Creationism in Europe
American creationists’ efforts to export their beliefs have succeeded in Europe beyond their own expectations, winning followers across creed and country.

For decades, the creationist movement was primarily situated in the United States. Then, in the 1970s, American creationists found their ideas welcomed abroad, first in Australia and New Zealand, then in Korea, India, South Africa, Brazil, and elsewhere—including Europe, where creationism plays an expanding role in public debates about science policy and school curricula. In this, the first comprehensive history of creationism in Europe, leading historians, philosophers, and scientists narrate the rise of—and response to—scientific creationism, creation science, intelligent design, and organized antievolutionism in countries and religions throughout Europe.

Providing a unique map of creationism in Europe, the authors chart the surprising history of creationist activities and strategies there. Over the past forty years, creationism has spread swiftly among European Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Hindus, and Muslims, even as anti-creationists sought to smother its flames. Antievolution messages gained such widespread approval, in fact, that in 2007 the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe passed a resolution advising member states to “defend and promote scientific knowledge” and “firmly oppose the teaching of creationism as a scientific discipline on an equal footing with the theory of evolution.”

Creationism in Europe offers a discerning introduction to the cultural history of modern Europe, the variety of worldviews in Europe, and the interplay of science and religion in a global context. It will be of interest to students and scholars in the history and philosophy of science, religious studies, and evolutionary theory, as well as policy makers and educators concerned about the spread of creationism in our time.

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Creationism in Europe
American creationists’ efforts to export their beliefs have succeeded in Europe beyond their own expectations, winning followers across creed and country.

For decades, the creationist movement was primarily situated in the United States. Then, in the 1970s, American creationists found their ideas welcomed abroad, first in Australia and New Zealand, then in Korea, India, South Africa, Brazil, and elsewhere—including Europe, where creationism plays an expanding role in public debates about science policy and school curricula. In this, the first comprehensive history of creationism in Europe, leading historians, philosophers, and scientists narrate the rise of—and response to—scientific creationism, creation science, intelligent design, and organized antievolutionism in countries and religions throughout Europe.

Providing a unique map of creationism in Europe, the authors chart the surprising history of creationist activities and strategies there. Over the past forty years, creationism has spread swiftly among European Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Hindus, and Muslims, even as anti-creationists sought to smother its flames. Antievolution messages gained such widespread approval, in fact, that in 2007 the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe passed a resolution advising member states to “defend and promote scientific knowledge” and “firmly oppose the teaching of creationism as a scientific discipline on an equal footing with the theory of evolution.”

Creationism in Europe offers a discerning introduction to the cultural history of modern Europe, the variety of worldviews in Europe, and the interplay of science and religion in a global context. It will be of interest to students and scholars in the history and philosophy of science, religious studies, and evolutionary theory, as well as policy makers and educators concerned about the spread of creationism in our time.

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Overview

American creationists’ efforts to export their beliefs have succeeded in Europe beyond their own expectations, winning followers across creed and country.

For decades, the creationist movement was primarily situated in the United States. Then, in the 1970s, American creationists found their ideas welcomed abroad, first in Australia and New Zealand, then in Korea, India, South Africa, Brazil, and elsewhere—including Europe, where creationism plays an expanding role in public debates about science policy and school curricula. In this, the first comprehensive history of creationism in Europe, leading historians, philosophers, and scientists narrate the rise of—and response to—scientific creationism, creation science, intelligent design, and organized antievolutionism in countries and religions throughout Europe.

Providing a unique map of creationism in Europe, the authors chart the surprising history of creationist activities and strategies there. Over the past forty years, creationism has spread swiftly among European Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Hindus, and Muslims, even as anti-creationists sought to smother its flames. Antievolution messages gained such widespread approval, in fact, that in 2007 the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe passed a resolution advising member states to “defend and promote scientific knowledge” and “firmly oppose the teaching of creationism as a scientific discipline on an equal footing with the theory of evolution.”

Creationism in Europe offers a discerning introduction to the cultural history of modern Europe, the variety of worldviews in Europe, and the interplay of science and religion in a global context. It will be of interest to students and scholars in the history and philosophy of science, religious studies, and evolutionary theory, as well as policy makers and educators concerned about the spread of creationism in our time.


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781421415628
Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press
Publication date: 12/15/2014
Series: Medicine, Science, and Religion in Historical Context
Pages: 296
Product dimensions: 5.40(w) x 8.20(h) x 1.20(d)
Age Range: 18 Years

About the Author

Stefaan Blancke is a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Philosophy and Moral Science at Ghent University.

Hans Henrik Hjermitslev is an assistant professor of social science at University College South Denmark.

Peter C. Kjærgaard is a professor of evolutionary studies and director of the Centre for Biocultural History at Aarhus University.

Read an Excerpt

Except for polls and repeated warnings from European scientists about the invasion of American-style creationism, we know virtually nothing about the cultural origins and meanings of antievolution sentiment in Europe. But now the historiographical desert disappears with the appearance of this extraordinary collection of original essays. I welcome this pioneering book with the greatest of enthusiasm.


—Ronald L. Numbers, author of The Creationists: From Scientific Creationism to Intelligent Design

Table of Contents

Foreword Ronald L. Numbers vii

Acknowledgments xvii

Introduction: Creationism in Europe or European Creationism? Stefaan Biancke Hans Henrik Hjermitsley Peter C. Kjærgaard 1

1 France Thomas Lepeltier 15

2 Spain and Portugal Jesús I. Catalá-Gorgues 31

3 United Kingdom Joachim Allgaier 50

4 The Low Countries Stefaan Blanche Abraham C. Flipse John Braeckman 65

5 Scandinavia Hans Henrik Hjermitslev Peter C. Kjærgaard 85

6 Germany Ulrich Kutschera 105

7 Poland Bartosz Borczyk 125

8 Greece Efthymios Nicolaidis 144

9 Russia and Its Neighbors Inga Levit Georgy S. Levit Uwe Hossfeld Lennart Olsson 152

10 Turkey Martin Riexinger 180

11 Catholicism Rafael A. Martínez Thomas F. Glick 199

12 Intelligent Design Barbara Forrest 214

13 The Rise of Anti-creationism in Europe Peter C. Kjærgaard 228

Afterword: Reclaiming Science for Creationism Nicolaas A. Rupke 242

A Note on Sources Stefaan Blanche 251

List of Contributors 257

Index 265

What People are Saying About This

Ronald L. Numbers

Except for polls and repeated warnings from European scientists about the invasion of American-style creationism, we know virtually nothing about the cultural origins and meanings of antievolution sentiment in Europe. But now the historiographical desert disappears with the appearance of this extraordinary collection of original essays. I welcome this pioneering book with the greatest of enthusiasm.

Edward J. Larson

A valuable overview of creationist efforts and activities in Europe through historical or journalistic narratives. Each chapter tells us more than we knew before.

From the Publisher

A valuable overview of creationist efforts and activities in Europe through historical or journalistic narratives. Each chapter tells us more than we knew before.
—Edward J. Larson, Pepperdine University, author of Summer for the Gods: The Scopes Trial and America's Continuing Debate over Science and Religion

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