I know that I am a little late on writing about this (the federal case started Monday), but I thought it was important to mention it (either for emphasis for those who have heard or for information for those who haven’t). Intelligent Design (ID) has, in recent months, received considerable news coverage, and most of it has been an attempt to either scoff or denounce it by ideologs who have little knowledge thereof. If you would like to stay abreast on the issue, let me encourage you to read often the blog by William Dembski called Uncommon Descent. Dembski is a professor at Southern and has written many books on ID which are the topic of much discussion. It may very well be that ID be the chief culture battle in worldviews in the immediate years to come (and in the latter future).
Aside from medical ethics (such as cloning, stem-cell research, abortion, etc.), this may be a defining moment for science and religion. I think it is. The facts are out there, and ID is only asking that students and scientists alike consider the theory and evaluate it without presuppositional lenses or ideological slants. This will be hard for many, as we have seen in Pennsylvania, and you can be sure that the mainstream will be painting ID in the poorest light. Therefore, the real battle for worldviews will not take place on the airwaves but in the hallways at school, in the breakroom at work, in the marketplace downtown. And if Christians become informed and engaged in this important issue of human origin, I think that many who have been duped into believing evolution will be challenged to think otherwise.
For more research, you might want to check out these sites:
William Dembski
Access Research Network (ARN)
ID in the News
ID the Future
Telic Thoughts
Wittingshire’s Links and Info
AP Article of PA case
This is an important link on the subject. (here)
Of note is that ID isn’t being taught. Rather they are simply proposing that a statement be read before the unit on evolution. The statement simply says that the theory of evolution is a THEORY and that it has “gaps”. They then explain what ID is and that’s the end.
If you listen to the media’s coverage you’d think they were teaching the specifics of the ID theory itself. Nor do they even teach about the specific gaps in the theory of evolution.
Great point Jeff, and thanks for the link! To my fault, I have been rather slow on catching up on the recent ID developments . . .