Creationism

This article is about the Abrahamic belief; creationism can also refer to origin beliefs in general or, centuries earlier, to an alternative to traducianism.

Prevalence of creationism

United States

In the United States, creationism is popular among the general Christian population, but considered to be scientifically irrelevant in many academic and scientific communities. According to a 2001 Gallup evolution poll on the origins of humans, they estimate that 72% of Americans believe in some form of creationism (as defined above). They also estimate that about 45% of Americans concurred with the statement that "God created man pretty much in his present form at one time within the last 10,000 years."

Related Topics:
United States - 2001 - Gallup - Evolution poll

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Among the scientific community, the Big Bang, abiogenesis, and biological evolution are generally considered to be the correct description of the origins of the universe and life on Earth. According to a 1997 Gallup poll, 55% of scientists subscribe to the concept of evolution that does not involve divine intervention or participation. In 1987, Newsweek reported: "By one count there are some 700 scientists with respectable academic credentials (out of a total of 480,000 U.S. earth and life scientists) who ascribed to Biblically literal creationism."

Related Topics:
Big Bang - Abiogenesis - Biological evolution - 1997 - 1987 - Newsweek

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In 2000, a People for the American Way poll estimated that:

Related Topics:
2000 - People for the American Way

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:20% of Americans believe public schools should teach evolution only;

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:17% of Americans believe that only evolution should be taught in science classes — religious explanations should be taught in another class;

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:29% of Americans believe that Creationism should be discussed in science class as a 'belief,' not a scientific theory;

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:13% of Americans believe that Creationism and evolution should be taught as 'scientific theories' in science class;

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:16% of Americans believe that only Creationism should be taught;

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Less-direct anecdotal evidence of the popularity of creationism is reflected in the response of IMAX theaters to the availability of Volcanoes of the Deep Sea, an IMAX film which makes a connection between human DNA and microbes inside undersea volcanoes. The film's distributor reported that the only U.S. states with theaters which chose not to show the film were Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina:

Related Topics:
Anecdotal evidence - IMAX - Volcanoes of the Deep Sea - DNA - Microbe - Volcano - Texas - Georgia - North Carolina - South Carolina

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:We've got to pick a film that's going to sell in our area. If it's not going to sell, we're not going to take it," said the director of an IMAX theater in Charleston that is not showing the movie. "Many people here believe in creationism, not evolution." http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/Movies/03/23/volcano.movie.ap/index.html

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The western world outside the United States

Most vocal creationists are from the United States, and creationist views are much less common elsewhere in the Western World.

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According to a PBS documentary on evolution, Australian Young Earth Creationists claimed that "five percent of the Australian population now believe that Earth is thousands, rather than billions, of years old." The documentary further states that "Australia is a particular stronghold of the creationist movement." Taking these claims at face value, Young Earth Creationism is very much a minority position in Western countries.

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In Europe, creationism is a less well-defined phenomenon, and regular polls are not available. However, evolution is taught as scientific fact in most schools. In countries with a Roman Catholic majority, papal acceptance of evolution as worthy of study has essentially ended debate on the matter for many people. Nevertheless, creationist groups such as the German Studiengemeinschaft Wort und Wissen (Study group 'word and knowledge')http://www.wort-und-wissen.de/ are actively lobbying in Germany. In the United Kingdom the Emmanuel Schools Foundation (previously the Vardy Foundation), which runs two government-funded high schools in the north of England (out of several thousand in the country) and plans to open several more, teaches that creationism and evolution are equally valid "faith positions". In Italy, the prime minister Silvio Berlusconi wanted to retire evolution from schools in the middle level; after one week of massive protests, he reversed his opinion. http://www2.onnachrichten.t-online.de/dyn/c/19/01/33/1901336.html

Related Topics:
Europe - Roman Catholic - Papal - Studiengemeinschaft Wort und Wissen - United Kingdom - Emmanuel Schools Foundation - Italy - Silvio Berlusconi

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Of particular note for Eastern Europe, Serbia suspended the teaching of evolution for one week in 2004, under education minister Ljiljana ?oli?, only allowing schools to reintroduce evolution into the curriculum if they also taught creationism. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/09/09/wdarw09.xml&sSheet=/news/2004/09/09/ixworld.html

Related Topics:
Eastern Europe - Serbia - 2004 - Ljiljana ?oli?

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"After a deluge of protest from scientists, teachers and opposition parties," says the BBC report, Ms ?oli?'s deputy made the statement, "I have come here to confirm Charles Darwin is still alive," and announced that the decision was reversed.

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3642460.stm Ms. ?oli? resigned after the government said that she had caused "problems that had started to reflect on the work of the entire government". http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/3663196.stm

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