Archbishop of Canterbury backs evolution
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/03/21/archbishop_backs_evolution/
The Archbishop of Canterbury has condemned the teaching of
creationism in schools. In an interview with Guardian editor
Alan Rusbridger, Dr Rowan Williams said the Biblical creation
stories do not belong in the same category as evolutionary theory.
He explained: "My worry is creationism can end up reducing
the doctrine of creation rather than enhancing it."
Creationists and proponents of intelligent design (ID) -
the "alternative theory" to evolution by natural selection -
assert that the natural world must have had a designer.
Moves in the United States to teach ID alongside evolution
have had some success. Last August, at the height of the
controversy, President Bush said: "Both sides ought to be
properly taught...so people can understand what the debate
is about."
Dr Williams's comments indicate he believes that creationism
and evolution are not two sides of the same coin, however.
He said: "I think creationism is...a kind of category mistake,
as if the Bible were a theory like other theories. If creationism
is presented as a stark alternative theory alongside other
theories I think there's just been a jarring of categories."
As leader of the Church of England, the Bishop's intervention
also puts the heads of the two most popular flavours of
Christianity, Catholicism and Anglicanism, at odds.
Both Pope John Paul II and current Pontiff Benedict XVI
have spoken out in favour of evolution being incorporated
into religious people's view of the world.
Tony Blair goes along with Bush on this one, though.
At PMQs, in reponse to a question from Lib Dem Jenny Tonge
about whether he was happy for ID to be taught in
used-car magnate and evangelist Peter Vardy's new city academies,
he said: "I am very happy...If she looks at the school's results,
I think she will find that they are very good."
Given the PM's well publicised plan to become a Catholic,
perhaps a lesson in the principal of papal infallibility
is required...
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