Judaism & The Origins & Value of Human Life (Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies B): Revision Note

Jewish responses to scientific explanations & non-religious explanations of life

The theory of evolution

• The theory of evolution is based on the research and studies of Charles Darwin (1809-82), who found that the origin of human life is due to the gradual development of species over millions of years

  • The theory of evolution suggests that living organisms developed and diversified from earlier forms of life very gradually during the history of the earth in a process known as natural selection

  • Individuals who were better adapted to the environment survived to pass on their genes to the next generation

    • This is known as the ‘survival of the fittest’

  • Humans evolved from primates, and have a common ancestor with apes such as chimpanzees

  • Evidence of evolution can be found in fossils, and by looking at examples of adaptation in birds and animals

• Jews have mixed opinions about this theory with some Ultra-Orthodox Jews rejecting it completely, but many accepting it as compatible with the Torah and seeing God’s guiding hand behind the process

Jewish responses to the theory of evolution

• Jews believe in the creation story in the Torah

  • They see it as an important explanation of the fact that God was powerful enough to have created all things. 

• The extent to which Jews would believe that the creation account in the Torah is compatible with the theory of evolution depends on the tradition to which they belong

• Some ultra-Orthodox Jews disagree with the theory of evolution. For them, the theory of evolution is not compatible with Judaism because it appears to contradict teachings in the Torah, which they take as the literal truth revealed to Moses by God

• This is because:

  • The process of evolution has happened over a very long time period, but the Genesis account states that everything was created in just seven days

  • The theory of natural selection means that the types of animals, birds, fish, vegetation and even humans that have survived are not because of God’s care in creating them but rather just the ones that survived the process of natural selection

  • The theory of the survival of the fittest suggests a brutal struggle for survival, not a process guided by a caring God. Therefore it should be rejected

  • The idea that man was the end result of a long process of evolution would be rejected by Jews who would say that it rules out the truth of Adam and Eve as the first humans who were given the task of stewardship for the earth. It does not make humans seem a special part of God’s creation at all

• For many Jews, including Reform and Liberal Jews, there is no need to see a contradiction between their beliefs and the theory of evolution

• This is because:

  • Many would argue that in the Genesis story, one 'day' could refer to any length of time. So the seven days of the creation story could refer to seven long periods of time

  • The order in which living things were created according to the Torah is similar to the order scientists accept life was created: light, land and sea, plants, sea creatures, birds, land animals and last of all, humans

  • They would also say that the questions asked by science and Judaism about the origins of the universe are different:

    • Science is more concerned with how the process happened

    • Judaism is concerned with why God chose to create the Earth and explaining the existence and purpose of human beings

• It is possible to accept that God is in complete control of the universe and that everything in the universe exists because God wants it to

  • God designed the universe, the earth, and everything in it for a purpose

  • This idea is known as theistic evolution

• The idea that everything in the universe is planned and designed by God is called Intelligent Design.

  • What humans see and develop theories about (such as evolution) is all the direct work of God within his creation and is evidence of Intelligent design 

• Therefore, for many Jews, evolution and creation are compatible

The significance of the responses to Jews today

• The response of Jews to the questions on the origin of human life today is important because they ultimately govern what Jews believe about the nature of God and God’s relationship with his creation

• Rejecting the idea that God was responsible for human life has severe implications for Jews because

  • It means that God did not create humans and therefore the purpose of life is no longer God-given

    • Some non-religious people would go as far as saying that there is no need to include God in the process at all. Scientists such as Richard Dawkins would say that natural selection removes the need for ‘God’ 

  • There is no special role for humans as unique amongst creation, and this has implications for ideas of stewardship

  • It means that the idea of the Jews as God’s chosen people is no longer true

  • It means that humans can decide for themselves about the value of human life because it can no longer be seen as holy. The sanctity of life depends on it being created by God and given as a gift

• Therefore many Jews seek to reconcile their beliefs in the Torah with an acceptance of modern scientific discoveries