Torch, Fall/Winter 2009

uring a hot July in 1925, a showdown took place in Dayton, Tennessee. High school biology teacher John Scopes had been charged with the then-illegal teaching of evolution. This battle between traditionalists and up-and-coming modernists came on the heels of the social upheaval of the 1920s. Pitting proponents of Victorian values against the flappers and mobsters of the Jazz Age had already led to battles over prohibition and women’s rights. The Scopes trial would test and, in many ways, determine which direction America would go. Attorney Clarence Darrow, who defended Scopes, claimed the prosecution opened doors for a reign of bigotry. On the other side stood William Jennings Bryan, the head prosecutor and a passionate anti-evolutionist, who believed if evolution won it would be the end of Christianity. At the end of the trial, after lambasting Bryan’s biblical beliefs, Darrow stunned the courtroom by instructing the jury to find his client guilty. Not only did this bring the matter to a swift conclusion, but it also prevented Bryan from presenting his own closing argument and questioning Darrow on his espoused atheism. Nevertheless, Bryan offered the following statement after the trial: “Christianity welcomes truth from whatever source it comes and is not afraid that any real truth from any source can interfere with the divine truth that comes by inspiration from God Himself.” What happened in Tennessee almost 85 years ago is but a small indication of the great divide that still exists between those who stand by Darwin’s theory of origins and those who don’t. From the success of Ken Ham’s Creation Museum to the efforts of school board members to halt the teaching of intelligent design, the question of where we come from will continue to be a subject of debate. In this issue of TORCH , we look back at the 150 years since the publication of Charles Darwin’s On the Origin of Species . Ironically, those who posit evolution often point to creationists as believing wholly on faith rather than science, even though many of Darwin’s theories continue to fall apart under scientific scrutiny. As you’ll see in the next 30 pages, evolution is just a theory … and definitely a matter of faith. Likewise, creationists believe by faith but use science to back it up. In fact, you will discover that scientific evidence of God’s hand in creation can be found in abundance. That’s why we’ve asked faculty members from Cedarville University to weigh in on the issues connected to the origins debate. These writers offer insightful perspectives, with answers, knowledge, and encouragement along the way. As we seek to make sense of the evolution debate in this issue of TORCH , you will not only learn how to defend Scripture and the Genesis Creation account, but you will also find your faith strengthened. Dr. Bill Brown President Cedarville University The Creation Verdict Making Sense of Today’s Critical Issues From a Biblical Perspective COVER: ISTOCKPHOTO