Journal of Religion and the Contemporary World

Journal of Religion and the Contemporary World

Critique of Neo-Darwinian Atheism from the Perspective of Western-Critical Movements

Articles in Press

Document Type : Review Article

Author
Mojtaba Afsharpour
Assistant Professor, Department of Theology, Wisdom and Studies of Religions Higher Education Complex, Al-Mustafa International University, Qom, Iran
10.22096/rc.2026.2075448.1281
Abstract
Since the birth of the New Atheism, whose advocates characterize it as a science-based atheism, roughly a quarter of a century has elapsed. In this relatively short period, the evolutionary biology branch of New Atheism, often referred to as Neo-Darwinian Atheism, has been one of the most contested domains within the movement, yielding numerous rebuttals and defenses. Contrary to the claims of Neo-Darwinian atheists, the atheistic interpretation of Darwinian evolution—even with the aid of recent cellular and genetic discoveries—has not delivered the final word on the science–religion relationship or on belief in God within the science era. A substantial and notable array of Western academic circles have stood opposed to them. This review-based article aims to, by presenting an account of Western Critical Movements of Neo-Darwinian atheism, foreground and, in some cases, analyze the criticisms that Western scholars have leveled at this atheistic branch. The data presented in this article identify at least five dissenting groups that contest the atheistic reading of evolutionary theory, employing methods ranging from scientific to philosophical and epistemological. In this essay, the principal figures and scripted as well as oral works from each group are introduced.
Keywords
Atheism
Neo-Darwinism
Western critics of the new atheism
Evolution
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Journal of Religion and the Contemporary World

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 27 July 2026