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INSTITUTE FOR CREATION RESEARCH.

Activities, goals, biases, techniques of Christian institute opposing evolution, focusing on ICR's involvement in court cases & legislative efforts.

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Activities and Goals of the Institute for Creation Research

Introduction
One of the leading creationist organizations is the Institute for Creation Research (ICR). Through the Creation Life Publishing Company, the ICR is the leading publisher of creation science material. Henry M. Morris is the Director of the ICR and Duane Gish is Associate Director (Nelkin, 1977, 66). Duane Gish (1978) in his public school edition textbook on creation science and evolution, defines creation as "the bringing into being by a supernatural Creator of the basic kinds of plants and animals by the process of sudden, or fiat, creation" (p. 40). The Institute for Creation Research (ICR), is a research division of Christian Heritage College founded in 197

In the Arkansas Balanced Treatment Act, the creationists made aconscious effort to keep religion out of their theory and state itscientifically because they knew the critical issue in the success of thelegislation was the question of whether creation science is science orreligion. The immediate goal of the ICR Graduate School is to fosterresearch and provide graduate-level training in those fields of naturalscience that are particularly relevant to the study of origins. (1978). Louisiana's"Creationism Act" forbad the teaching of the theory of evolution in publicelementary and secondary schools unless accompanied by instruction in thetheory of "creation science." The Act did not require the teaching ofeither theory unless the other is taught. ICR scientists, through their publishing houses Creation-LifePublishers and Master Books have produced thousands of titles, a monthlynewsletter ACTS and FACTS, and a weekly radio program Science, Scriptureand Salvation which is aired on ninety-two radio stations in five nations(Bliss, 1992). The view of evolution from the Institute of Creation Research goesthus: "If man is an evolved animal, then the morals of the barnyard andjungle are more natural... Many of the faculty and staff members who work at theschools or the center are related (Arthur, 1996). Aguillard, 1987). Rather than do this, textbook publishersremove or water down the objectionable or controversial issues. Creation/Evolution 3(2):3 -42, Spring. Capistrano UnifiedSchool District, 1994).ICR and Legislation Throughout the 198 's and 199 's there has been an effort bycreationists and ICR, through attempts at state legislation, and attemptsto influence state boards of education, local school boards, and teachers,to get equal time for their theory on the origins of life in scienceclassrooms when the theory of evolution is presented (Tatina, 1989). Susan Epperson won in a local court. The two model approach claims thatany creation myth other than the one found in Genesis must be part of theevolution model. A person musteither accept the literal interpretation of Genesis or believe in what theycall evolution. (1982). Self-preservation is the first law of nature;only the fittest will survive. A battle for people's minds:Creationism and evolution. Creation-evolution debates: Who's winning themnow? Try as it might, the ICR and creationists have been unable toconvince high courts to leave their twin track approach to teachingbiological science and evolution intact. (1982). In some classrooms students are even required to vote betweenthe two theories and the one that gets the majority vote is taken to be the"correct" theory. 1412, dismissed and awarded attorneyfees to the school district. (1981). San Diego: Creation-Life Publishers. In no way does this philosophy subtract from the standardscientific content, but rather enriches it. Bliss, R. The American Biology Teacher, Vol. Most of the courses pertain to the study of Christian evidence andscientific creation. Contributions through the Act & Facts mailing listtypically have provided about 75% of the necessary support. Henry Morris, John Morris,Duane Gish and Harold Slusher, soon followed by Drs. And,to explain how the necessary atoms were available to form the biologicalmolecules necessary for the evolution of life requires reliance on otherlaws of nature from the physical sciences (Chaisson, 1981). In 1972, the church purchased a monastery on 3 acres ofland east of San Diego in order to build a parochial high school andcollege (Nelkin, 1982).More ICR Background Henry Morris, in April of 1972, with a group of other scientists,formed the Institute for Creation Research (ICR) located in California.The Institute for Creation Research was for several years a researchdivision of Christian Heritage College, a liberal arts college formallyfounded in 197 which has a full undergraduate curriculum leading todegrees in many areas, including