Supreme Court’s Ruling on Teaching of Creationism

The Supreme Court’s ruling that states may not require public schools to teach “creation science” was a good one. And you were right in pointing out editorially that “creation science” is a contradiction of terms.

The creation stories in the Bible (there are two of them) are not science but myth--myth, not in the popular sense of untruth, but as response to mystery when human reason has reached its limits. Writers of the Old Testament used myths to try to explain the unexplainable. The proper place for nurturing such instruments of faith is in the home/church/synogugue, not the public schools where there may be children whose parents are not in the Judeo-Christian tradition.

One can accept the principle of evolution without forsaking one’s religious beliefs by affirming that God is Lord of science, creator of the first cell; and present in the evolutionary process, guiding it to its ultimate goal of pure Spirit.

VANCE GEIER

Highland Park