Skip to main content

Story: Atheism and secularism

Samuel Butler on Darwin

This imaginary dialogue, which appeared in the Christchurch Press on 20 December 1862, reveals the views of author Samuel Butler on Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution, published in 1859. Darwin's book did not cause much of a stir in New Zealand, where many people believed that science could co-exist with religion.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library

Reference: The Press, 20 December 1862, p. 2 (N-P 1393-2)

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

All images & media in this story

How to cite this page

Carl Walrond, Atheism and secularism – A Christian legacy, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/zoomify/26192/samuel-butler-on-darwin (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Carl Walrond, published 23 March 2011.