--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The nineteenth century is a turning point…" description: "\"The nineteenth century is a turning point in history, simply on account of the work of two men, Darwin and Renan, the one the critic of the Book of Nat..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5d/oscar-wilde-16_accounts_the-nineteenth-century-is-a-turning-poin_1224047.jpg" --- # The nineteenth century is a turning point in history… ![“The nineteenth century is a turning point in history, simply on account of the work of two men, Darwin and Renan, the one the critic of the Book of Nature, the other the critic of the books of God. Not to recognise this is to miss the meaning of one of the most important eras in the progress of…” quote by Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5d/oscar-wilde-16_accounts_the-nineteenth-century-is-a-turning-poin_1224047.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5d/oscar-wilde-16_accounts_the-nineteenth-century-is-a-turning-poin_1224047.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d5d/oscar-wilde-16_accounts_the-nineteenth-century-is-a-turning-poin_1224047.jpg) > “The nineteenth century is a turning point in history, simply on account of the work of two men, Darwin and Renan, the one the critic of the Book of Nature, the other the critic of the books of God. Not to recognise this is to miss the meaning of one of the most important eras in the progress of the world.” [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The 19th century marked a pivotal shift due to Darwin’s scientific critique and Renan’s theological critique, reshaping humanity’s worldview. **In simple terms:** Darwin and Renan changed how we view nature and God. Key Takeaway Recognize how scientific and religious ideas reshaped modern thought. Themes science religion history philosophy Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical historical When to use this quote - academic discourse - public policy - education - cultural analysis Key Concepts evolution secularism critical thought Questions to Reflect On - How do scientific discoveries challenge religious beliefs? - What role should criticism play in cultural progress? A Different Perspective Scientific and religious critiques can conflict, creating societal tension. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accounts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accounts/) [Atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Century](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/century/) [Century Turning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/century-turning-3759992/) [Critics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/critics/) [Darwin Renan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/darwin-renan-3759993/) [Eras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eras/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Important](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important/) [Important Eras](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/important-eras-3759994/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Missing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/missing/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Nineteenth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nineteenth/) [Nineteenth century](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nineteenth-century/) [Positive atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/positive-atheism/) [Progress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/progress/) [Recognise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recognise/) [Turning point](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turning-point/) [Turning points](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turning-points/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [From its earliest days in the nineteenth century, and until the Holocaust, the Orthodox rabbinate in eastern Europe was not enthusiastic about the Zionist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/from-its-earliest-days-in-the-nineteenth-century-and-until-the/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [If any imagine from the literary tone of the preceding remarks that we are indifferent to the radical movement for the benefit of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-ripley/if-any-imagine-from-the-literary-tone-of-the-preceding-remarks-that/) [George Ripley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-ripley/) > [Modern political science started in the late nineteenth century as a branch of history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-lepore/modern-political-science-started-in-the-late-nineteenth-century-as-a/) [Jill Lepore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-lepore/) > [In the closing years of the nineteenth century, African-American historians began to look at their people's history from their vantage point and their point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-henrik-clarke/in-the-closing-years-of-the-nineteenth-century-african-american/) [John Henrik Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-henrik-clarke/) > [“At the dawn of the nineteenth century, many parts of the world, especially in Africa, lacked a state that could provide even a minimal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daron-acemo-lu/at-the-dawn-of-the-nineteenth-century-many-parts-of-the-world/) [Daron Acemoğlu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daron-acemo-lu/) > [“Our truest and best American antiquity, as the Dominion History of the Union insisted, was the nineteenth century, whose household virtues and modest industries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-charles-wilson/our-truest-and-best-american-antiquity-as-the-dominion-history-of-the/) [Robert Charles Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-charles-wilson/) > [I don't know how it could be more stark or clear: this entire society is being dominated by corporate power in a way that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russ-feingold/i-don-t-know-how-it-could-be-more-stark-or-clear-this-entire-society/) [Russ Feingold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russ-feingold/) > [The forces of the nineteenth century have run their course and are exhausted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-maynard-keynes/the-forces-of-the-nineteenth-century-have-run-their-course-and-are/) [John Maynard Keynes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-maynard-keynes/) > ['In the nineteenth century, we beat the British more than once,' Afghans often told me. 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Even in pieces…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-hardy/there-was-this-enormous-burst-of-sculptural-creative-juice-in-the/) [Hugh Hardy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-hardy/) > [Titles are too "thin" for the nineteenth century.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/titles-are-too-thin-for-the-nineteenth-century/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [In the early nineteenth century, with Enlightenment optimism soured by years of war and revolution, critics were skeptical of America's naive faith that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-schama/in-the-early-nineteenth-century-with-enlightenment-optimism-soured-by/) [Simon Schama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-schama/) ## More by Oscar Wilde > [How else but through a broken heart may Lord Christ enter in?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/how-else-but-through-a-broken-heart-may-lord-christ-enter-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The books that the world calls immoral are the books that show the world its own shame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-books-that-the-world-calls-immoral-are-the-books-that-show-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Bachelors should be heavily taxed. 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It makes me far too conceited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-don-t-at-all-like-knowing-what-people-say-of-me-behind-my-back-it/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Alles Populäre ist falsch.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/alles-popul-re-ist-falsch/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“If these elements of beauty are real, the whole thing simply appeals to our sense of dramatic effect. Suddenly we find that we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/if-these-elements-of-beauty-are-real-the-whole-thing-simply-appeals/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [To love one's self is the beginning of a life-long romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/to-love-one-s-self-is-the-beginning-of-a-life-long-romance/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are the cultivated. 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