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Charles Darwin
Church of England Apologizes to Darwin
The Church of England has created a Web site extolling the naturalist’s teachings, recognizing the value of science in conjunction with faith.
Church of England: “Sorry, Darwin.”
Next year marks the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birth, as well as the 150th anniversary of the publication of “The Origin of Species.”
In response, the Church of England has made a posthumous apology to Charles Darwin for initially rebuffing his explanation of evolution, and has dedicated a section of the church’s Web site to exploring his ideas.
On the site, the Reverend Dr. Malcolm Brown, Director of Mission and Public Affairs for the Church of England, wrote a personal view of Darwin’s contribution to science. Brown’s essay discusses how members of the Church felt threatened by Darwin’s theory of natural selection when it was first introduced, and why the theories are worth revisiting today.
According to Brown, “It is vital that Darwin’s theories are rescued from political and ideological agendas that are more about controlling human imagination and unpredictability than about good science.”
Although the Church of England never took an official stance against Darwin, church officials did argue against his theory of natural selection in an 1860 debate.
Darwin’s family considers the apology unnecessary: Andrew Darwin, the naturalist’s great-grandson said: “Why bother? When an apology is made after 200 years, it's not so much to right a wrong, but to make the person or organization making the apology feel better.”
In response, the Church of England has made a posthumous apology to Charles Darwin for initially rebuffing his explanation of evolution, and has dedicated a section of the church’s Web site to exploring his ideas.
On the site, the Reverend Dr. Malcolm Brown, Director of Mission and Public Affairs for the Church of England, wrote a personal view of Darwin’s contribution to science. Brown’s essay discusses how members of the Church felt threatened by Darwin’s theory of natural selection when it was first introduced, and why the theories are worth revisiting today.
According to Brown, “It is vital that Darwin’s theories are rescued from political and ideological agendas that are more about controlling human imagination and unpredictability than about good science.”
Although the Church of England never took an official stance against Darwin, church officials did argue against his theory of natural selection in an 1860 debate.
Darwin’s family considers the apology unnecessary: Andrew Darwin, the naturalist’s great-grandson said: “Why bother? When an apology is made after 200 years, it's not so much to right a wrong, but to make the person or organization making the apology feel better.”
Related Topics: Darwin’s Galapagos findings; creationist beliefs in today’s politics
Darwin’s research on the Galapagos
When Darwin visited the Galapagos Islands, he observed that members of the same species had differing characteristics from island to island. He recorded his observations, and collected specimens of plants and animals. In his groundbreaking work, “The Origin of Species,” Darwin took his observations of species variants from the Galapagos and applied his theory, which he called natural selection, to all living things.
Source: findingDulcinea: On this Day: Darwin’s HMS Beagle Reaches Galapagos Islands
Palin brings creationism back to politics
Vice presidential candidate Gov. Sarah Palin has reignited the debate over teaching creationism in schools. In October 2006, she told the Anchorage Daily News: “Teach both [evolution and creationism]. You know, don’t be afraid of information ... Healthy debate is so important and it’s so valuable in our schools ... And you know, I say this too as the daughter of a science teacher.”
Source: Boston Globe
Reference: The Church of England on Darwin
In honor of his 200th birthday and the 150th anniversary of the publication of “The Origin of Species,” The Church of England has established a section of its Web site for examining Charles Darwin’s life, work and thought. It includes a look at Darwin’s personal relationship to Christianity as well as the Church’s current stance on Darwin’s theories.
Source: The Church of England
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