Related Guides
Background Sources
- "Creationism, Evolution, and Public Education," in Bloomsbury Religion in North America Creationism presents a particularly vivid instance of the intersection—or perhaps even the collision—of science and religion in the United States. On the one hand, the scientific community accepts the viability of scientific explanations of the origins of biological phenomena, including evolution. On the other hand, a segment of the American population, particularly conservative Protestants, is committed to theological views incompatible with such explanations.
- Science, Evolution, and Creationism : A View from the National Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Medicine In the book Science, Evolution, and Creationism, a group of experts assembled by the National Academy of Sciences and the Institute of Medicine explain the fundamental methods of science, document the overwhelming evidence in support of biological evolution, and evaluate the alternative perspectives offered by advocates of various kinds of creationism, including "intelligent design."
- A Dictionary of Creation Myths Covering thousands of years of intricate creation tales, A Dictionary of Creation Myths is the first and most comprehensive work devoted to creation myths from cultures throughout the world. With an easy-to-use A-Z format, this around-the-world tour provides quick access to information on the beliefs (both exotic and ordinary) of ancient civilizations from Sumeria and Babylonia to Egypt, Greece, and ancient Rome, from India and China to Japan and Indonesia, as well as the rich mythological history of Native Americans, the indigenous peoples of Australia, and many other cultures.
- "Creation," in The Oxford Handbook of Early Christian Biblical Interpretation Early Christian interpretation of Scripture on the theme of creation not surprisingly gave considerable attention to the Genesis account of the origins of the world, in part to counter the claims of Graeco-Roman cosmology, but more importantly to expound the latent theological meaning of the many details of the biblical cosmogony.
- Encyclopedia of Sciences and Religions This encyclopedia is a comprehensive reference work for scholars interested in the topic of ‘Science and Religion.’ It covers the widest spectrum possible of academic disciplines and religious traditions worldwide, with the intent of laying bare similarities and differences that naturally emerge within and across disciplines and religions today.
- The Oxford Handbook of Religion and Science he Oxford Handbook of Religion and Science is a single-volume introduction to the debate on religion and science, written by the leading experts. The field of ‘religion and science’ is exploding in popularity among academics as well as the general reading public. Spawning an increasing number of conferences and courses, this field has shown an unprecedented rate of growth in recent years. Making no pretence to encyclopaedic neutrality, each article defends a major intellectual position – at the heart of the book is a series of ‘pro’ and ‘con’ papers, covering each of the current ‘hot topics’ (such as evolution versus creation).
- The Oxford Handbook of the Bible and American Popular Culture The study of the reciprocal relationship between the Bible and popular culture has blossomed in the past few decades, and the time seems ripe for a broadly-conceived work that assesses the current state of the field, offers examples of work in that field, and suggests future directions for further study. This handbook includes a wide range of topics organised under several broad themes, including biblical characters (such as Adam, Eve, David and Jesus) and themes (like Creation, Hell, and Apocalyptic) in popular culture; the Bible in popular cultural genres (for example, film, comics, and Jazz); and 'lived' examples (such as museums and theme parks).
- Encyclopedia of Science and Religion The Encyclopedia of Science and Religion addresses all aspects of the dialogue between the sciences and the world’s religions. The multidisciplinary 2-vol. set reaches far into the humanities as well as into the physical sciences and technology. In addition, controversial issues such as human cloning and stem cell research are examined along with more traditional questions such as the origins of life, the nature of sin, and the philosophy of science and religion.
- The Scopes Trial : An Encyclopedic History The 1925 trial of John Scopes in tiny Dayton, Tennessee, remains a defining moment in American history. This'trial of the century'--a'media event'before the term was coined--addressed issues that still affect our society today, such as control of the school curriculum, the ongoing tensions between science and faith in public schools, and the ramifications of teaching evolution and human origins. This book is the first encyclopedic treatment of the Scopes Trial. The text draws on media reports, family interviews, and Scopes'personal correspondence, providing new information and perspectives. The book includes previously unseen photos and information about Scopes and his relatives, as well as insights about the trial's instigators, participants, and issues, all organized in a concise and easily accessible format.
