Darwin's Pious Idea: Why the Ultra-Darwinists and Creationists Both Get It Wrong

by Conor Cunningham

Cunningham is a smart young British scholar who is at once a Christian and a firm believer in the theory of evolution. In "Darwin's Pious Idea," Cunningham puts forth a compelling, cutting-edge case for both creation and evolution, drawing skillfully on an array of philosophical, theological, historical, and scientific sources to buttress his arguments.

Genres: Theology, Science, Philosophy, Religion, Nonfiction, Evolution, Christian

543 pages, Hardcover

First published October 15, 2010

Reviews

[Eric Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having now read this book twice from cover to cover, I'm worried. Because it is a long read and contains thousands of references to actual science research, I'm worried that the right people won't end up reading it. I'm worried that the 6-day literalist creationists and the fundamentalist atheists won't bother picking it up and make all sorts of prejudiced arguments before reading a single word. Already on the blogs (although I suppose I'm going to "die of not being surprised" at this) the usual suspects are making all sorts of ridiculous and uninformed claims before picking the book up for themselves.

In my opinion, Darwin's Pious Idea does the theological work of showing how the discussion should be rightly 'ordered', often appealing to the scientists themselves to show just how provisional the study of evolution continues to be. But, as many people might miss, 'provisional' does not mean that it is not true! Nor does it mean that the scientists think they are failing; on the contrary, it means all the more a call for further research. Dawkins, Dennett, and Blackmore's positions are, I hope, laid to waste once and for all, and are thus shown to be completely self-refuting arguments (not to mention horribly amateur). Yes, I am biased, as Conor is my supervisor, but it's my hope that everybody will be able to do the hard work of making it through the first six chapters so that the final chapter will be a nice theological 'rest' for them.

[Natasha Witmer · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was particularly valuable to me. I gave a 4 star for other reasons, mainly writing style. It was a perfect fit for the rabbit hole I’m in, but I would be happy to prefer a different author who might say all these things better or perhaps just, succinctly.

I think I would like to know Cunningham as a personal friend. Reading his words felt like talking to someone who had read a lot of books on a subject. Throughout the book I was always aware that he was mostly synthesizing others viewpoints. Perhaps because the book reads like a research essay. Almost every quote I jotted down turned out to be something someone else had said. (Also if I keep this copy I’m going to draw lines through every variation on “this begs the question/ begging the question”)

What I was able to understand as Cunningham’s point is that science has to be grounded in something that is not science. He spent a lot of time showing the absurdity of science taken as a first principle.

“If everything is physical or material then isn’t rationality itself an illusion? In which case we cannot trust science, because the physical measurements and observations are understood through the rational mind. Science, to be coherent, must be preceded by non-science.”

Mind is not reducible to brain.
Existence cannot be reduced to matter.
If matter is all that is, there’s so much that doesn’t make sense.

“Like the creationist “god” who keeps planting fossils to test our faith, the reductionists “devil” keeps planting the apparent remains of intentionality, qualia , experiences, free will, ethics and so on to test our atheism.”

He expounds on God’s question to Adam. “Who told you that you were naked? / “who told you that you were merely matter - or that matter was mere? “

“According to material reality no one has ever been born…all personhood is incarnational. A ‘purely natural’ exploration of the world cannot see consciousness or persons.”

He talks about perception and phenomena.

“Maybe in this way liturgy and sacraments exemplify in an eminent fashion, the very form of life itself, for they bid us to remain at the level of reception: this is my body.”

I will be thinking about these ideas for a long time.

[Noah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book attempts to take on Neo-Darwinism (or ultra-darwinism) by problematizing the way that the creation-evolution debate is typically framed. Cunningham claims to represent Catholic Orthodoxy and historic Christianity (esp. his last chapter) and takes on the task of countering Neo-Darwinism while not succumbing to creationism. He is mostly successful in this endeavor, though it is doubtful that many will go along with his final conclusions.

