Anti-Evolutionists Raise Their Profile in Europe

Vol 444|23 November 2006 SPECIAL REPORT Anti-evolutionists raise their profile in Europe

The teaching of alternative theories to evolution in schools is not just an issue in the United States. Almut Graebsch and Quirin Schiermeier assess whether creationism is threatening science in Europe.

eing a trained biologist doesn’t stop the universities of Leeds and Leicester are plan- Maciej Giertych from insisting that ning to introduce remedial courses next year Bevolution is a falsified hypothesis1. The for first-year science students. 70-year-old Polish member of the European Steve Jones, a geneticist at University College parliament, who has a PhD in tree physiology, London who has lectured widely about evolu- also wants to spread the word. In October, tion, is one of those concerned by the growing he organized a workshop for parliamentar- influence of creationist groups. “I have talked ians entitled “Teaching evolution theory in about evolution in front of more than 100,000 Europe: is your child being indoctrinated in the British schoolchildren in the past 20 years classroom?” — during most of that time I was never asked Although the teaching of evolution has questions about creationism,” he says. “But in become a highly politicized and hotly discussed the past couple of years, wherever I go I am matter in the United States, such moves are rare asked about it.” He ascribes the change largely in Europe, and Giertych’s activities have so to the activities of groups such as Truth in far met with little response in Strasbourg or Science. Brussels. But a number of similar incidents But perhaps the most blatant attempt to ban over the past couple of years, in various coun- evolution from the classrooms occurred in Italy tries, are raising fears among the scientific in 2004. Letizia Moratti, then education minis- community that creationism may be on the ter, caused a public outcry when she removed rise in Europe. the theory of evolution from the curricula of geochemical proof of creationism. The society Last month, for example, it emerged that Italy’s middle schools2 on the grounds that collaborates with creationists in the West and creationism is being taught at two schools in teaching Darwin’s theory of evolution can instil promotes its findings in several Russian and the German state of Hesse. The incident, albeit a materialist view of life in young minds. English-language creationist journals. minor, has provoked debate in the country. Following widespread protest, the education Such examples illustrate the complexity of The Christian view of creation should at least ministry partially reintroduced darwinism into the issue in Europe compared with the United be discussed in science classes, argues Karin school courses. A recent study by Observa States. Whereas the US drive towards crea- Wolf, Hesse’s Christian Democrat education Science in Society, a Vicenza-based body that tionism comes mainly from Protestant fun- minister. But the Association of promotes informed debate on damentalist groups, the European movement German Biologists warns of the “Creationism is a scientific issues, shows that has diverse roots. “There is an aggressive anti- dangers of blurring the division major issue in Turkish only 11% of Italians support darwinism inspired by radical Islamic minori- between science and religion. politics; the debate is the exclusion of darwinism ties in immigrant communities in Britain and And in Britain in Septem- from curricula. But almost two- France; there is a Catholic creationism growing ber, the prominent creationist much more tense than thirds would prefer lessons to in Poland; there is Protestant creationism in group Truth in Science sent in the United States.” cover both evolutionary theory some schools in England,” says Pievani. information packs to every and the creationist view. “Italy The Koran is less clear than the Bible on UK secondary school. The material suggests is no longer a completely secular country,” says divine creation. But that does not mean Islam intelligent design should be taught as an alter- Telmo Pievani, a philosopher of science at the accepts evolution, and the influence of Islamic native to the theory of evolution, although the University of Milan II in Italy. “We are facing creationist groups in countries such as Britain UK government’s education department was a dramatic and worrying cultural and political and France is increasing. The movement is by quick to say that it does not endorse its use in regression.” far the strongest in Turkey, however, which is science classes. In Russia, meanwhile, creationist societies in negotiations to join the European Union. In response, a group called the British Cen- are receiving strong support from the Prot- The main Muslim creationist organization, the tre for Science Education has been formed to estant minority. Besides translating the writ- Turkish Bilim ve Aras¸tirma Vakfi, distributes campaign against the teaching of creationism ings of European and US creationists, Russian creationist literature in Turkey and elsewhere in schools. Meanwhile, British school leavers’ groups conduct their own ‘creation research’. In that often consists of material translated from knowledge about evolution is considered so Moscow, for example, the ARCTUR Research Christian fundamentalist groups, particularly poor, and creationist ideas so widespread, that Geological Lab is looking for geological and the Institute for Creation Research, based in

