Darwin's Theory
Darwin's Theory was not taken very easily. Especially since much of England's population were Christians and believed in God and his creations.
In early nineteenth century Britain, the Church were seen as the powerful and were at basically at the top in society due to the fact that the owned property and land, were in control of schools as well as having strong connections with the politics. Accepting Christianity was a statement of social position. However people feared attacks on religion as it was seen as an essential for keeping society safe.
In early nineteenth century Britain, the Church were seen as the powerful and were at basically at the top in society due to the fact that the owned property and land, were in control of schools as well as having strong connections with the politics. Accepting Christianity was a statement of social position. However people feared attacks on religion as it was seen as an essential for keeping society safe.
Changes Taking Place
Things started to change as time went on. As the 1832 Reform Bill altered British life, people moved into new villages as well as towns, introducing new advances towards transport and medicine, people seeing science from a new perspective by classifying it as the path towards a better and successful life. People also began questioning theology. Second thoughts were made over the validity of evidence for biblical miracles, and a historical approach was adopted to studying the bible. Conflicts and battles bloomed and emerged over the age of the earth as geology became increasingly popular. This was acknowledged and accepted by society and alternative explanations of the Church started to break into pieces, falling apart as though many people did remained devoted theists.
William Paley, who is best known for his natural theology exposition of the teleological argument for the existence of God, provided and created a stepping stone from religion to evolution. William strongly supported ‘natural theology’, which is the idea of finding information and evidence of God within nature. His work would later prove extremely influential for Darwin while studying at Christ’s causing Darwin himself, to see the creator as a push allowing to bring the world into existence.
William Paley, who is best known for his natural theology exposition of the teleological argument for the existence of God, provided and created a stepping stone from religion to evolution. William strongly supported ‘natural theology’, which is the idea of finding information and evidence of God within nature. His work would later prove extremely influential for Darwin while studying at Christ’s causing Darwin himself, to see the creator as a push allowing to bring the world into existence.
Reactions
- People were frightened that evolution removed the need for a ‘greater purpose’ in life, and for morality. They claimed that God would not allow mindless sacrifice and suffering.
- This hostility intensified the formation of anti-evolution organisations. This led to much ridicule and debate. Cartoons of Darwin’s head was edited onto a monkey’s body which was appeared at the Senate House roof. This was done by Cambridge students.
- In 1860, the Oxford University Museum, a heated debate bloomed between Bishop Wilberforce (a Creationist) and Thomas Henry Huxley (Zoologist) known to be ‘Darwin’s bulldog’ because he devotedly and strongly defended/supported Darwin’s theory from religious attack throughout this period. This led to much shouting creating insults to occur, and this debate went viral to the public. Both sides claimed victory, but most people believed that the Darwinist's had won. This debate has come to symbolise the conflict between science and religion.
- Many people were not prepared to set aside evolution or creationism. They believed that as the human body of man evolved, the soul could only have been created by God alone, differentiating man from other living organisms. Others claimed God created the universe, the earth and all living things, thus causing evolution to come into play.