The most controversial topic in the ongoing battle between fundamentalist Christians and the scientific community today is the validity of evolution. When Charles Darwin first published "On the Origin of Species" in 1859 it was welcomed by the science  community but was immediately attacked as anti-bible by members of the church and religious groups

Evolutionists:

Evolution is the theory that animal species are changed by genetic changes that are brought about through two forces, natural mutation of DNA, and nature's ability to 'select' the best example of a species through 'survival of the fittest'. Evolutionists advocate that animals that are better equipped for survival through genetic change, will more likely live to produce offspring that also have the 'survivability' genes of their parents. An animal that is ill-equipped, genetic-wise, will more often die before having offspring than those that have enhanced genes. Through this 'natural selection' of the best, over long periods of time, through sheer numbers, the species will change to be better adapted to the environment and its climate, and will live on.

Many pure evolutionists believe that the different species of animal and plant life developed through natural forces on the earth and were not the result of "design" by a divine creator. This is a favorite argument of atheists against the religious faithful because, before Darwin, they did not have a natural explanation for man or any form of life.

 It should be pointed out that though evolution says nothing about the origin of life itself, only the origin of species of life, many believe that it suggests that the origin of life on earth is by natural or chemical means with no part played by God. This is the reason for the intense opposition by the religious right.

Theistic Evolutionists:

Theistic Evolutionists, on the other hand, accept evolution as a valid scientific process and one of God's instruments and tools for change on the earth. They believe there is no conflict between the Bible and science. Some believe the book of Genesis is metaphorical and not to be accepted literally. This would seem to say that man 'evolved' by natural means from lower members of the animal kingdom. Another name sometimes used for this group is Christian Darwinism.

While this seems to be the same as the pure evolutionist's argument, they contend that God began the process by 'seeding' the earth with the first life, and by the statement "Let the earth bring forth..." allowed evolutionary forces to dictate the direction of animal change up to and including man. Some in this group believe that the process is intermittently interrupted from time to time by God's intervention.

 There is a sub-group within this group called semi-theistic evolutionists, who believe in the evolutionary process exactly as described in science books, but believe that the book of Genesis is to be taken literally and that man's creation was by God's hand alone. The book of Genesis in ch. 1, vs. 26 says "Let us make man in our image...". In Genesis 2:7 it says "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground,...".

Anti-Evolutionists:

The anti-evolutionists oppose the idea of evolution altogether and firmly support the literal reading of the book of Genesis. They believe that evolution should not be taught in schools as a valid scientific 'truth',  and that students should know that there are alternative 'theories' about creation, and should be allowed to make a choice. They emphasize that "Evolution" is still only a 'theory', with many gaps and 'missing links' One offspring of this viewpoint is the idea of "Intelligent Design".

Because U.S. courts have ruled that teaching of any form of religion in public classrooms is against the law, a group of 'creationists' in the 1980's created the Intelligent Design Creationism movement. This is the idea that all creation is the result of 'intelligent design' without specifying who or what the 'intelligence' is.

According to The National Center for Science Education:

 "Intelligent Design" creationism (IDC) is a successor to the "creation science" movement, which dates back to the 1960s. The IDC movement began in the middle 1980s as an antievolution movement which could include young earth, old earth, and progressive creationists; theistic evolutionists, however, were not welcome. "

 The main idea behind Intelligent Design Creationism is that life is too complicated to have just 'happened' naturally and that the universe, the earth, and life itself is fine tuned to be perfect for life as we know it on the earth. It doesn't specify how this came to be, only that it is the result of a form of "intelligence".

 They do not accept the idea that evolution is a valid scientific process and strongly oppose it. Some schools now teach both the scientific version of evolution and the Intelligent Design Creationism viewpoint.

There are others who hold to parts, but not all of each of the above, and are not devoted to either as an all or nothing theology. Some  believe that even though evolution may be valid scientifically, it does not necessarily contradict the book of Genesis, and see other explanations are possible with a little imagination.

What is clear is that the Evolution Vs Creationism debate is deeply embedded in the public's concern for our schools, and will not go away anytime soon.