‘In this compelling and thoroughly researched book, Benjamin Huskinson demonstrates that just as there is broad diversity within evangelicalism, so too there is broad diversity among “creationists.” His work on the Intelligent Design movement is superb, and he prompts me to rethink my long held conviction that Intelligent Design is merely the most recent evolutionary form of creationism. This is a very fine book.’ —Randall Balmer, Author of Evangelicalism in America and writer-host of “In the Beginning”: The Creationist Controversy ‘Benjamin Huskinson's study of American creationism will be an eye-opener for those who sit on the opposite side of the evolution debate. He shows that far from being a unified assault on Darwinism, the campaign was actually a sequence of separate movements launched by rival evangelical groups competing for influence within their own community.’ —Peter Bowler, Author of Monkey Trials and Gorilla Sermons: Evolution and Christianity from Darwin to Intelligent Design ‘A thoughtful and careful analysis that throws as much light on the diversity of American evangelicalism as it does on Christian attitudes to evolutionary theory. Huskinson offers a smart analysis of religious anti-evolution movements which neither demonises nor ridicules but seeks to understand the tenets and beliefs of a movement far more complex and multivalent than most of us appreciate. A must-read for science communicators.’ —Philippa Levine, Walter Prescott Webb Chair in History and Ideas, University of Texas at Austin, USA This book explores the cultural history of anti-evolution efforts in the United States from 1960 to the present, refuting several popular narratives about creation science in evangelical America. Separating theological terms like “creationism” from cultural movements such as “creation science” and “intelligent design” in an evangelical marketplace of ideas, it contests assumptions that evangelical movements against evolution are homogeneous, and it argues that intelligent design is not an off-shoot of the creation-science movement. It demonstrates that the rationale of creationist groups is relational as well as ideological, showing that the social function of American creationism, which is to establish the boundaries of 'orthodox' religion, is key to understanding the competing strategies of creation-science organisations.

In light of the embattled status of evolutionary theory, particularly as 'intelligent design' makes headway against Darwinism in the schools and in the courts, this account of the roots of creationism assumes new relevance. This edition offers an overview of the arguments and figures at the heart of the debate.

Evolution--or the broader topic of origins--has enormous relevance to how we understand the Christian faith and how we interpret Scripture. Four Views on Creation, Evolution, and Intelligent Design presents the current "state of the conversation" about origins among evangelicals representing four key positions: Young Earth Creationism - Ken Ham (Answers in Genesis) Old Earth (Progressive) Creationism - Hugh Ross (Reasons to Believe) Evolutionary Creation - Deborah B. Haarsma (BioLogos) Intelligent Design - Stephen C. Meyer (The Discovery Institute) The contributors offer their best defense of their position addressing questions such as: What is your position on origins - understood broadly to include the physical universe, life, and human beings in particular? What do you take to be the most persuasive arguments in defense of your position? How do you demarcate and correlate evidence about origins from current science and from divine revelation? What hinges on answering these questions correctly? This book allows each contributor to not only present the case for his or her view, but also to critique and respond to the critiques of the other contributors, allowing you to compare their beliefs in an open forum setting to see where they overlap and where they differ.

A history of the anti-evolution "Intelligent Design" movement in the US, from the Scopes trial in 1925, through the rise of creation "science" in the 1980's, to the rise of intelligent design "theory" in the 1990's. Appendix includes the Wedge Document, a leaked internal planning paper which spells out the theocratic political goals of the Intelligent Design movement.

Seminar paper from the year 2008 in the subject American Studies - Culture and Applied Geography, grade: 1,0/ A+, Humboldt-University of Berlin (Institut f r Anglistik/ Amerikanistik), course: Hauptseminar, 36 entries in the bibliography, language: English, abstract: The aim of this paper is to explain how this distinct religious trait of being prone to fundamentalist thought, which is an integral part of American culture, affects modern science, education and even challenges several scientifically substantiated theories - among them Charles Darwin's theory of evolution. There will be a concise yet detailed analysis of the historical background, the political and social rootage and the current developments regarding the terms describing Creationism and Intelligent Design. The paper will introduce the two concepts, its perception and the ongoing debate in the United States. Prior to that, however, it is considered important to have a look at the beginnings of religious life in the United States in the first chapter - as it is indispensable for a thorough comprehension of the entire subject matter.

Forty-seven percent of the American people, according to a 1991 Gallup poll, believe that God made man--as man is now--in a single act of creation, and within the last ten thousand years. Ronald L. Numbers chronicles the astonishing resurgence of this belief since the 1960s, as well as the creationist movement's tangled roots in the theologies of late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Baptists, Presbyterians, Lutherans, Adventists, and other religious groups. Even more remarkable than Numbers's story of today's widespread rejection of the theory of evolution is the dramatic shift from acceptance of the earth's antiquity to the insistence of present-day scientific creationists that most fossils date back to Noah's flood and its aftermath, and that the earth itself is not more than ten thousand years old. Numbers traces the evolution of scientific creationism and shows how the creationist movement challenges the very meaning of science.

This work of historical exploration examines America's conflicts as it has attempted to maintain its founding principles of freedom of thought and separation of church and state, while nevertheless remaining the most traditionally religious of modern nations. Evolution, Creationism, and Intelligent Design offers a comprehensive, unbiased history of this controversial issue, as well as a balanced presentation of the arguments central to a debate that remains one of the most divisive in American society. Centered around the importance of the issue to education in both the sciences and humanities, the book's chief concern is the relevance of the debate to America's public schools. Beginning with an overview of the topic and its history, the book goes on to investigate Darwinism and the neo-Darwinian revolution as well as the applications of Darwinian theories in the social Darwinism and eugenics movements. It looks at theistic approaches to evolution; at arguments for and critiques of intelligent design; at religion, science, and the American courts; and at religion and science in the postmodern world. The two concluding sections, of special relevance to students are annotated listings of important personalities in the science-religion debate and an annotated bibliography.

The Wedge has intruded itself successfully into educational politics at the local, state, and now national levels."--BOOK JACKET.

With the pseudoscience of creationism rising again under the guise of "intelligent design," this powerful collection eviscerates the new assault on evolution and reveals the pervasive and insidious threat posed to genuine science by ID proponents like Phillip Johnson, Michael Behe, and William Dembski. The sixteen original essays address two key issues: the overwhelming scientific evidence for evolution gathered over 150 years and the dubious underpinnings of creationism; and how society can mount better educational and legal policies to prevent a theological takeover of our public and scientific institutions. The book includes powerful voices in the modern culture war against ID, including Kevin Padian, paleontologist and expert witness in the landmark lawsuit of Kitzmiller v. Dover. With creationist arguments forever morphing and reappearing under new aliases, this new confrontation is a must- read for teachers, students, and general readers, and a ringing and lasting refutation of creationism's fraudulent claims.

Seminar paper from the year 2008 in the subject American Studies - Culture and Applied Geography, grade: 1,0/ A+, Humboldt-University of Berlin (Institut für Anglistik/ Amerikanistik), course: Hauptseminar, language: English, abstract: The aim of this paper is to explain how this distinct religious trait of being prone to fundamentalist thought, which is an integral part of American culture, affects modern science, education and even challenges several scientifically substantiated theories – among them Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. There will be a concise yet detailed analysis of the historical background, the political and social rootage and the current developments regarding the terms describing Creationism and Intelligent Design. The paper will introduce the two concepts, its perception and the ongoing debate in the United States. Prior to that, however, it is considered important to have a look at the beginnings of religious life in the United States in the first chapter - as it is indispensable for a thorough comprehension of the entire subject matter.