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North Santee, California. Prominent US crea- Others warn that scientists can’t afford to tionists are also frequently invited by the group be complacent. “The anti-evolution move- to give talks. ment does undermine public understanding Jones has just returned from the Istanbul of science,” argues Ulrich Kutschera, an evo- book fair, where he says many creationist pub- lutionary biologist at the University of Kassel PHOTOLIBRARY.COM lications were on sale, and proving extremely in Germany and vice-president of the Associa- popular. “Creationism is a major issue in Turk- tion of German Biologists. “In Germany and ish politics; the debate is much more tense other European countries, anti-evolutionists than in the United States,” he says. “All biology with different religious backgrounds pro- textbooks now used in schools are creationist mote their ideology via colourful web pages in tone.” that are appealing to students There is debate over the size “It annoys and and people without a scientific of the threat posed to science in depresses me that background. Perception of evo- Europe by the various creation- lutionary biology, in particular, ist movements. The creation- intelligent students is seriously undermined by ists’ main goal is to have their persist in holding these activities.” He suggests views included in school cur- irrational views.” that biologists should devote ricula. But, unlike in the United more time to counteract- States, many pupils in European schools receive ing its spread by explaining their theories to religious education anyway and are therefore the public. familiar with the theme of divine creation. Jones says that, despite his dislike of crea- Some think this may steal the thunder of the tionism — “it annoys and depresses me that creationist movement in Europe — why force intelligent students persist in holding irrational creationism into science classes if it is already views” — he doesn’t think that such arguments taught in religious education? are set to undermine science in countries such Moreover, Europeans do seem to be more as Britain. “But I am not so optimistic about enlightened than Americans when it comes Turkey.” ■ to evolution. According to a 2005 US study3, The teaching of just 40% of Americans accepted the theory of 1. Giertych, M. Nature 444, 265 (2006). evolution theory is evolution, down from 45% in 1985. In Europe, 2. Nature 428, 595 (2004). 3. Miller, J. D. et al. Science 313, 765–766 (2006). under threat in some that figure has increased, from 65% in 1992 to 4. Special Eurobarometer Europeans, Science & Technology European countries. 70% in 2005, although numbers vary widely http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_ across the region4. 224_report_en.pdf (Eur. Comm., 2005). Q&A PETER KOREVAAR Peter Korevaar is head of the physics and cosmology working group of Germany’s Studiengemeinschaft Wort und Wissen, one of the largest creationist groups in Europe. He holds a PhD in astrophysics and now works at IBM in Mannheim. Quirin Schiermeier asks him about his group’s aims. What are your main goals? namely falsifying and is extremely hard. in the United States? We are a Protestant group. We verifying hypotheses. We are aware of other creationist want to do accurate and honest We don’t want to What about groups in Europe and the United scientific work under the premise put anyone down. evolution? States. But we don’t collaborate that God has created the world. We would very Microevolution, too much with any of them. The Scientific naturalism as we know much like to have the adaptation of US debate is more aggressive, it doesn’t allow for a creator who an open discussion species to their there is more foul play from both can interfere with the physical with evolutionary environment, is an sides. This is not helpful. world. Evolution should be biologists about the observed scientific taught in schools, and creation issues at stake. But fact, which we of Do you advocate intelligent discussed along with it. we feel constantly course do not deny. design? misunderstood. Scientists But macroevolution, the gradual There’s an open question How would you describe your — and the media — always say process of development of new about how the many complex relationship with scientists? we are dilettantes, Christian species, is a mere conclusion, structures observed in the You don’t have to agree on fundamentalists. This is mean. there’s no observational evidence Universe came into being. everything to do good, accurate ‘Fundamentalism’ is immediately for that. Intelligent design gives an science together with [non- associated with Islamic alternative answer to this creationist] scientists. We use the fundamentalism: read terrorism. How would you compare question. We can subscribe same methods as other scientists, Fighting against these prejudices your group with creationists to most of its arguments.