Clergy views on evolution, creationism, science, and religion

Abstract Spurred by students who felt conflicted accepting evolution and the tenets of their faiths, yet knowing their faiths supported science and evolution, we began a study to determine the views clergy espouse on issues related to evolution, creationism, science, and religion. The resulting study included structured interviews with eight clergy and a religion professor, and a survey and questionnaire sent to each member of an organization made up of clergy. The data revealed a group who believed evolution and their religion to be compatible, that scripture was not meant to be understood literally, and who felt strongly that creationism did not belong in public school classrooms. The science education community may find in clergy an articulate ally in helping citizens to understand the contentious issues surrounding evolution and creationism. We share the insights that respondents provided on these issues and compared their views to those of teachers. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 43: 419–442, 2006