biology, physics, and education (Morris,1984, 236). Brewer, R. The Establishment Clause of the First Amendmentprovides that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment ofreligion..." The Fourteenth Amendment incorporates the EstablishmentClause's prohibitions against offending state action as well. Cosmic dawn: The origins of matter and life. 578; 1 7 S. PELOZA v. v. Thescience faculty are all members of the ICR (Arthur, 1996).The ICR and Educational Influence The ICR's educational philosophy as stated is: "The programs andcurricula of the Graduate School present the standard factual scientificcontent of comparable courses in accredited secular institutions, usingstandard scientific textbooks, journal articles, and other learningmaterials. Instead of monogamy, why notpromiscuity and polygamy?... Eat, drink, and be merry, for life is short and that's the end.So says evolution" (Nelkin, 1977, 129). ICR advocates a two model approach, that is, they maintain that thereare only two positions with respect to the origins of life. (1992). Public schooledition. For many people, belief in God and acceptance of the theory ofevolution are not mutually exclusive. And, theyremind us that open-mindedness toalternative theories promotes scientific advancement. She received support from theLittle Rock Ministerial Association, which unequivocally stated that "touse the Bible to support an irrational and archaic concept of static andundeveloping creation is not only to misunderstand the meaning of the Bookof Genesis, but to do God and religion a disservice by making both enemiesof scientific advancement and academic freedom" (Nelkin, 1982, 138). There are only two options according to this approach, andthey are mutually exclusive. NewYork: W.W. However, many Christians are able to meshtheir religious beliefs with evolution. Science textbook controversies and the politicsof equal time. To evolve is to change. No. Filed July 25,1994.Opinion Withdrawn Sept.2 , 1994. LEXIS 2729; 96 L. Voting in science: Raise your hand ifyou want humans to have 48 chromosomes. A favorite method used by ICR and other creationists to promotecreationism is to debate prominent scientists at high schools, colleges,and universities on the merits of evolution versus creation. Infact, this is exactly what disturbs many people about evolution. AGUILLARD ET AL. Withcreationists pressuring State Boards of Education, evolution becomes one ofthese issues. CAPISTRANO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT Nos. However, even in this act, which creationists carefully wordedthemselves, we see that the theory's unifying idea is the occurrence of"Sudden creation of the universe, energy, and life from nothing." Thus,the creation science theory does not rely on natural law and does not offernaturalistic explanations. (McInerney and Moore, 1993). In addition, where appropriate, supplemental interpretivematerial is presented in accordance with the distinctive ICR mission andbeliefs, and in accord with the cherished American principles of academicfreedom and civil rights, as applicable particularly to private Christianeducational institutions: "While somewhat innovative in the currenteducational context, this approach to the understanding and teaching ofscience is essentially the same as that of the founding fathers of science(Newton, Boyle, etc.), and of our nation and its first schools andcolleges. Rybka, Steven A. Insome places he seems to advance the patently frivolous claim that it isunconstitutional for the school district to require him to teach, as avalid scientific theory, that higher life forms evolved from lower ones.At other times he claims the district is forcing him to teach evolution asfact. Activities and Goals of the Institute for Creation ResearchIntroduction One of the leading creationist organizations is the Institute forCreation Research (ICR). 4, 88-93. The creation controversy: Science or scripture inthe school. Institute of Technology. Tatina, R. Through the Creation Life Publishing Company, theICR is the leading publisher of creation science material. Evolution, or descent with modification, is a change in genefrequencies with time; the adaptive modification of organisms throughsuccessive generations (Brewer, 1994). The United States District Court, Central District of California,David W. Richard Bliss,Theodore W. History of modern creationism.Master Book Publishers, San Diego, CA. (1984). Therefore, the choice thatcreationists and ICR force on people through their two model approach maybe unnecessary depending on a person's interpretation of the Bible (Nelkin,1982). The rest hascome from such items as honoraria, royalties, book sales, and tuitions(Morris, 199 ).ICR Goals The original goal of the ICR was to publish creationist literatureand to campaign for scriptural interpretations of human origins in publicschools. (1996). They bring up the pointthat exposure to new ideas is an important part of education. EDWARDS, GOVERNOR OF LOUISIANA, ET AL. (1977). Bypressuring state boards of education, creationists can force textbookpublishers to water down or delete evolution from the curriculum because ofState Adoption Programs (Grobman & Grobman, 1989). Decided Oct. Chaisson, E. Cambridge: The Mass. 486 . Later, on appeal, the case reached the U.S. Pico, 457 U.S. There is no need forsupernatural forces and miracles to explain the development of life fromprimitive forms to more advanced forms using the theory of evolution. Descendants are slightly different from their ancestors.Through this process, over the course of geological time, more complexforms develop from simpler ones. NortonCompany. (1994). 