Darwin’s Family Legacy: In 2000 Darwin’s great, great grandson declared: “I don’t believe in God: how could I, given my great great grandfather’s theories? But perhaps I would feel happier if I did. Just because I have rejected conventional religion, it does not mean there isn’t a void to be filled.” Sunday Times , (UK) […]
Tag: Charles Darwin
Quote: Bishop on Darwin
In 1882 Darwin was buried in Westminster Abbey where over the centuries much good theology has also been buried. His grave bears the simple inscription: Charles Robert Darwin, Born 12 February 1809, Died 19 April 1882. Pall bearers at the burial service included Sir Joseph Hooker, Alfred Russel Wallace, James Russell Lowell (U.S. Ambassador), and […]
Quote: Darwin on Mankind
Darwin on mankind: Nine months before he died Darwin wrote about his views on mankind and the struggle for existence: “Lastly I could show fight on natural selection having done and doing more for the progress of civilisation than you seem inclined to admit. Remember what risks the nations of Europe ran, not so many […]
Quote: Darwin on Man and Monkeys
Darwin on Man and Monkeys: Nine months before he died Darwin wrote about his views on mankind: “But then with me the horrid doubt always arises whether the convictions of man’s mind, which has been developed from the mind of the lower animals, are of any value or at all trustworthy. Would any one trust […]
Quote: Darwin’s Problem with Suffering
Darwin’s problem with suffering: Darwin was aware of the dilemma between a good God and the observed suffering of living things. In 1876 he wrote in his autobiography “A being so powerful and so full of knowledge as a God who could create the universe, is to our finite minds omnipotent and omniscient, and it […]
Quote: Darwin on the Old Testament
Darwin on the Old Testament: In his autobiography (written in 1876) Darwin describes his loss of trust in the Bible over the years as he worked on his evolutionary theory: “Whilst on board the Beagle I was quite orthodox, and I remember being heartily laughed at by several of the officers (though themselves orthodox) for […]
Quote: Darwin on the Gospels
Darwin on the Gospels: In his autobiography (written in 1876) Darwin dismissed the Old Testament and then went on to attack the Gospels: “By further reflecting that the clearest evidence would be requisite to make any sane man believe in the miracles by which Christianity is supported,—that the more we know of the fixed laws […]
Quote: Darwin on Christianity
Darwin on Christianity: In his autobiography (written in 1876) Darwin dismissed the Old Testament and the Gospels. He then describes his disbelief in Christianity: “Thus disbelief crept over me at a very slow rate, but was at last complete. The rate was so slow that I felt no distress, and have never since doubted even […]
Quote: Darwin on Shaking Faith in the Bible
Darwin on shaking faith in the Bible: Darwin commented on Lyell’s method of shaking faith in the Scriptures in a letter to his son: “Lyell is most firmly convinced that he has shaken the faith in the Deluge etc far more efficiently by never having said a word against the Bible, than if he had […]
Quote: Darwin on Attacking Chrisianity
Darwin on attacking Christianity: In 1873 Darwin wrote to his son on how to best attack Christianity: “I have lately read Morley’s Life of Voltaire and he insists strongly that direct attacks on Christianity (even when written with the wonderful force and vigour of Voltaire) produce little permanent effect: real good seems only to follow […]