After a number of requests from teaching unions and civic bodies, including the Christian think-tank Ekklesia and the British Humanist Association, the UK Department of Children, Schools, and Families has issued guidance for teachers uncertain whether and how to discuss creationism – which is rejected by both scientists and theologians as lacking factual and theoretical value.

A statement on Teachernet, a government website, states that “Creationism and intelligent design are not part of the National Curriculum for science” and describes “intelligent design” as “a creationist belief” that “is sometimes erroneously advanced as scientific theory but has no underpinning scientific principles or explanations supporting it and it is not accepted by the international scientific community.”

Government issues guidelines to teachers on creationism and ID | Ekklesia.

The article goes on to mention that…

Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams has described creationism as “a category mistake” in religious thought.

What does that mean? You can read Archbishop Rowan Williams’ March 2006 interview with the Guardian’s Alan Rusbridger here.

“We’re all monkeys” – an explanation of Creationism, Intelligent Design and Darwinian Evolution

Tags: Ekklesia, Teaching, Creationism, Intelligent+Design