Darwin at this time also began formu-lating the foundations of evolutionary psy-chology, and he cast his theory within atheological framework. For example, heargues that a “philosopher” (i.e., naturalphilosopher, or better “scientist”) errs if he“says the innate knowledge of creator <is>has been/implanted in us (?individually orin race?) by a separate act of God, & not asa necessary integrant part of his most mag-nificent laws, which we profane in thinkingnot capable to produce every effect of everykind which surrounds us.”
25
According toDarwin, not recognizing God’s “sublimepower” and the “inevitable consequences”of the “magnificent laws” of evolution wasto “profane” the Creator. Clearly, evolu-tionary theory, as first formulated, was notatheistic.
On the Origin of Species
(1859)
During the late 1830s, Darwin scratched outin his scientific notebooks a deistic theory ofevolution. But it would take twenty yearsbefore he made this view of origins public,and a dozen more years after that beforeVictorian England would read that human-ity was also created through evolution.
26
In November 1859,
On the Origin of Species
was released, and all 1,250 copies werequickly sold. It included seven unapologeticand positive references to the “Creator.”
27
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Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith
Article
Theological Insights from Charles Darwin
According toDarwin, notrecognizingGod’s “sublime power” and the“inevitableconsequences”of the“magnificentlaws” of evolution wasto “profane”the Creator.Clearly,evolutionarytheory, as first formulated,was notatheistic.
Charles Darwin
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Theological Insights From Charles Darwin
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