Genesis, Charles Darwin, and the Question of Origin pt. 1

In 1859, Charles Darwin theorized in his book, The Origin of Species, that life forms have evolved over time through the process of natural selection. In 1871, in his book, The Descent of Man and Selection in Relation to Sex, he theorized that nature itself determined the development and progress of all living things. The implication was that any God-centered view of the world is merely wishful thinking. Darwin implies that nature, not God, controls human development. Our origin story is explained through the laws of nature and science.  

 

150 years later, Darwin’s theories have been accepted by most rational minds as scientific fact. Meanwhile, the Bible also speaks to the question of origin. The book of Genesis gives us a different set of answers about how we got here. But is Genesis just far-fetched, goofy, highly unlikely mythology that should be taken as allegorical? Or is it a historical account of literal events? If so, are Christians rejecting science by choosing to believe it?

 

In the first installment of a two-part episode, we'll be diving into the theories of Charles Darwin and exploring their influence on western civilization.