Fundamentalism and the evolution debate
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59531/ots.2026.4.1.1-14Keywords:
fundamentalism, evolution debate, creationism, intelligent design, science and religionAbstract
This article examines the relationship between religious fundamentalism and the scientific theory of evolution, focusing on the theological, epistemological, and socio-political dimensions of the conflict. The study outlines the historical emergence of fundamentalism within Protestant Christianity in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries and explains why evolutionary theory became a central symbol of tension between religion and modern science. Particular attention is given to biblical literalism, the doctrine of original sin, and the concept of the imago Dei as key elements shaping fundamentalist resistance to evolutionary explanations of human origins. The paper also discusses alternative forms of fundamentalist science such as creation science, baraminology, and intelligent design. Finally, the study situates the debate within broader cultural and political contexts, including educational conflicts, cultural polarization, and the boundary‑drawing between science and pseudoscience.
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