Evolution and Creationism The Consequences of an Analysis for Education

Abstract

Fundamentalist Christian sects have always regarded evolutionary theory as, at best, misguided. After some years of relative inactivity, the fundamentalist lobby is now insisting that if evolution is to be taught in school science classes, then 'creation science' (the biblical story of creation according to Genesis) should be taught – in a positive way – at the same time. A survey of newly enrolled university students in Queensland, Australia, indicated that about a quarter of them had indeed been taught creationist theories in high school science classes. This exposure evidently did not make them any likelier to adopt a consistent creationist viewpoint, but greatly increased their tendency to exhibit Orwellian double-think – to believe highly contradictory aspects of both scenarios simultaneously. Students with strong religious beliefs, not necessarily fundamentalist, and those with no religious affiliation at all were less likely to exhibit this sort of confusion than those who acknowledged affiliation with a recognized religion but said their religious beliefs were unimportant to them. Students with consistent creationist beliefs formed a very small minority and were almost all affiliated with a small number of fundamentalist sects.