The strength of this book lies in how it counters neo-darwinism with evolutionary theory itself. Cunningham makes it clear that Darwin's theory has a lot going for it and that Catholic Christians would do well to take it on board. His argument is directed against a particular kind of darwinism, that of Richard Dawkins and Daniel Dennett (to name the more popular proponents). Cunningham uses scientific literature (he points out that his sources are mostly from atheists and evolutionary theorists) to show that evolutionary theory does not necessarily lead to naturalism and materialism. He is creative in weaving scientific literature and theology (esp. St. Aquinas) together to form a cohesive argument against neo-darwinism. Though the book's subtitle implies that the argument is equally against creationism, the bulk of the arguments are directed against neo-darwinism. Cunningham explores Dawkin's concept of memes, the transmission of information from generation to generation, natural selection, and other hot-button issues in the creation-evolution debate. But by refusing to argue along this antiquated divide (pitting one against the other) he brings a fresh approach to the issue and also presents a novel argument for a "Christian evolutionary theory."

This last point is also where the negative lies. Not many will go down Cunningham's self-claimed "Orthodox" path. Cunningham's Orthodoxy comes from the movement called Radical Orthodoxy, and as such, would not be recognized as generally orthodox by most of the "masses" that might pick up the book and look at it. Specialists in the field of theology and philosophy will recognize many of the concepts that Cunningham brings forward, but this is not an easy read for those who are not familiar with Radical Orthodoxy and its proponents (John Milbank, Graham Ward, Catherine Pickstock). Cunningham runs back to Aquinas a lot to show that Aquinas's concept of "latency" in creation is an evolutionary concept before there was a Darwin. I think that some of this is correct but sometimes it feels like stretching. What Cunningham is really advocating is a postmodern orthodox theology, where orthodoxy is salvaged by taking on the full-weight of the postmodern turn and switching skepticism with belief in orthodoxy.

The book is long and plodding; Cunningham repeats himself frequently and this book could have been benefited from some good editing. I really liked this book because of the novelty of the concepts and the profundity of the arguments. I especially liked the last chapter, but it will NOT convince many of those whom Cunningham seems to be arguing against. I recommend this book for those who are interested in Radical Orthodoxy, those who want to take on a long challenge to neo-darwinism, and those who are interested in theology and science.

[David Mosley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent book and a must read for any and all (Christian and atheist) who think evolution and Christianity are firmly at odds. Cunningham shows that traditional readings of Genesis (i.e. Genesis as read by Jews and early Christians) does not require a Young Earth Creationist conclusion. Nor, however, does Darwin's theory of evolution lead purely to an Ultra-Darwinian reductive materialism. As the subtitle says, both the Creationists and Ultra-Darwinists get it wrong.

Cunningham upholds God as the creator of all things out of nothing, that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and is both truly God and truly man, and that life on this planet came into its current form through evolution. Full of scientific research and jargon, Cunningham painstakingly shows why fundamentalists (Christian or atheist) cannot say that evolution and Christianity are mutually exclusive.

The book is not perfect, Cunningham can, on occasion, come off as harsh toward both Ultra-Darwinists and Creationists, but it because he finds the positions so untenable. Admittedly, however, the main aporia in Cunningham's argument comes in the final chapter where he begins to discuss the nature of sin. Cunningham sights dozens of Church Fathers and shows well that their view of the Fall is purely contingent on the Incarnation. However, when he comes to Augustine he merely notes that Augustine's work on original sin, the Fall, etc. were in the context of polemical discussions with Donatists and Pelagians. The problem I have is that most of the early Church texts are polemical, they're written against gnostics, arians, eunomians, etc. Cunningham falls short in this area.

Nevertheless, this book is well written and ought to be required reading for anyone wanting to study the interplay between science and Christianity. I highly recommend this book.

[Jared · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cunningham's book is, by far, the most intellectually challenging book I have ever read. As a scientist, I wanted to see his perspective on ultra-Darwinism and creationism. Cunningham is very much a philosopher and theologian and writes that way. My experience with philosophy is limited, thus I struggled to grasp the true depth of his arguments. However, I did follow many general arguments throughout the book.

