Thank God the creationists weren’t able to derail the First Amendment, stifle intellectual discourse or quash scientific inquiry in a small- town battle that became a national flash point.
When they took on the biology text in Dover, Pa., they didn’t suspect that ordinary high school teachers, parents, school-board members would rise up with holy anger to protect the separation of church and state.
When they knocked natural selection and Darwin in general, and sought to pass off a faith- based concept called “intelligent design” as science, they didn’t think the local judge would see through the gambit.
Goofiest of all, when they did a computer search on the word “creation” in their literature and substituted “intelligent design,” they didn’t think anyone would notice.
The conflict and its suspenseful resolution are recounted in an important PBS “Nova” documentary airing Tuesday (at 7 p.m. on KRMA-Channel 6). “Judgment Day: Intelligent Design on Trial” covers the 2005 court case that decided it was wrong for public schools to require teachers to “balance” the teaching of evolution with a plug for intelligent design.
The film is a bit dry, considering the lather the debate sparked.
But the topic itself couldn’t be juicier.
The idea of a science series tackling a legal debate deserves some background. As “Nova” executive producer Paula Apsell explained, “Through six weeks of expert testimony, the case provided a crash course in modern evolutionary science, and it really hit home just how firmly established evolutionary theory is.”
Give “Nova” a pass for opting to re-create courtroom scenes according to the original transcripts. While not a pure documentary approach, the re-creations at least add a tad of visual excitement to the proceedings. Still, the information and the dramatic testimony is exciting enough by itself: Scientific breakthroughs at the last moment gave biological, DNA and electromagnetic evidence to support evolutionary theory.
Not to condescend, but it’s difficult to listen to some of the objections to the teaching of evolution in public schools from Dover’s anti-Darwinists. Some of these folks sound particularly rigid and/or vapid, not to mention unprepared to mount a reasonable argument. They’re opposed to teaching Darwin’s theory because they don’t like it, not one little bit! It’s just a theory, they say, and besides, phooey on it. What do you think we are, monkeys?
Certain great apes should be offended.
The landmark case, Kitzmiller vs. Dover Area School District, eventually played like a biology primer. The judge took to saying “biology class dismissed for lunch.” That’s one reason “Intelligent Design on Trial” is demanding television. The expert witnesses and the rich scientific detail require strict attention. But the result is rewarding, eye-opening and, in some sense, frightening. Unless lovers of freedom and intellectual honesty stay on their toes, there are regressive “think tanks” at work ready to shut the door on science.
Give “Nova” credit for taking on a contentious topic while explaining evolution.
Besides tracing this specific case, a side benefit of “Nova’s” effort, really, is to prove that science operates outside of the culture wars. Faith is fine, and quite compatible with science, but it is not subject to scientific testing. That’s why it’s called faith.
In the beginning, certain devout Christians feared that scientific teaching would get in the way of their appreciation of the story of Genesis. In the end, the two-hour film shows that teaching evolutionary science is not incompatible with religious beliefs. Several participants in the case who stood up for evolution and science talk about their strong personal religious beliefs.
By definition, science can’t dabble in matters supernatural. That doesn’t mean science is anti-religion.
This film is particularly timely this election cycle. In case you missed it, three
Republican candidates for president publicly rejected evolution during their first televised debate.
In the U.S., “Nova” reports, one in three adults rejects evolution. No word on how many reject gravity, as well.
Joanne Ostrow: 303-954-1830 or jostrow@denverpost.com
