Lincoln and Darwin: a tale of two culture-shapers
It’s a big day for significant birthdays. 200 years ago today, two of the most influential men in recent Western history were born: Abraham Lincoln, who presided over the bloodiest moral and civil struggle in U.S. history, and Charles Darwin, who brought the concept of natural selection into the public sphere. It’s interesting to look back at major historical figures and try to sort out their religious beliefs; but as it turns out, the spiritual beliefs of both Lincoln and Darwin are surprisingly difficult to pin down, despite the major moral and religious repercussions of their actions and ideas.
I’ve gathered a few links exploring the ongoing quest to discern Lincoln’s and Darwin’s relationship to Christianity:
- Abraham Lincoln’s religious beliefs remain a puzzle, despite the fact that he consistently cast the Civil War and the struggle against slavery in moral and religious terms. Mark Noll has written an excellent essay about Lincoln’s beliefs, in which he argues that despite his lack of theological training or regular churchgoing, Lincoln articulated a surprisingly nuanced and thoughtful view of how God relates to nations and political structures. Wikipedia has a thorough review of Lincoln’s many, varied, and often vague references to his religious beliefs. One reason it’s hard to get a grasp on Lincoln’s beliefs is the tendency for different generations to interpret Lincoln’s words and deeds in radically different ways.
- Charles Darwin is remembered less fondly by many Christians today due to his theory of evolution, which continues to be a major issue in many Christian churches and denominations today. But was Darwin himself religious, or even Christian? Answers in Genesis, although certainly critical of Darwin’s legacy, has a very thorough look at Darwin’s religious beliefs and influences that challenges us not to be too quick to cast Darwin as a saint or a devil. For more on Darwin’s ongoing influence today, see this essay about Darwin in the New York Times earlier this week.
Given their massive role in shaping Western society, there’s no shortage of information online and in your local library about these two historical giants. (And their shared birthday has inspired others to link the two as fellow culture-shapers.) Whether you think Lincoln was a saintly leader or a conniving politician; whether you consider Darwin a champion of reason or a destroyer of faith, today’s a good day to read up a bit on one or both of these historical—and perhaps religious—icons.
