Re: British School Inspectors
Those of us who attended the Templeton Foundation Science and Religion Course Workshop at MIT in the summer of 1998 heard a presentation by Rosemary Peacocke, Arthur Peacocke's wife, on teaching religion in UK schools. Rosemary is one of the Queen's Inspectors of Schools. She might be in a position, especially with the support of her husband, to act on this issue if she (and Arthur) were to be given information about the creationist movement in the US, particularly the Morris-Ham axis and their activities. I think I can get ahold of Arthur's email address, if anyone should like to follow up on this.
Bob Schneider
----- Original Message -----
From: Michael Roberts
To: Shuan Rose ; Asa
Sent: Tuesday, April 02, 2002 2:00 AM
Subject: Re: Creationism in the UK (Utley v Dawkins)
The trouble is that the British Press does not understand the issues about Creationism and think it is all about Ussher and not Morris and Price. As a result much what they write is muddled ( despite letters from well-infromed people which dont get published!)
In the UK Creationsim has moved in by stealth and as many in the churches do not understand its basis they have no way of understanding or tackling it beyond labelling it Fundamentalism. The C of E has a strong church education section but to my knowledge has made no informed comment on this matter. Most will not be evangelical and simply regard Genesis as myth.
It is clear that Gateshead college is teaching a nutty brand of Creationism (see Layfield's lecture) with lunar craters caused by Adam's fall! Imagine what they are taught about the failings of evolution! The pat answer is that students are taught both evolution and creation - yeah with the aid of Jon Well's fictitious Icons etc!!
Having chased some of this up, both the present and previous principals are convinced YEC and insist that this should affect their science teaching. Their science teacher from his lecture is an OTT YEC. Most have not grasped this as it is beyond the experience of most over here. School Inspectors and others have not yet realised the problem.
Neither have many realised that over 10% of Anglican clergy are now YEC, many of whom will be governors of church schools. I n Feb before all this broke I spoke to a group of Anglican clergy and head teachers of Anglican schools about my experiences of teaching geology in a Christian liberal arts college in the USA last summer where half of my ten students were brought up YEC and then moved on to issues of science and religion. There were about 25 present . Most couldnt grasp the problem but one Vicar and headteacher were disturbed . The Vicar was YEC and the Head thought I was extreemly controversial and rejecting of the bible.
Frankly not much positive has come out in the British press and the churches have been strangely silent.
Michael
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