The Contribution of the Discoveries and Theories of...

The Contribution of the Discoveries and Theories of Charles Darwin in the Nineteenth Century to the Decline of Religious Belief in the Twentieth Century In Victorian England, people wanted answers. Explanations for unusual natural events were becoming unbelievable in an increasingly educated time, and these religious and supernatural explanations were doubted by many. People needed a sensible explanation for life and mans existence. Charles Darwin provided a possible answer, and man was no longer an Adam created in Gods image, but descended from a simple single celled organism. But was Darwin responsible for the transition into a more atheistic society? Many would argue he was the main player in†¦show more content†¦These two birds became known as Darwins Finches. Darwin observed many other examples of evolution and change within species later in his career. Origin of the Species caused a huge rift in religious thinking. At first Darwin was ridiculed, but as people became more aware of his ideas they slowly began to accept them. This was partly because Darwins theory of evolution was very carefully thought out and had a great deal of research backing up the claims. It could not just be thought of as heretic ramblings due to the amount of data giving the theory weight. However, Victorian England was a very religious time, and there were many religious people who disagreed with his theories as it contradicted the creation theory. Bishop of Oxford, Wilberforce, was a man who was intent on the creation theory being the only possibility. There was a confrontation between a supporter of the Darwinian theories, Thomas Huxley, and the Bishop. The Bishop publicly announced that he was glad he knew he wasnt related to a monkey, to which Huxley replied, If I had to choose, I would prefer to be a descendant of a humble monkey rather than of a man who employs his knowledge and eloquence in misrepresenting those who are wearing out their lives in the search for