One thing is certain, Cunningham is well-versed in the literature. This book is thoroughly researched and cites scores of others as he goes about making his points. He cites everyone practically, from Edgar Allen Poe to Fred Flintstone. His citations and quotations are everywhere and it is hard to find a paragraph that is truly just him writing. Much like Darwin, he brings together a vast amount of literature that demonstrates the ultra-Darwinists are not the only show in town, though they may thin they are. Furthermore, Cunningham uses a great deal of humor and wisely so because he is taking on some great and popular thinkers, and calling them out.

While I may fail to understand the arguments Cunningham presents, that does not mean that it is nonsense. Instead, reading this book inspired me to continue to study and read. Perhaps more philosophy, perhaps some more of Richard Dawkins works. In any case, this is a book I will likely read again, but not anytime soon, I have some homework to do before then.

[John Leonard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cunningham's argument advocating theistic evolution is rather comprehensive. I would not classify this book as light reading. Though I don't agree with all of the conclusions reached by the author, the reason I decided to give this book four stars instead of five is because while the author is brilliant, his wit and personality are obfuscated a bit by the inclusion of so many quotes to make his point, rather than using his own words.

For anyone interested in learning about theistic evolution, this is one of two books I would highly recommend reading. The other is "The Language of God" by Francis Collins. If forced to choose between the two books, I'd pick "Darwin's Pious Idea" because it's more comprehensive in scope, taking into consideration the implications of atheism as expressed in terms of strict materialism.

[James Page · Rating 5 out of 5]

Conor Cunningham's excellent tome on the needless split between religion and science has been called 'a work of stunning erudition and critical insight.' The author of Darwin's Pious Idea: Why the Ultra-Darwinists and Creationists Both Get It Wrong is an academic, an Associate Professor in Theology and Philosophy, in fact, whose meticulously researched book is a classic in its field. Unfortunately, there ain't that many in the field itself! Why? Because it takes on the subject of Neo-Darwinism and provides an insightful, scathing rebuttal.

Neo-Darwinism is the merger of Darwinian evolution with gene theory, and assumes that the forms in nature (including those of you and me) have all arrived at their present state through the power of the gene. Cunningham goes to great length to show that genes have no real powers of their own (as with the Selfish Gene theory of Richard Dawkins) and that Life as a whole is much more complex and mysterious. It simply cannot be reduced to the 'intentions' of a set of molecules assumed to be carrying out some sort of 'program' - like the executable file in a piece of software. DNA is often referred to as the 'Book of Life'by the popular media. Dr. Cunningham shows just how foolish is this notion.

And though an expert in theology, Conor Cunningham is no fundamentalist, waving the flag for creationism. He reminds us that there are much subtler and more metaphorical approaches to Christianity than the one where God produced the world in six days. In fact, he accepts the basic premise of evolution and actually admires much of Darwin's work. What is at issue is the real, underlying force that drives it. We're told that Natural Selection coupled with Random Mutation just about covers all we need for the mechanism of evolution. What we're not usually told is that there are real scientific problems to overcome if we accept this simple premise (genetic mutations, for one, rarely ever lead to evolutionary benefits, e.g. cancer or Downs Syndrome).

We have replaced religion with science in much of the West, but Conor Cunningham's well argued, brilliantly written book shows just how short sighted is this approach. Highly recommended.

[Ben McFarland · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book breaks down apparent divides: between organism and environment, between mind and matter, and (most obviously from the title) between Darwin and God. It's even published by a prominent evangelical publisher, although from the title itself you can see that it's intended to challenge evangelicals, so there's an attempt to break down a wall there as well.


The best two chapters are easily those on the concept of progress in evolution and how early church fathers like Irenaeus would have had no problem with evolution. For some reason that latter chapter is placed last, which makes for a nice climax but you have to wade through too much to get to it. Other long chapters include attacks on evolutionary psychology and eugenics, which seem out of place -- I can't imagine anyone is actually defending those and knocking them down doesn't do much to show that evolution is somehow "pious." I would prefer that those chapters be shunted to another book and this one focus on the positive parts of bringing evolution and faith together.