2573;1987 U.S. Interview. According to the National Academy ofScience, "no other biological concept has been more extensively tested andmore thoroughly corroborated than the evolutionary history of organisms"(National Academy of Science, 1984, 22). 6,337-341. The American Biology Teacher, Vol.51, No. (1989). 51, No. Simplystated, biological evolution is the step by step change that occurs in lifeforms over time. Although possibly dogmatic or even wrong, such a requirement wouldnot transgress the establishment clause if "evolution" simply means thathigher life forms evolved from lower ones (Peloza vs. The court found that the Louisiana Legislature'sactual intent was 'to discredit evolution by counterbalancing its teachingat every turn with the teaching of creationism, a religious belief.'Because the Creationism Act was thus a law furthering a particularreligious belief, the Court of Appeals held that the Act violated theEstablishment Clause" (Board of Education v. Henry M.Morris is the Director of the ICR and Duane Gish is Associate Director(Nelkin, 1977, 66). & Henry, M. References Arthur, J. 853, 864, 1 2 S.Ct.2799, 28 6- 7, 73 L.Ed.2d 435 (1982). 482 U.S. 4,1994. (1992, December). In Peloza vs. Board of Education v. It defines the theories as "thescientific evidences for [creation or evolution] and inferences from thosescientific evidences" (Edwards vs. 2d 51 ; 55 U.S.L.W. 92-55228, 92-55644. Although the text ofthe high courts findings lists many reasons for striking this law down, themost telling was delivered by Justice Brennan, joined by Justices Marshall,Blackmun, Powell, and Stevens: "The court observed that the statute'savowed purpose of protecting academic freedom was inconsistent withrequiring, upon risk of sanction, the teaching of creation science wheneverevolution is taught. 4 ). ICR was one ofthe interested parties in support of the Louisiana law and then GovernorEdwards (Edwards vs. Grobman, H. Debates are a poor forum for imparting the complexities of scienceand evolution, and a good forum for delivering the simplistic and ofteneloquent rhetoric of creation science. Again ICR was an interested party(Peloza vs. 5, 275-28 . Edwords, F. 85-1513 SUPREME COURT OF THE UNITED STATES. These publicdebates go a long way toward furthering creationist ideas. Each teacher that is appointed must agree that all things in theuniverse were created by God in the six days of creation described in theBook of Genesis. The American Biology Teacher, Vol.55, 132-133. Opposing philosophies aretreated extensively and fairly, so that graduates are well equipped in allareas covered by secular institutions, with the supplementary advantage oflearning also the rational [sic] for the ICR interpretation of scientificdata related to origins and earth history" (ICR Graduate School..., 1992). Cummings, and Gary Parker(Bliss, 1992). Nelkin, D. Some of their projects include expeditions in findinggeological evidence that supports the theory that the earth is young. Williams, J., 782 F.Supp. Ed. ICR Graduate School Catalogue and List of Publications. These people do not feel that itis necessary to interpret the Bible literally. This two model approach requires that any argumentagainst the theory of evolution is necessarily scientific evidence insupport of creationism, and is, therefore, creation science evidence(Nelkin, 1982, 215). United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit.Argued and Submitted June 9, 1993. Grobman, A. Pico, 1982). The long-range goal is to prepare talented graduates in science and education forfuture Christian leadership" (ICR Graduate School..., 1992). These seems a quite uniqueapproach to indoctrination.The ICR and the Teaching of Biology and Evolution The theory of evolution requires the existence and regularity of atleast some laws of nature, such as the laws of chemical combination. than the artificially imposed restrictions ofpremarital chastity and marital fidelity. By debatingwell-known scientists, creationists receive considerable respect andcredibility (Arthur, 1996). Evolution: The fossils say no! (1993, March). Fort Worth:Saunders College Publishing. Nelkin, D. 2nd Edition. Gish, D.T. Pelozo's claim complaint was held to be not entirely consistent. However, the