1The thought of Darwin in relation to God creator Francesc Nicolau teacher of the URL, Deputy Director of the geological Museum of the Seminary of Barcelona, Bachelor of Sacred Theology and in exact sciences. We all know that evolutionary theory, described from the purely scientific point of view, is perfectly compatible and integrable with Christian doctrine. Faith tells us that God has created everything, but that has not made it from the beginning as we see it now. It might have made the second causes have spawned an evolution that has led to today's world. Moreover, we can say that more compliant to the wisdom and way of acting divine that not entretuviese to create species by species but gave the potentiality of go causing them to nature looks. And the Pope Juan Pablo II not only saw it as well, but even the scientific fact of biological evolution with its harmonious development, made an argument for the existence of thebecause coincides with the bicentennial of the birth of Charles Robert Darwin (1809-1882) and is meet them 150 years of the publication of his book "on e1origen of the species (1859), and for us, believers Christian, and more still if exercise the Ministry priestly, us is interesting investigate, on the occasion of this commemoration, if Darwin was of truth atheist (as many say) or not." And, in case of be it, if it took to not believe in Dios those arguments that found for his theory evolutiobecause coincides with the bicentennial of the birth of Charles Robert Darwin (1809-1882) and is meet them 150 years of the publication of his book "on e1origen of the species (1859), and for us, believers Christian, and more still if exercise the Ministry priestly, us is interesting investigate, on the occasion of this commemoration, if Darwin was of truth atheist (as many say) or not." And, in case of be it, if it took to not believe in Dios those arguments that found for his theory evolutiobecaA journey that changed her life Charles Darwin was the son of an accommodated doctor who wanted his son to follow the same profession. But the boy was not too prepared. His effort was the study of nature. Therefore collected insects, bird eggs, shells, stones"... and liked to hunt. He finished his primary studies without much brilliance and 1e father sent to Edinburgh to study medicine, but only endured until third grade. Impressed by two surgeries that had to witness, returned home saying that it was not for the. Then, the father you proposed it career ecclesiastical and the young accepted, thinking perhaps that being rector of people would have time to continue collecting insects and other products natural. He went to Cambridge and there studied three more courses and obtained the title of Magister Artium, almost by a whisker. But was of luck and made friendship with the Reverend John S. Henslow, that you welcomed and guided to where youAnd it was John Henslow who introduced him to fill the post of naturalist on the Beagle Brig, which was going to turn the world to carry out a scientific and cartographic expedition. And that the father it didn't clear, the young Charles, of 22 years, still could embark excited in studying everything he could from the nature of our planet. The trip, scheduled for three years lasted four years, nine months and six days. A well round the world: Cape Verde Islands, coasts of Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina, Islands Falkland, land of fire, Chile, Peru,
Galapagos Islands, Tahiti, New Zealand, Australia, Tasmania, Mauritius Island, St. Helena and Ascension, again Brazil, Azores Islands and finally England. Darwin not behaved like a tourist. When he was on Earth, he collected insects, hunted, fished, desenterraba fossils,... and when I was in the boat it deeper, studying... And, when they arrived in an important port, it was sent to England packages of collectionsacks with the corresponding notes. Needless to say that those shipments elicited praise from those who received them. When it returned to the motherland on 2 October 1836, he was received already as famous naturalist. ÂŤThe journey on the Beagle has been the most momentous fact of my life,Âť he said. And had reason. He also said that the trip had died "of natural death' his vocation to the priesthood. The genesis of the book that made historyThe genesis of the book that has made history although, by what seems, Darwin, along that journey, already had gone maturing their theory evolutionary, not it published immediately. It would have to wait 23 years to see it exposed in detail. Why it took so much to publish it? We believe that it should be noted that braking felt because of the environment. By very obliged to you feel to match when he returned from the trip to be become a renowned and already famous naturalist, dared not expose theory for fear of reaction which envisaged that it would in English society, for part above all ecclesiastical currents of the traditional Anglican Church. We must not forget that Darwin had a rather timid character. At the moment, was satisfied with the publication of the journal of his trip, "Journal of Researches during the Voyage of the Beagle round the World", in 1839, three years after arrival. The same year he married his cousin Emma Wedgwood, daughter of the guy whoeEmma Wedgwood, daughter of the uncle that had made of intercessor with the father when this is opposed to the journey of Charles. It was a marriage that lifetime was well avenido, without problems. The couple was to live to the village of Down (County of Kent), in a House of field, received in inheritance of the father, by Council of them medical because for the weak health of Darwin was inadvisable the climate London. There lived our man the rest of his life. Their economic position allowed him to devote himself exclusively to science and she did it with a very methodical pace time fixed and measured, while he was studying all the collected material. That from it turned of the Beagle had clear that them species not were immutable, and that had varied to the compass of them circumstances environmental, Universitaire above all of the coexistence with other species in the fight by it life, it know because in 1842 already had given to know to their friends naturalistic a sketch of their ideas made in thosemade in those six years. But it was not until 1859 publication of his famous book. And perhaps even would slow more if in 1858 not you had arrived a letter striking. A young naturalist, Alfred Russell Wallace (1823-1911), you wrote from the Moluccas and exposed him the theory of evolution of species based on the struggle for life. Was exactly the same thought of Darwin. They advanced him! His friends Lyell and Hooker was advised that jointly publish the note of Wallace, just a few leaves, and a brief preview of his theory. And so they did. The Linnaean Society published an extensive article "On the Tendency of Species to form Varieties and Species by Natural Means of Selection", signed by the two. And the big book of Darwin, 596 pages: "On the Origin of Species by Means
