William Jennings Bryan

The phrase "survival of the fittest," so often associated with Darwinism, seems to suggest that the forces of nature are inclined to reward selfish behavior. From this it seems to follow that, if people accept Darwinism, they will be likely to adopt a personal code of conduct that could only be characterized as un—Christian and immoral. Whether Darwinism is true or false, the teaching of Darwinism could be detrimental to society. This concern is most eloquently expressed by William Jennings Bryan, an early critic of Darwinism. However, the same concern is often expressed by Darwinism's modern critics as well.

William Jennings Bryan (1860-1925) ran for president unsuccessfully three times on the Democratic ticket, in 1896, 1900, and 1908. He considered himself a fundamentalist Christian, but was ahead of his time in advocating liberal governmental policies, including an anti&mdash...