New lawsuit against U Cal Berkeley

[Ed Brayton]

Volokh, Eugene wrote:

>	I would think that under existing Establishment Clause caselaw,
>the challengers have a pretty decent argument (not open-and-shut -- very
>little is open-and-shut under current Establishment Clause caselaw --
>but pretty decent).
>
>	The site is not just conveying a secular viewpoint -- that the
>theory of evolution is scientifically persuasive.  It is also, it seems
>to me, conveying a viewpoint on a religious controversy: whether the
>theory of evolution is consistent with (for instance) "the proper way to
>interpret Holy Scripture" (to quote the first excerpt posted in the
>compilation).  It is thus endorsing a certain view about the proper
>interpretation of religious doctrine.
>  
>

I think if the same website did not also acknowledge the opposite points 
of view, and do so in both cases in purely descriptive language, this 
would be more likely. But in fact it does describe multiple religious 
points of view and does not endorse any of them, merely describes the 
different viewpoints and which ones conflict with what we science has 
found and which ones do not. If it did not also acknowledge that there 
are religious viewpoints that are not compatible, their case would be 
much stronger.

Bear in mind also that this is a website designed to help teachers not 
only teach evolution more effectively but also deal with questions they 
are likely to be asked by students (I am fortunate enough to have seen 
the website as it was being developed and know the folks who put it 
together and it was conceived as a tool for training teachers; it has 
since been expanded and made publicly accessible). If a student asks 
whether evolution contradicts with religion, what possible answer could 
a teacher give other than something like, "Opinions vary. Some religious 
views are incompatible with it and some are not, but the fact that there 
are thousands of devoutly religious scientists who also work in the 
field of evolution clearly means they aren't inherently at odds with one 
another"? The link to the statements from various religious 
organizations was put there for teachers to see what the range of 
opinions are, not for them to give to students.

Ed Brayton


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