"Darwin and God" - Darwin was no atheist (Show of 14 Feb 09)

[justinbrierley]

Not very romantic for Valentine's day, but the bicentenary of Darwin's birth couldn't go unmarked on Unbelievable.

Listen to the show here at www.premier.org.uk/unbelievable (available from 3pm on 14th Feb)

So, Darwin never declared himself an atheist. Would he be one today? Dawkins thinks he would but I don't think so.

Listening to Nick Spencer explain why he never took the step into atheism, it came across to me that Darwin may have lost faith in the Christian God as his theory led to the loss of belief in special creation, but he still couldn't deny the universe itself required explanation, just as other famous scientists e.g. Einstein, Hawking etc. Maybe those who appreciate the cosmos as well as biology are in a better position to judge whether God is a going concern.

[MooseOnTheLoose]

The Economist magazine (UK) in one of its regular evolutionary sermons said that Darwin's allowances for God were something that he devised (their word) in order not to offend churchgoers.

Obviously it would be comfortable for atheists to believe that Darwin was a kindred spirit.

I don't think any human being in any profession is in a position to judge whether God is a going concern.

[Number Six]

From what I understand, Darwin's agnosticism resulted from his daughter's death, not his theory.