Darwin in the Jewish Imagination Jews' Engagement with Evolutionary Theory

Darwin in the Jewish Imagination provides an overview of Jewish responses to Darwinian evolution, one of the most transformative and challenging ideas of the industrial age. Spanning a century of intellectual and cultural history, it examines how Jewish thinkers-traditionalists, reformers, secularists, mystics, and philosophers-grappled with the profound implications of evolutionary theory for their religious beliefs and cultural identities. The book offers close readings of key figures and debates from Europe to the United States, situating them within the broader contexts of the religion-science controversy, Jewish-Christian interfaith relations, and the intellectual challenges of modernity. A central theme is the pan(en)theistic tendency evident in Jewish thought, reflecting a vision of God as intimately connected with the evolving universe and its natural laws. It explores how Jewish thinkers reinterpreted foundational concepts such as creation, divine action, and human morality in light of Darwin's ideas. This interdisciplinary work not only illuminates how Jewish thought adapted to evolutionary theory but also reveals the broader cultural and theological exchanges shaping modern Judaism. By examining these responses, the book sheds light on how science and Jewish religion have engaged in an enriching dialogue, with profound consequences for modern Jewish thought, belief, and identity.

Daniel R. Langton, Professor of Jewish History, University of Manchester

Daniel R. Langton is Professor of Jewish History at the University of Manchester with particular interests in modern Jewish thought and identity in the context of religion and science studies and Jewish-/Non-Jewish relations. He is Head of the Department of Religions & Theology, and also co-director of the University's Centre for Jewish Studies.

IntroductionChapter 1. Evolution in the Popular Jewish Imagination: The Case of The Jewish ChronicleChapter 2. Enlightened Traditionalists: Levy's Divine World and Castiglioni's Evolutionary EmanationsChapter 3. The Evolving World of Reform JudaismChapter 4. Mystical Evolutions: Elijah Benamozegh's Kabbalistic Elevation and Abraham Isaac Kook's 'Creative Evolution'Chapter 5. Non-Jewish Jews and Evolutionary Philosophy: Henri Bergson's Creative Evolution and Samuel Alexander's Evolving SpacetimeChapter 6. Jewish Evolutionary Perspectives on Judaism, Antisemitism, and Race Science: Lucien Wolf's Eugenic Law and Joseph Jacobs' Statistical Account of Evolution and the EnvironmentChapter 7. Zionism, Evolutionary Theory, and EugenicsChapter 8. Darwinism, the Holocaust, and the Problem of Evil: Mordecai Kaplan's 'Creative Life of the Universe' and Hans Jonas' 'Becoming God' in an Evolved CreationChapter 9. Conclusion: Was There a Distinct Jewish Response to Darwinism?Appendix 01. Appendix: Theological Resources for Jewish Evolutionists