The Encyclopedia of Protestantism: Volume 2 D–K
Future Prospects
There are diverse Protestant approaches to Darwinism, only a few of which have been touched on here. Through the 1990s numerous attempts were made to create forums for constructive dialogue, which are supported in several countries by the Templeton Foundation. In the UNITED STATES, the loudest discussion seems to be between those who believe that Darwinism is in effect a secular religion that promotes metaphysical naturalism and those who claim that it may be compatible with Protestant religion. In the United States, at least, Darwinism has been thoroughly politicized, with the Christian Right and the secular establishment taking opposing stands on its validity and its right to dominate the science classroom in the public schools. There have been repeated claims that Darwinism is “just a theory” or that it has become a secular religion.
However, these claims have been persuasively rebutted by many commentators and have not been accepted by the courts or legislatures.
There are some difficulties in reconciling Darwinism with Protestant beliefs, but these difficulties alone do not explain why the most popular perception of their relationship is one of necessary conflict. This conflict is in part a product of the political chemistry of religion and CULTURE, particularly in the United States. It also may be attributed to our human love of the inherent drama of combat. Most of us learn about the world through MASS MEDIA narratives that favor entertaining dramatic struggles as the chief relationship between worldviews. As long as this is true, for most people Darwinism and Protestantism will remain locked in battle.
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