The day after the Church of England issued an “apology” for having “misunderstood” the work of Charles Darwin, the Vatican has announced that it will organise a debate on the thorny question of Christian belief and the theory of evolution.
Michael Reiss, a biologist and ordained Church of England clergyman, agreed to step down from his position with the national academy of science after its officers decided that his comments had damaged its reputation.
His resignation comes after a campaign by senior Royal Society Fellows who were angered by Professor Reiss’s suggestion that science teachers should treat creationist beliefs “not as a misconception but as a world view”.
Opposition to evolutionary theories is still “a litmus test of faithfulness” for some Christian movements, the Church will admit. It will say that such attitudes owe much to a fear of perceived threats to Christianity.
The comments are included on a Church of England website promoting the views of Charles Darwin to be launched on Monday.
Professor Michael Reiss, director of education for the Royal Society, said banning creationism from the classroom could backfire at a time of growing religious fundamentalism.
Professor Reiss, a Church of England minister and former biology teacher, said he strongly believed in teaching the theory of evolution to children.
But rather than dismiss creationism as wrong or stupid, teachers should be prepared to discuss it as another ‘worldview’.
Richard Dawkins, the Oxford professor and evolutionary scientist, has criticised Muslim parents for “importing creationism” into British schools.
Prof Dawkins, a well-known atheist, also blamed the Government for accommodating religious views and allowing creationism to be taught in schools.
The Winnipeg Sun (Canada), July 6, 2003 http://canoe.ca/WinnipegNews/ By PAUL TURENNE, STAFF REPORTER Winnipeg could soon be home to a new museum of human history, but don’t expect to see any caveman displays or evolutionary charts there. John Feakes, founder of a group called CARE Ministries Winnipeg, wants to open a museum of creationism within the next few years to display artifacts that he says support the theory that humans did not evolve from primates, but were put here by God. “I think human history is a lot more interesting than what the textbooks are teaching,” says Feakes, a 32-year-old
The Express-Times, June 20, 2003 http://pennlive.com/ By JOHN A. ZUKOWSKI, The Express-Times It’s been 150 years since Charles Darwin published his first book on evolution. It’s been nearly 80 years since the famous “monkey trial” in Tennessee where biology teacher John Scopes was prosecuted for teaching evolution in public schools. It’s been nearly 40 years since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the teaching of evolution can’t be banned in classrooms. However, the conflict between religion and evolution continues. That clash flared up in Bangor recently. One school board member objected to the purchase of a biology textbook because of the
The Express-Times, June 20, 2003 http://pennlive.com/ By JOHN A. ZUKOWSKI, The Express-Times 1650 — Archbishop James Ussher of Ireland studies the Bible and calculates the first day of creation was Sunday, Oct. 23, 4004 B.C. This figure is used for more than 200 years in editions of the Bible. Some so-called “young-Earth creationists” today also believe the Earth is about 6,000 years old. 1817 — French naturalist Georges Curvier uncovers a cache of bizarre-looking skeletons that are later known as dinosaurs. The fossils lead some people to believe the Earth is much older than Ussher’s calculation. 1856 — A discovery
The Express-Times, June 20, 2003 http://pennlive.com/ By JOHN A. ZUKOWSKI, The Express-Times Mike Behe first studied evolution during science classes in Catholic school near Harrisburg. He says he always accepted evolution as a fact. He never really questioned it. Years later, he read “
UPI, May 19, 2003 http://www.upi.com/ From the Science & Technology Desk Reported by Charles Choi, UPI Science News, in New York DETROIT, May 19 (UPI) — New genetic evidence suggests chimpanzees belong in the genus Homo, of which the most prominent member is Homo sapiens — humans — scientists reported Monday. By redrawing the human genetic family tree, researchers hope to unearth more about what makes us human and how human diseases develop. “In the last 30 million years, we knew our brains grew. If we can find the genetic underpinnings for it, I wouldn’t be surprised if we could