The Religious Aspect of Evolution

McCosh updated his 1888 book in 1890 to take account of A. R. Wallace's latest work on Darwinism.

James McCosh (Author)

9781108000161, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 24 September 2009

136 pages
21.6 x 14 x 0.8 cm, 0.19 kg

The Scottish scholar James McCosh (1811–94) was a champion of the Free church, a successful and much-published philosophy professor at Belfast for 16 years, and an energetic and innovative President of Princeton University from 1868 to 1888. The Religious Aspect of Evolution was published in 1888, and this second edition from 1890 took account of A. R. Wallace's latest work, Darwinism (1889, also reissued in this series). McCosh, who already in Ireland had developed a 'theory of the universe conditioned by Christian revelation' was one of very few clergymen in America who defended evolutionary theory. He impressed upon his students that while there seemed to be great truth in Darwin's theory, the work of the coming age must be to separate that truth from the error springing up around it. This would enable scholars to follow and even embrace science while also retaining their faith in the Bible.

1. The state of the question
2. The organic history
3. Powers modifying evolution
4. Beneficence in the method of evolution
5. Final cause in evolution
6. Geology and scripture
7. The age of man.

Subject Areas: Philosophy of religion [HRAB]