The Evolution of Creationism

Science Education, 2006

Evolution vs. Creationism. An Introduction, by Eugenie C. Scott. Foreword by Niles Eldredge. University of California Press, Berkeley, USA, 2005. xxiv + 272 pp. ISBN 0-520-24650-0. "The social movement known as creationism has had a long history and a variety of manifestations through time. To understand it takes considerable study" (p. 135). So states the author in part three of this book. After reading this volume I could not agree more. Let me say at the outset that this is quite an extraordinary book, and one I predict is destined to become a classic. Eugenie Scott brings to bear her encyclopedic knowledge of the history of the conflict, passion for the subject, and deep understanding of the legal framework tempered by her long involvement as Executive Director of the National Center for Science Education. This work provides a well-balanced synthesis of the complexities of science, religion, jurisprudence, and education as they pertain to understanding the continuing dichotomy between evolution and creationism. Perhaps its greatest strength, however, is that all this information is so expertly brought together under one cover. Scott has made a concerted effort to write for an audience that includes "bright high school students and college undergraduates" (p. xvii). The book is organized into three main sections: Science, Evolution, Religion, and Creationism; A History of the Creationism/Evolution Controversy; and Selections From the Literature. In the third section, readers will find a plethora of information, including primary scientific literature, important legal opinions, legislative bills, committee reports, and obscure historical documents. Most of these selections are well chosen and provide the reader with a rich perspective of the ongoing debate. Unfortunately, many articles from the creationist literature were not included because permission to publish them was refused. Scott does her best to summarize those articles she considers important and encourages readers to explore them in their entirety. True to the spirit of the book, the final section contains an impressive and perhaps unparalleled collection of references for further exploration. In the Introduction, the author erects "three pillars of creationism" under which is claimed all arguments should fall: evolutionary theory is flawed, evolution and religion are incompatible, and fairness to both sides. As the book unfolds, all arguments do indeed appear to fall into one of these three categories. With Scott's scientific background, it is not perhaps surprising that the strongest sections are those which elaborate on the nature of science, evolutionary theory (chapters 1 and 2), and biological patterns and processes (chapter 8), although these are not without fault. The section that elaborates the principals of biological evolution is, in general, extremely well done and puts to rest any suggestion that "evolutionary theory is flawed." While the example illustrating natural selection using rabbits and myxomatosis is well presented, it should be pointed out that rabbits are not in fact rodents, but lagomorphs. Some other minor but important concerns include the correct use of terminology. A very important

Evolution: Education and Outreach, 2010

Every discipline has its hazards, and for evolution scientists and educators, a major hazard consists of encounters with creationists, their rhetoric, and their attempts to insert antievolutionism into public education. Preparation for this hazard should be a standard part of the background of professional evolutionists. One important piece of this preparation involves understanding the historical origins of creationism within the wider history of western Christianity, especially evangelical Protestantism and its development in the United States. Here, I place the standard histories of "creation science" by Numbers and Larson (covering primarily the early 1900s to the 1980s) into this larger context (going back to the evangelical split over slavery before the Civil War and during), and then show how the "intelligent design" movement (from the 1980s until the present) fits squarely within the long history of primarily evangelical, biblicist opposition to evolution. The major creationist movements and slogans are identified and also placed into this historical picture. In summary, while creationism has evolved diverse labels and strategies for legal and rhetorical purposes, its fundamental essence remains unchanged. That essence is advocacy of miraculous divine intervention, i.e., special creation, in the history of life, and the claim that science must acknowledge special creation or dire consequences for society will follow.

Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 2014

The* issue* of* creation* and* evolution* has* been* a* major* source* of* conflict* between* the* Theologians* who* believe* that* the* universe* is* the* creative* ability* of* God* and* that* this* creation* is* exPnihilo.* The* exPnihilism* of* the* creation* has* also* engendered* series* of* argument*among*various*interests,*particularly*among*the*scientists*and*Philosophers* alike.* This* came* as* a* result* of* the* apparent* contradictions* observable* in* creation* which* calls* for* attention.* It* is* in* this* regard* that* these* various* groups* have* arisen* to* either* debunk* or* refute* the* creationist* principle* on* the* ground* of* its* incoherent* and* illogical* trends* which* do* not* ascertain* the* basic* requirements* for* explaining* the* rationale*behind*observable*difference*in*the*universe*which*is*believed*to*have*been* created* by* God.* Consequently,* the* scientific* and* philosophical* traditions* seem* to* be* disillusioned*by*the*claim*of*the*theologians*with*regard*to*creation.*Hence,*this*paper* attempts*to*explore*the*scientific,*the*philosophical*and*theological*perspectives*of*the* issue* of* creation* and* evolution* with* the* view* to* ascertaining* the* veracity* of* their* claims.

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Dialogue, 1986

Evangelical Quarterly

The Canadian-American Theological Review, 2018

The evangelical debate over creation, evolution, and intelligent design continues well into the twenty-first century. As part of this ongoing drama, Crossway recently released a thousand-page critique of theistic evolution in a book by that title. The volume's many authors aim to settle the conflict once and for all by a three-pronged analysis-scientific, philosophical, and theological. This article is an extended, critical review of Theistic Evolution (2017) giving special attention to modernism and biblical-theological dimensions. The last portion weighs in heavily on the ever-present confusion regarding miracles and divine action in Christian theological discourse. While primary attention is given to the creationist-ID case, the review also identifies fresh correctives for evolutionary creation model(s) (primarily of the American variety) and offers an appraisal of the debate at large.

Metascience

Revista de Arqueologia

Este texto propõe debater sobre os processos de seleção e sobre as políticas de preservação de Bens Culturais em Pelotas-RS. Uma análise sobre o reconhecimento do conjunto histórico, que buscou entender as articulações municipais e federais na proposta de preservação, evidenciou uma predileção à valorização da arquitetura eclética dos séculos XIX e XX como Bens Culturais representativos da história local. A partir de uma aproximação entre a perspectiva crítica dos estudos sobre patrimônio e a Arqueologia da Arquitetura, procuramos identificar tratativas contradiscursivas sobre o patrimônio edificado local, evidenciando o papel social do fazer arqueológico no reconhecimento de patrimônios invisibilizados. Como exemplos serão abordados o Passo do Negros e a zona industrial do Porto de Pelotas.