The men:    

Charles Darwin, Alfred Russel Wallace.

 

The theory:    

Evolution through natural selection.

 

The views:    

Darwin became agnostic, Wallace became a Spiritualist.

 

You:    

Both Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace traveled the world. They both studied botany, geography, geology. They both studied zoology and they both read and were greatly influenced by Thomas Malthus’ Essay on Population. They were powerful thinkers and, independently, they concurrently came up with the theory of evolution through natural selection.

We can comment on how each man’s views of spirituality evolved but more interesting than Darwin or Wallace, it seems to me, is you. What are your views? Have they evolved and, if so, why?

I challenge each of you—and myself—to do the following. Travel the world. Study botany, geography, and geology. Study zoology and read Thomas Malthus’ Essay on Population but don’t stop there. Sit before the great religions, look with reverence and awe at the great unknowns, and as the years grow into decades please don’t be shy. Let us know what you discover. The world became richer when Darwin and Wallace published but the journey continues in you.