- The Scopes Trial: A Brief History with Documents, 2nd. ed. The Scopes trial shocked America. Tennessee school teacher John Scopes brought the question of teaching evolution in schools to every dinner table, and it remains an essential topic in any course on American History, the History of Education, and Religious History. The second edition features a lively interpretative introduction that provides an accessible analysis of the trial and its impact on the moral fiber of the country and the educational system, and examines the race and gender issues that shook out of the debate. The new edition includes scholarship updates throughout as well as a new section analyzing the relationship between teaching evolution, creationism, and intelligent design in the decades following the trial. The author has excerpted the crucial exchanges from the trial transcript itself, and includes these along with reactions to the trial, taken from newspaper reports, letters, and magazine articles. Telling political cartoons and evocative photographs add a colorful dimension to this collection. New images include a cartoon of Clarence Darrow and a photograph of evangelical preachers touring Dayton while new text documents on the New Woman and religious alternatives in the 1920s offer exciting opportunities for students seeking to understand the culture of the Jazz Age.
- Science, religion, and society : an encyclopedia of history, culture, and controversy This unique encyclopedia explores the historical and contemporary controversies between science and religion. It is designed to offer multicultural and multi-religious views, and provide wide-ranging perspectives.
- Chronology of the Evolution-Creationism Controversy. 2010. A unique chronology with entries describing the key events in the 3,000-year conflict between religion and science over the explanation and definition of life on Earth. Comprises over 1,400 chronologically arranged entries on important political, legal, and social events in the ongoing controversy between science- and faith-based views of the Earth and life. Offers a thorough bibliography spanning historical aspects of the controversy, creationist literature, and resources from evolutionary biology.
- Encyclopedia of Human Evolution and Prehistory The Encyclopedia of Human Evolution and Prehistory provides the most complete context possible for understanding the 65-million-year story of humankind's origins. The Encyclopedia gathers the work of 49 internationally recognized scholars, each a leading authority writing under the guidance of a distinguished team of editors from the American Museum of Natural History. They have prepared over 800 entries, ranging from brief definitions of technical terms to in depth, lengthy essays on broad topics such as evolutionary theory, genetics and Paleolithic archaeology.
- The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Human Evolution This is an introduction to the human species that places modern humans squarely in evolutionary perspective and treats evolution itself as a continuing genetic process in which every one of us is involved. Over seventy scholars worldwide have collaborated on the Encyclopedia, which is divided into ten main sections.
- The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Darwin and Evolutionary Thought This volume is a comprehensive reference work on the life, labors and influence of the great evolutionist Charles Darwin. With more than sixty essays written by an international group representing the leading scholars in the field, this is the definitive work on Darwin.
- Darwin in America: The Evolution Debate in the United States (Pew Research Center, 2019) Almost 160 years after Charles Darwin publicized his groundbreaking theory on the development of life, Americans are still arguing about evolution. In spite of the fact that evolutionary theory is accepted by all but a small number of scientists, it continues to be rejected by many Americans. In fact, about one-in-five U.S. adults reject the basic idea that life on Earth has evolved at all. And roughly half of the U.S. adult population accepts evolutionary theory, but only as an instrument of God’s will.
- Public Opinion and the Evolution Debate in the United States (Pew Research Center, 2019) Measuring public opinion on evolution has never been an easy task for survey researchers. Our estimate of the share of Americans who reject evolution and express a creationist view drops considerably (from 31% to 18% of U.S. adults) when respondents are immediately given the opportunity to say God played a role in human evolution. The effect of the different question wording is especially pronounced among white evangelical Protestants and black Protestants.
- Encyclopedia of Evolution A comprehensive guide to the essentials of evolutionary biology, these entries by leading experts survey essential concepts and theories, present methods, models and findings, and discuss both the history of the field and current controversies. Readers will find brief treatments on discrete concepts and individuals to illuminating lengthy essays by towering figures in the field. Topics include: Darwin, natural selection, human origins, behavioral ecology, diversity, mathematical models, and cell and developmental biology
- Bloomsbury Religion in North America This link opens in a new window Bloomsbury Religion in North America covers North America’s diverse religious traditions and provides peer-reviewed information for students and instructors of religious studies, anthropology of religion, sociology of religion, and history.
Featured Resource: Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
- Stanford Encyclopedia of PhilosophyThe Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy organizes scholars from around the world in philosophy and related disciplines to create and maintain an up-to-date reference work.