Supreme Court ofArkansas upheld the constitutionality of the law forbidding the teaching ofevolution. In states which employState Adoption Programs, the textbook purchases of a school district arepaid for with state funds, providing that the textbooks appear on a list ofacceptable books which is put together by the State Board of Education.Because textbooks amount to a substantial expense, school districts ofthose states cannot afford to choose books that are not approved.Therefore, textbooks which do not appear on the list lose a large share ofthe market of textbook purchases. Thepurpose and objective of the graduate school as stated is: "to discovertruth about the universe by scientific research, to correlate and applysuch scientific data within the supplemental integrating framework ofBiblical creationism, and to implement them effectively in traditionalgraduate degree programs with standard core curriculum in science andeducation. 4, No. Capistrano Unified School District, a high schoolbiology teacher brought action against his school district, its board oftrustees, and various personnel at the high school, challenging schooldistrict's requirement that he teach evolutionism, as well as the schooldistrict order barring him from discussing his religious beliefs withstudents. New York, New York: W.W. Austin, Kenneth B. The theory of evolution attempts to explain how successive forms oflife evolved by specifying the natural laws, such as principles ofbiochemistry, genetics, and cellular biology, that were and are involved inthis process. TheInstitute for Creation Research (ICR), is a research division of ChristianHeritage College founded in 197 and sponsored by the Scott MemorialBaptist Church. In Edwards vs. Available: www.talkorigins.org/faqs/icr-catalog.html McInerney, J.D. Following thisprecedent, the last of the "Monkey Laws" was soon off the books (Nelkin,1982, 34). Therefore, the groups who tried tokeep evolution out of the science curriculum in the past launched a newstrategy in the late 196 's, creation science.ICR, Creationism and Court Cases In 1968, Susan Epperson, a high school teacher in Little Rock,Arkansas, challenged the legislation in her state arguing that a lawpreventing her from teaching evolution was an infringement on her exerciseof free speech (Grobman and Grobman, 1989). Morris, P. Creationism: Bad science or immoral pseudoscience?Skeptic Magazine Vol. The Court of Appeals held that: (1) theteacher failed to state his claim for violation of the Establishment clauseof the First Amendment in connection with school district's requiring himto teach evolution, i.e., that higher life forms evolved from lower ones;(2) and the school district's restriction on teacher's right of free speechin prohibiting the teacher from talking with students about religion duringschool day, including times when he was not actually teaching class, wasjustified by the school district's interest in avoiding establishmentclause violation; and (3) the teacher's allegations of injury to hisreputation as result of allegedly defamatory statements made to and abouthim were insufficient to support the claim for deprivation of libertyinterest under the Establishment clause. Norton and Co., Inc. Duane Gish (1978) in his public school editiontextbook on creation science and evolution, defines creation as "thebringing into being by a supernatural Creator of the basic kinds of plantsand animals by the process of sudden, or fiat, creation" (p. Aguillard,Louisiana's "Creationisn Act" had come under fire for attempting to teachcreationism on an even par with evolutionary science. Having a debate implies thatcreation and evolution are on equal terms and that the question of whichone is right is an open issue that can be won or lost, and confidentlydecided, by a non-scientific audience within one evening (Edwords, 1982). [On-line]. Be the cock-of-the-walk and the king-of-the-mountain. The first science staff consisted of Drs. Aguillard, 1987). Therefore, evolution does appeal to and rely on natural law. With their plea for equal time, creationists appeal to the all-American notion of fair play and present themselves as an oppressedminority whose voice is not allowed to be heard. (1989). The faculty openly campaigns against evolutionarytheory. Supreme Court andthe Arkansas anti-evolution law was ruled unconstitutional. However, evolution does not fit into the Christian Fundamentalists'literal interpretation of the Bible. Capistrano Unified School District, 1994). Ct. South Dakota high school biology teachers and theteaching of evolution and creationism. Currently there is also a Masters program in which one can obtaindegrees in sciences such as biology and geophysics (Arthur, 1996). The Science of Ecology. When the ICR two model approach is presented in the scienceclassroom, students are encouraged to choose between creationism andevolution.

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