Lecture 15 - Darwin and Religion Flashcards
When did Thomas Henry Huxley coin the term “Agnostic”
1869
When did Darwin begin to have doubts in Christianity?
1838
Was Darwin a sceptic of Christianity on board the Beagle?
No. Darwin was orthodox to the beliefs of Christianity
Did Darwin stop going to church after his daughter’s death?
No. But the date when he stopped going to church was not recorded
Did Darwin lose his faith in Christianity after his daughter’s death in 1851?
No. Darwin was still reading books about religion in the 1850s. He already had doubts about his faith in 1838
What evidence did Darwin give to support his loss of faith?
Comparative anthropology (cross-cultural studies)
Darwin travelled the world and he was aware of the myriad of religious beliefs around the globe
Realise that there are many false religions that were widespread around the globe – led him to wonder that just because his religion is widespread does not necessarily mean that is it the true religion
The gospels in the bible cannot be proved to have been written simultaneously with the events (different versions of the gospels differ in many important details – not convincing
He thinks that there is not enough evidence to prove that God exists
Did Darwin have a sudden crisis of faith?
No. Gradually came to disbelieve in Christianity as a divine revelation
When did Darwin die and where was he buried?
Died in 1882 in Westminster Abbey (most prestigious church in England) - given a state funeral. He died of heart trouble
When was the theory of evolution accepted by the international scientific community?
The 1870s
Common viewpoints in the 1870s to 1890s
God or a creator made the universe and the laws of nature which are so perfect that they need no further interference.
Darwin’s theory showed that biology too, like astronomy, chemistry, geology etc., was under the control of natural laws
Humans were descended from earlier beings just like all plants and animals
