The Creation-Evolution Debate: Historical Perspectives

Foreword

ix Foreword The material in this volume derives from the 2006 George L. Shriver Lectures: Religion in American History, presented at Stetson University on January 24 and 25. The Shriver Lectures were established by Dr. George Shriver, a Stetson alumnus, to bring noted scholars to the university to speak about the influence and significance of religion in the history and development of American society. George Shriver, himself a historian of religion, spent the major part of his career in the history department at Georgia Southern University, where he won awards for both his teaching and his research. Professor Shriver’s generous gifts to the university endowed this lectureship and provided for the publication of the lectures. Jointly sponsored by the Department of Religious Studies and the Department of History at Stetson, these lectures combine two of George Shriver’s scholarly passions—religious studies and history. The 2006 lectures were delivered by Dr. Edward J. Larson, Talmadge Chair of Law and Russell Professor of American History at the University of Georgia. An insightful author and engaging speaker,Professor Larson has authored six books and more than sixty published articles, dealing with topics related to legal history, law, and bioethics.Two of his books have dealt specifically with the topic of his Shriver Lectures. His first book, Trial and Error: The American Controversy over Creation and Evolution (1985, expanded editions 1989 and 2002), chronicled the legal battles over teaching evolution in American public schools. In 1997 he published Summer of the Gods: The Scopes Trial and America’s Continuing Debate over Science and Religion, for which he won the 1998 Pulitzer Prize in History. The topic of Professor Larson’s lectures is important because of the role of the evolution debate in America’s past, but it is also timely because of the continued controversy over the teaching of evolution in public schools. The conflict between evolution and “intelligent design” has become an especially volatile issue in recent years, sometimes dividing school boards, communities, and even legislatures. In his first lecture, Larson provides a historical review of the development of and initial reaction to Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. He demonstrates that the strongest objections to Darwin’s views focused on the idea that humans evolved from lower primates, because a naturalistic human evolution seemed to leave no room for humankind’s spiritual side. The most famous (and carnivalesque) battle between religion and evolution took place in Dayton, Tennessee, the venue for the Scopes trial in 1925. This trial, along with events preceding and following it, is the subject of Larson’s second lecture. In his third and final lecture, Professor Larson examines the attitudes of scientists Foreword x toward religion, focusing particularly on the American scientific community. Deepest appreciation is expressed to George Shriver for his generosity in funding this lectureship and his continued interest in scholarly inquiry and the dissemination of learning. His commitment to critical inquiry, informed reflection, and public discourse represents the highest ideals of the teaching scholar. I would also like to thank Ed Larson, not only for his engaging and insightful lectures, but also for his generous spirit during his visit to our campus. Gratitude must also be expressed to the following: Dr. H. Douglas Lee, president of Stetson University, and his wife Margaret, who served as gracious hosts for a Shriver dinner and have been supportive of the Shriver Lectures since their inception; Professor Kevin O’Keefe, of Stetson’s Department of History, who helped plan and implement the lectures; the editors and staff of the University of Georgia Press for their excellent job in publishing the Shriver Lecture Series; and especially Lisa Guenther, administrative specialist for the Department of Religious Studies, whose careful attention to the numerous details of the lectureship contributed enormously to the success of the lectures. Mitchell G. Reddish, Chair George H. Shriver Lectures Committee Stetson University Foreword xi This page intentionally left blank ...