Overview

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.

Full Product Details

Author:   Daniel R. Langton (Professor of Jewish History, Professor of Jewish History, University of Manchester)
Publisher:   Oxford University Press
Imprint:   Oxford University Press
Dimensions:   Width: 16.30cm , Height: 2.50cm , Length: 24.20cm
Weight:   0.647kg
ISBN:  

9780198967002

ISBN 10:   0198967004
Pages:   320
Publication Date:   04 November 2025
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   To order  
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Table of Contents

Introduction Chapter 1: Evolution in the Popular Jewish Imagination: The Case of The Jewish Chronicle Chapter 2: Enlightened Traditionalists: Levy's Divine World and Castiglioni's Evolutionary Emanations Chapter 3: The Evolving World of Reform Judaism Chapter 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 Spacetime Chapter 6: Jewish Evolutionary Perspectives on Judaism, Antisemitism, and Race Science: Lucien Wolf's Eugenic Law and Joseph Jacobs' Statistical Account of Evolution and the Environment Chapter 7: Zionism, Evolutionary Theory, and Eugenics Chapter 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 Creation Chapter 9: Conclusion: Was There a Distinct Jewish Response to Darwinism? Appendix 01: Appendix: Theological Resources for Jewish Evolutionists

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Author Information

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.

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