September 18, 2011

Did Darwin Believe in God?

By Richard Weikart
Ever since Darwin was laid to rest in Westminster Abbey, well-intentioned, but ill-informed or gullible people have either tried to convert Darwin posthumously to their own religious views or else have branded him an arch-atheist.  Many years after he died, a rumor arose that Darwin had converted to Christianity on his deathbed, and this became a persistent legend among evangelical Christians.  The historian James Moore devoted an entire book to dismantling this myth, but the rumor still circulates despite his exposé [1]. On the other side of the fence, prominent atheists have tried to claim Darwin for their own, too.  When a prominent German materialist visited Darwin in England, he tried to get Darwin to confess that he was a fellow atheist.  Darwin refused his request (though he did admit to being an agnostic)[2]. The debate over Darwin's religious views is still raging among the general public, as is evidenced by the recent article in The American Thinker on...(Read Full Article)