On the Origin of Species

Charles Darwin's "On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life" was published on 24 November 1859. Darwin's theories were quite groundbreaking as they contradicted to the theories of evolution of the Curch of England. According to Darwin "populations 'evolve' over the course of generations through a process of natural selection" and all species are traced back to one ancestor. Darwin believed that human beings were were part of the same evolutionary process like animals and were therefore related to them.

The Struggle for Existence

The most famous chapter of Darwin's "On the Origin of Species" is probably Chapter III - Struggle for Existence. In "Struggle for Existence" Darwin claims that " as more individuals are produced than can possibly survive, there must in every case be a struggle for existence, either one individual with another of the same species, or with the individuals of distinct species, or with the physical conditions of life." He is referring to the doctrine of Malthus which implies that the increase in population is not equal to the increase in food. Thus, those who are not "fit" enough do not survive.

The Reaction of the Church

Darwin's theories contradicted strongly to the christian theory that human beings are created by god. Moreover, people believed that God influences human beings in evolution and that praying could influnence creation.