From the earliest formations of our seemingly infinite universe, amidst all the complexities of how we came to be, one idea has emerged as the bedrock for our understanding of how we relate to the natural world: evolution. This unifying theory, which simultaneously explains the immense diversity of disparate species as well as the interconnectedness of all living things, has utterly transformed our view of life into this view of life, explaining the existence and persistence of everything from the microscopic prokaryote to the human experience of love.
While physics and chemistry illuminate the fundamental laws and processes governing the universe, it is only through the lens of evolution that we truly come to appreciate ourselves and our place within this verdant world. It traces life's journey from the simplest single-celled organisms to the complex bipedal beings that populate our planet today. Central to this narrative is Darwin’s elegantly simple theory of natural selection that explains how species adapt to their environments over time: the traits that enhance survival and reproduction are passed on, sculpting the vast array of life forms we see today.
Darwin's theory not only explains the physical traits we observe in Nature—why fish have gills or why giraffes have long necks—but also touches on deeper, more spiritual dimensions. In the closing lines of On the Origin of Species, Darwin reflected on the "grandeur" of this view of life, envisioning a world where all forms of life are part of a shared evolutionary journey on Earth: “from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved.”
What sets evolution apart from other scientific theories is its ability to explain not only the physical aspects of life but also our spiritual connections to each other and all living things. Through evolution, we understand that we are not isolated entities in an ostensibly meaningless world, but rather interconnected branches of the same evolutionary tree, sharing a common ancestry and a shared destiny with all life on Earth.
Evolutionary theory highlights the unity of life, emphasizing our shared heritage and the kinship we share with all living beings. It invites us to recognize the sacredness of life in all its forms and to cultivate compassion, empathy, and stewardship for the natural world. In this way, evolution acts as a bridge between science and spirituality, resonating deeply with how we evolved to live in connection with the land.
Darwin’s insights also challenge our modern orientation to the natural world. Before Darwin, it was commonplace for most Westerners and theists to view themselves as separate from the natural world—divinely created, superior, and distinct from other species. This anthropocentric perspective fostered a sense of entitlement over Nature, leading to exploitation and environmental degradation at monumental scales (i.e., instrumentalism). However, Darwin’s theory shattered this worldview, revealing that humans are not separate from Nature but are deeply connected to it, sharing a common ancestry with all life on Earth.
Moreover, Darwin’s theory offers a powerful alternative to religious understandings of our origins and “creations”. It suggests that humans are not fashioned in the image of some anthropomorphic God, as most monotheistic doctrines suppose, but rather in the image of Nature itself. Nature, through the process of natural selection, acts as the grand designer, shaping us and all other life forms into the disparate yet interconnected web of species that we are today. This perspective shifts our understanding of "God" from a traditional religious figure to the invisible hand of the natural world, inviting us to develop a new spiritual pathway centered around repairing and rebuilding our relationship with Nature (i.e., ecospirituality).
In this way, Darwin’s legacy transcends science, offering us a profound view of life that bridges the ostensible gap between science and spirituality. It reminds us that we are not isolated entities but integral parts of a larger, more interconnected whole. This view of life invites us to embrace a more humble and respectful attitude toward the natural world, recognizing the sacredness of all life and the importance of preserving the delicate balance of our planet’s ecosystems.
Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection is not just a scientific explanation for the diversity of life; it is a call to action—a reminder of our shared heritage with the natural world and the imperative of living in harmony with it.
