The forces of anti-intellectualism in American life, as described by Richard Hofstadter, have been especially prominent in the battle against the teaching of evolution. Glenn Branch discusses the different aspects of anti-intellectualism that are at the root of objections to evolution and explains how creation science, which had a transparently…

When it comes to creationism, it might seem as if the United States is trapped in a century-long culture-war rut. In a sense, the Scopes Trial of 1925 put science itself on trial, and it can seem as if every new dispute over teaching evolution is only a repetition of that famous trial. In truth, however, the power of creationism has ebbed…

A review of the literature, accomplished through a computerized search of the "Science Citation Index," revealed that even scientific creationist "researchers" do not publish studies that support their basic assumptions, except in unrefereed journals not included in the index. (Author/WD)

Argues that neither creationism nor evolution is rigorously testable and that discussants should ask whether creationism is a workable scientific enterprise. Concludes that creationism does not meet the standards of a scientific enterprise and its inclusion in the public school curriculum would threaten the integrity of scientific judgment and…

This article is geared toward high school biology teachers. The author discusses his own personal experiences of being a biology teacher. The author discusses Intelligent Design (ID) and how it adds interesting facet to discussions of the cultural context in which the science of evolution continues to develop.

Outlines the creation-science perspective and reasons the author considers it superior to the evolutionist point of view. Argues for a balanced approach in school curricula. (Author/WD)

Discusses the complaint that led to the case of Seagraves et al. versus State of California et al., the "anti-dogmatism" policy adopted by the California state board of education in 1972, and the outcome of the trial. (WD)

Addresses both the issues raised by the recent trial in Sacramento (California), "Scopes II," which pitted evolution against scientific creationism, and the questions that stem from the trial's failure to address those issues. (Author/WD)

Parent involvement can have unforeseen consequences. Article recounts complicated process of choosing a high school biology textbook in Colorado Springs district populated mainly by evangelical Christians. Although controversy arose over creationism's treatment in one text, book discussing evolution as unifying concept of biology was eventually…

The recent flap over the Kansas State Board of Education's decision to drop knowledge of evolution theory from its science standards has rekindled the perennial science/religion debate in education. This article examines mutual relationships of three knowledge structures (science, mainstream religion, and fringe beliefs) and the middle-ground's…

Liberal theologians and some scientists subscribe to integrationist theories of science and religion. Late 20th-century developments in quantum mechanics, cosmology, chaos theory, and ecology have rendered nature more mysterious and open to religious interpretation than to deterministic approaches. Students should learn how science connects to…