Copyright 2011 by Lauretta Marigny - All rights reserved

Charles Darwin (through his convincing “proofs” of evolution) has probably done more harm to the Christian faith than any other man. In Darwin's autobiography he says he held Christian beliefs at one time, but then gradually left the faith. Believers who have denied (or left) their faith are often more hostile to the faith, than people who know nothing about Christianity.

In Darwin's autobiography he explains that he once did hold to Christian belief. It wasn’t so much that he was brought up in a Christian home, but that he was brought up in a Christian society. Most people of his time believed in some form of Christianity.

Charles Darwin’s grandfather Erasmus was a physiologist–a biologist who studies the essential and characteristic life processes, activities, and functions. He and a few other intellectuals developed a theory of evolution.  

Charles Darwin’s father was a doctor. In Charles’ older years he tells of dealing with much illness. He doesn’t tell what he suffered from, but some people have speculated it could have been emotional troubles stemming from his father being very demanding, and not affirming his son.

Charles Darwin did not develop his grandfather’s theory of evolution, but as a naturalist he used nature to “prove” the theory of evolution. He wrote On the Origin of Species to show that natural selection was how species descended in the forms we know them today. Within two decades his book was translated in various European countries, Russia and the US. In his autobiography, Darwin said his first draft was done in 1838, but he trimmed it to 1/5 or 1/6 its original size, before publishing it 20 years later in 1858. 

Darwin’s theory of evolution became widely accepted. Henry Adams from Boston wrote a chapter entitled "Darwinism" in his autobiography. In it he says, "(I) felt, like nine men in ten, an instinctive belief in Evolution," and, "At that moment (1867) Darwin was convulsing society.” 

Society has indeed been convulsed since Darwin’s On the Origin of Species was first published. If man has simply descended from lower forms of life, then people can draw the conclusion that God is no longer the Creator; faith in God suffers a mortal blow. 

 

Charles Darwin's autobiography can be found here.
Henry Adam's autobiography The Education of Henry Adams can be found here.