Cunningham gets big points in my book for referencing both Conway Morris and RJP Williams (if he had referenced Eric Chaisson, that'd be the trifecta). He touches on tricky topics like panpsychism and veers close to hand-waving, but sitting back now I think he struck a helpful tone overall. Still, the topic seems a little half-baked, although I can't help but think of Owen Barfield when I read it. I myself am lurching back and forth and don't want to go there now.


So this is a long, sprawling book with a very good aim, but with me, Cunningham's preaching to the choir. I'd like to know if this book could convince a hostile audience, whether one of the ultra-Darwinists or the creationists of the subtitle. I found lots of good ideas that go along with my in-progress manuscript ... and maybe my next one as well.

[Jason Postma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Conor Cunningham‘s latest book, Dawrin’s Pious Idea, is a game changer in the discussion between Christian theology and science, particularly evolutionary theory. Al Mohler and John MacArthur would definitely consign this book to their list of heretical works (probably without even reading it first given the premise, which they automatically reject) given their penchant for dangerous reductionism.

Cunningham’s thesis is wonderfully subversive of both the rhetorical of Mohler, MacArthur et. al as much as it is of the ultra-Darwinists (Dawkins, Dennett) – he argues that both camps are all essentially operating with an ontological nihilism and dangerous natural theology that completely strip the world of all meaning and agency. The creationist view is completely at odds with Christian tradition and the ultra-Darwinist view is completely at odds with Darwin himself.

[Blair Hodges · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really liked what Cunningham was trying to do; didn't particularly like how he tried to do it. The introduction had me psych'd, but the rest of it left me wanting something different. Not in conclusion, necessarily, but in execution. Throughout this medley on evolution, science, and Christianity, Cunningham slips back and forth between intellectual history, philosophy, theology, advocacy, and criticism, without placing enough signposts along the road. The points he talks about in very verbose and sometimes funny or lyrical ways can be found more concisely elsewhere. And his final chapter, which is entirely an exercise of academic theology, was interesting, but felt tacked on somehow. So maybe this book is sort of like geekfan-type material; the extended, live version of a band's repertoire that the die-hard fans must have but that the average listeners won't fancy as much.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this one

here is what I found as summary, seems fair:

According to British scholar Conor Cunningham, the debate today between religion and evolution has been hijacked by extremists: on one side stand fundamentalist believers who reject evolution outright; on the opposing side are fundamentalist atheists who claim that Darwin’s theory rules out the possibility of God.

Both sides are dead wrong, argues Cunningham, who is at once a Christian and a firm believer in the theory of evolution. In Darwin’s Pious Idea Cunningham puts forth a trenchant, compelling case for both creation and evolution, drawing skillfully on an array of philosophical, theological, historical, and scientific sources to buttress his arguments.

[Joseph Sverker · Rating 4 out of 5]

One gets very impressed by amount of background reading that has gone in to this book. I think I am in a position rather well to judge Cunningham's writing in the area of evolutionary psychology and theology (even if I am a theologian myself just as Cunningham) and I think he has brought a lot of interesting insights to the debate between theology and biology. I haven't had time to look around for reviews by scientists on this book, but it would be very interesting to see how the scientific community responds to this book. Cunningham, in my view, certainly argues convincingly about the problems with ultra-darwinism.

[Brian Hill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great review of Darwinism, its implications for theology, and its limitations. Writing was especially rough and often difficult to follow. The best part of reading this book was the intense and insightful discussion in a BYU Faculty Reading Group. Most intellectually stimulating activity I have been involved in for a long time.

[Moss · Rating 4 out of 5]

A demolition of Darwinism spread into the areas of psychology and society where it can only give a very one-sided and distorted picture of the reality. A valiant effort to ground knowledge and life into Christian theology. The book took me a huge effort to read but repaid this well.

[Vinnie Santini · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read, but very hard! Challenged my presuppositions about evolution and how you can still be a Christian believing biological evolution.