In 2009 we mark the bicentenary of the birth of Charles Darwin, the pioneering naturalist who posited the common descent of all species through evolution by natural selection – a discovery that has become foundational to the remarkable progress of the modern biological sciences, most recently in the arena of genomics. In this paper, reproduced courtesy of the International Society for Science and Religion (http://www.issr.org.uk/), one of the world’s leading historians of science - who is also actively involved in science-religion discussions - gives an overview of Darwin’s interactions with religion and belief. This essay forms a useful context and corrective to some of the zealous material seeking to ‘rescue’ or ‘advocate’ Darwin in relation to different religious and non- or anti-religious outlooks. There is also bibliographical and web material on issues related to evolution and belief, especially Christianity.