of Natural Selection, or the Preservatio"r the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life" appeared the following year. It is said that thousand two hundred copies of the first edition were sold out in one day. It was perhaps not so much, but then prepared the Second Edition, and still others. Now sixteen thousand copies of the work were sold in 1876. And we must not say that translations into other languages appeared then. And what was the thought of Darwin in this famous book? It could summarized as follows: summarize thus: there is a certain variability in the offspring of them beings live, since them children is seem to them parents, but not are exactly equal. Now, all species tend to increase in geometric proportion, but in fact individuals who integrate them remain practically constant number or with few variations. It is because of the constant struggle to survive in competition with other species or the difficulties of the environment. It is, therefore, that there is only survival of the most gifted individuals and this causes a natural selection causing stronger and better adapted species. And this is demonstrated with many examples, the study of fossils and the geographical distribution of animals. A second book more daring that the first. In this book of 1859, Darwin not stated anything about e1origen 1 man, and said at the end: "there is grandeur and brilliance in the idea of life, with them different powers and faculties that have, was originally encouraged by the creator in few ways, or perhaps in a single, and that, while our planet has been running according to the laws of gravitation from that simple beginning» «, will have developed and evolve endlessly countless forms of life, of them more beautiful that can conceive the fantasy». Concerning 1a human species, only had made an allusion in a previous sentence: «will be (means: with everything that I have exposed) light on e1origen de1hombre and its But, by the pressure of some materialistic friends, ended up publishing in 1871 book "The Descent of Man and the Selection in Relation to Sex", in which stated that e1 man, like animal that is, comes also from a previous animal of the same biological group as the gorilla and the chimpanzee, the Group of primates. And intends to prove it primarily with three reasons: homology of the organs, similarities in embryo development and 1a existence in e1 man of rudimentary organs, remnants of which are functional in other animals. Does not expose any paleontological argument because at that time still not had found any fossil that indicate the transition of a primate to e1 human being. The book attaches great importance to sexual selection, which occupied him more than half of their exposure.history». second book, from the simple point of view scientific, is inferior to the first. When speaks of the human mind and says that it only differs in degree of an animal, does not give any argument value. You don't see that self-consciousness in man implies a 'ontological leap». Reasons les that he argues for selection in relation to sex because there is no biologist that supports them. What we do say is that it is clear that Darwin thought has changed a great deal in truth. Afraid to say anything that might offend the religion, has become to make assertions that move away you from the Christian faith and that, on the other hand, does not show with enough convincing arguments. Is it, then, that Darwin, student of priest, in his youth, has become becoming an atheist?. What is necessary to tell of the atheism of Darwin? Is well clear that
there was also an evolution in the thinking of Darwin concerning the belief in a Dios creator. When is goes embarked on the Beagle, still not had lost the vocation to the priesthood. The same it says and, then, as already know, says that it lost «of death natural» along the journey. But not died at all its faith Christian. Only it was cooling. This seems to cause you doubts and struggles in his spirit. It can demonstrate with them documents that we have left. Is clear that the posture intransigent of 1a Church Anglican was which finished making you lose the faith in the Christianity, because you said that was of faith that Dios it had created all so all them species had existed from a principle. But we think that you faith in a God author of nature did not ever losing it in his spirit, against those who say that it ended up being an atheist. Were sincere them words cited above and that put at the end of the origin of them species, that say that the life was encouraged by the creator? Not there is no reason certain to deny it, although not can nor affirm categorically that them put with all sincerity (could have it since by fear to his book was rejected by atheist). What other us consists by them letters written to friends materialistic is that has lost the faith in the Dios of the Bible. For it is clear that not is equivalent to the atheism total. And what can affirm is that saw compatible with the faith in a creator all your theory evolutionary, and never said that as consequence of what the science was discovering, in relation to the evolution, had that deny the existence of Dios. "As also say that not there is contradiction between creation and Dios." So it think, in general, and each time more to the make me old... "My state of mind could be described as the of an agnostic". And, when writing a foreword agnostic". And when he writes an autobiographical prologue that have asked for the German edition of the origin of species them, one year before his death, he says: «Tocante to my religious feelings, I think this is a matter that does not interest anyone more than a mi.» I will only say that I think that evolution is compatible with the existence of God. Also [...] not have thought too in religion with science». We believe that Darwin was sincere when he said he was passionate about the truth and that their questions of faith came from the fact that Christianity 1e had taught was inconsistent with the results of their research. He wrote in his autobiography: "I think I have done well always following the science and dedicating all my life. I don't have any kind of remorse for having committed any grave sin, but I do have a feeling for not having done more to others". Well noble sentiment. Well noble sentiment. We believe that the merciful love of God will also become present to welcome this distinguished scientist to eternity. Francesc Nicolau