Varieties of Creationism

Organized opposition to the teaching of evolution began in the 1920s and continues to the present, although scientific debate about common descent of all living things was over by the 1880s. As discussed in this article by Eugenie C. Scott, there are many varieties of creationism which reject evolution.

The main varieties of creationism involved in opposing the teaching of evolution are:

• Old Earth Creationism
• Young Earth Creationism
• Intelligent Design Creationism

Main Phases of Creationist Opposition to Evolution

• Efforts to ban the teaching of evolution (1922–1968)
• The rise and fall of "creation science" (1969–1987)
• The rise and fall of "intelligent design" creationism (1987–2005)
• Stealth creationism (2005–present)

Introductory Articles

• Brief History of Creationism
• The Pillars of Creationism
• Biological Design in Science Classrooms, by Eugenie C. Scott and Nicholas J. Matzke (pdf) (Proceedings National Academy of Science, May 15, 2007, vol. 104, pp. 8669-8676)
• Understanding Creationism after Kitzmiller, by NCSE Deputy Director Glenn Branch (BioScience Volume 57, Issue 3 March 2007, pp. 278–284)
• Creationism, Ideology, and Science, by Eugenie C. Scott (The Flight From Reason. Volume 775 of the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. June 24, 1996)

More Detailed Resources

• Creationism: Intellectual Origins, Cultural Context, and Theoretical Diversity, dissertation by Thomas McIver (pdf, 80 MB)
• Creationism in the online Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy