The publication of Darwin’sOn the Origin of Species (1859) sparked little interest among Jews during the 1860s. When it was discussed, most rabbis opposed Darwin, citing human intellectual and moral uniqueness, the absence of observed speciation, and the variety of technical issues debated by scientists. Some rabbis maintained that science alone would decide the truth of Darwin’s theory; science and religion addressed different human concerns and different aspects of reality. This position had roots in traditional Judaism and philosophical trends that shaped nineteenth-century German Jewish thought (Faur 1997; Swetlitz 1999; Cantor 2005; Efron 2007).

Attention increased significantly in the 1870s. The publication of Darwin’s The Descent of Man (1871) and publicity given to scientists proclaiming the materialist implications of evolution were important factors. Rabbis discussed the implications of evolution for belief in God and conceptions of humanity and produced a diversity of views, ranging from outright rejection to enthusiastic embrace and all flavors in between. Moreover, diversity existed within Jewish communities, as well as between the emerging Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox movements. The resulting tensions and debates about the nature of Judaism helped to shape discussions about evolution.