Calvin vs .Darwin

Peter Discher

Age 16

In the past millennium, there have been no two men more influential than John Calvin and Charles Darwin. The influence of these two men have been drastically different. Calvin coming from the Biblical view, and Darwin coming from the complete opposite perspective.


John Calvin was born July 10th, 1509 at Noyon in Picardy, France. At age 14, he began studying at the University of Paris while entrusted to the care of his uncle, Richard Chauvin. There he studied Greek and Latin. He went on to study Law at the University of Orleans and Hebrew and the New testament at the University of Bourges. He applied the principles found in Ecclesiastes 9:10 throughout all of his life. “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might...”Calvin's first biographer, Beza said of Calvin, “It was his custom, after a moderate supper to pass half the night in study and the next morning, as soon as he awoke to think over again and to complete what he had learned before midnight. By these night watches, he acquired his vast and exact learning, and sharpened his natural powers of thought and his acute memory, but by the same means, he prepared for himself bodily suffering and an early death.”

Charles Darwin was born February 12th, 1809 in Shrewsbury, England. His early schooling bored him, so that at age sixteen, “As I was doing no good at school, my father wisely took me away at a rather earlier age than usual, and sent me to Edinburgh University with my brother...” He studied medicine until 1827 when circumstances led him to believe that his father would leave him a sufficient inheritance to live comfortably.

The sphere of religion is probably the area most broadly affected by these two men. Calvin's theology was one of Sola Scriptura (only the Scriptures). He believed that the Scriptures were sufficient to guide every area of life. Calvin acknowledged that God is completely sovereign and that man is totally depraved. Though Calvin's theology did not originate with him, he was greatly used of God to put forth the truths that he held to. He proclaimed the unfailing love of Christ, and the everlasting peace that Christ gives unto His children. He taught that a Christian's hope is in Christ and Christ alone, and that every man is wholly accountable to God.

Darwin on the other hand believed that man is master of his own fate. He believed that man is his own divine sovereign who sets his own moral standard and is accountable to none but himself. Because he believed that man is the highest evolved creature, there are none to check him or to question his reason. Therefore human reason is the ultimate standard.

Both men also had an outstanding influence on law. John Calvin believed that because God is sovereign over all, He is the ultimate law giver. He declared that God set a standard of morality when He gave His people the Ten Commandments in the book of Exodus. He asserted that even the civil magistrates are subject to the Laws given in the Ten Commandments. Calvin affirmed that all men are created equally in the image of God.

Darwin insisted that every man is a god unto himself. Thus there is no standard of morality except what human reason allows. Because there are no consequences for man's actions, there are no restrictions on what man will do, leading to survival of the fittest, or the stronger man is right.

The heritage left by these men stand in extreme contrast of each other. Calvin leaving a legacy of hope and peace in Christ. Darwin leaving in his wake a sense of despair, hopelessness and hate. As proverbs 21:2 admonishes; *“Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the Lord pondereth the hearts.” Proverbs 21:2