An Examination of Lecturers at Australian Baptist Theological Colleges and their Views on Science, Evolution, and Creationism

Presenter: Tim Ruben (Thesis review milestone)

The Creationist movement continues to challenge the teaching of evolution in the United States, with a significant number of American Baptists supporting these attempts. Just as in the US, Creationism is an active movement in Australia. This thesis examines the views of lecturers at Australian Baptist theological colleges, asserting that these lecturers play an integral role in the education and formation of future pastors and leaders of the Australian Baptist denomination. Having interviewed fourteen lecturers from each of the four colleges in Australia, this thesis analyses their responses on issues related to the relationship between science and religion, evolutionary theory, and the Creationist movement. This thesis argues that Australian Baptist lecturers tend to approve more of evolutionary theory than of the Creationist movement. Indeed, although a range of views are held by Australian Baptist lecturers, they do not oppose the teaching of evolutionary theory. Rather, they emphasised their disagreement with what was perceived to be a dogmatic and militant approach adopted by those within the Creationist movement.

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