Does Religion Drive Evolution? And Other Questions from the Cutting Edge of Biohistory
New theories hold that aspects of human culture—religion, art, and economy—have an impact on our evolution as a species. And we’re changing fast.
Evolution and Creation Fight to the Death: What Emerges from the Ashes
You have to look long and hard in the public-square discussion today to find bilateral calls for complementarity and partnership. Yet why should the relations between evolution and creation constitute a zero-sum game?
In one of this week’s features, eminent scholar Philip Clayton proposes that we are entering a new stage in the tangle between religion and science. Professor Robert Tapp responds.
Evolution Challenged in “Textbook” Case: As Goes Texas, So Goes the Nation
Opening the door to “junk science,” members of the Texas Board of Education inserted the coded language of creationism. With the second largest textbook budget in the nation, publishers are paying close attention.
Darwin in Rome: Burden of Diversity, Mystery of Time
Two current exhibits in Rome hint at the disturbing subtext of Darwin’s theories and the root of religious opposition to them.
Is Darwin Responsible for the Chimp Attack?
In the wake of a terrifying and unexpected mauling by a chimpanzee, some have rushed to blame Darwin for putatively implying that they should behave just like us. But we're just as close to another chimp whose behavior is markedly different from this bellicose cousin.
RDBook: Darwin and Slavery
Darwin’s abhorrence for slavery, and his determination to counter the wrongs being done in the name of science, was a spur to his research on evolution. He was committed to proving that humanity had a common ancestor.
The question of whether Muslims believe in evolution is a knotty one. Here's some background.
What Does Darwin Mean to You?
An RD columnist and biologist asks a poet, a public health expert, and an evolutionary biologist how Darwin affects their beliefs.
Denying Darwin: Another Peculiar American Institution
In this dispatch from a British conference on science and the public interest, author Lauri Lebo revisits American attitudes toward Darwin from the perspective of our neighbors across the pond.
Five Things We Can Learn From Creationists
On the occasion of Darwin’s birthday, a toast to the enduring spirit of “the other side” of the Pandora’s Box opened by his remarkable insight.
Creationism Makes Its Mark
When their son Zachary came home from science class with a cross burned on his forearm It was not the religion that bothered his parents, but the injury to their child. They sued, and brought science v. creationism back into the courts for another round.
The Most Popular Stories of 2008
The numbers are in and you, the reader, have chosen your favorite RD stories of the year; from Rick Warren to AIPAC, Sarah Palin, Creationism 2.0 and the fabled “death” of the religious right.
Double Helix: Pro-Choice, Pro-Human, Pro-God
Evolution has given us the complex, nuanced ability to wrestle with complex issues. If God did drive the process, then surely God wants us to think hard about an issue like abortion...
Creationism v. Integrationism
While fundamentalists bicker, and a Turkish crank tries to disprove Darwin, a scientist meets a Buddhist who is able to integrate science and faith...
RDBook: The Lost Scopes Archive
A new book on the Scopes “Monkey Trial” reveals history through people, images, and good old soap opera.
God and Gays at the APA: A Flawed Debate
Recent drama at the American Psychiatric Association reminds us that the arguments on both sides of the gay/ex-gay dispute fall short of the mark.
Religion vs. Science: America’s Perilous Fight
A Pulitzer Prize-winning author tangles with one of the most fraught questions of the day: “The danger for science is that, if forced to choose between God or evolution, most Americans will choose God.”
Can Expelled Teach Us a Thing or Two?
Comedian Ben Stein’s new documentary on the persecution of Intelligent Design advocates in schools is rife with errors and distortions, but there’s much to learn about the failure of science teaching.
1925, 1955, 2005 and now, Ben Stein; It refuses to die because “the debate about evolution is not about evolution at all.”
Biochemist and Geneticist Arri Eisen introduces a new column on the intersection of science and belief.