by Rachel Lane/Times-Georgian
A series of conversations to be held at the University of West Georgia will examine religion and science, a topic that was recently discussed at a recent Carroll County School Board meeting.
The series is part of a grant program two university professors received earlier this year. “Many people think that religion and science don’t need to conflict,” said Dr. Mark A. Teitjen, an assistant professor of philosophy and religion at UWG and one of the recipients of the grant.
During a Carroll County School Board meeting last week, Bob Staples, a member of the Villa Rica Church of Christ and a high school and college math teacher, told the school board members that evolution is taught as fact in schools and creationism is not taught at all. Staples, who also has a bachelor’s degree in Bible studies, challenged board members to discover the truth of what is taught in the school system, explore the differences in the two teachings and express their personal opinions on the matter.
“Our country was founded on a biblical world view. For a 100 years ... those involved in education had a very Christian view,” Staples said. When the Darwinism theory of evolution became more prevalent, creationism was removed from the schools, he said.
“Evolution has been raised to the status of operational science. It’s a theory,” Staples said. “I think this issue reflects the way you live your life.”
Kathy Rogers, assistant superintendent of teaching and learning for Carroll County Schools, said evolution is taught for a couple of weeks at the junior high level as required by Georgia standard testing. Staples would like to see both evolution and the creationism taught in the schools. “They are mutually exclusive,” Staples said. “God made heaven and earth in six days. Six literal days, not six thousands of years.”
In Genesis, God said animal and man was created on the sixth day, not allowing time for evolution from an animal into a human, he said.
During a Carroll County School Board meeting last week, Bob Staples, a member of the Villa Rica Church of Christ and a high school and college math teacher, told the school board members that evolution is taught as fact in schools and creationism is not taught at all. Staples, who also has a bachelor’s degree in Bible studies, challenged board members to discover the truth of what is taught in the school system, explore the differences in the two teachings and express their personal opinions on the matter.
“Our country was founded on a biblical world view. For a 100 years ... those involved in education had a very Christian view,” Staples said. When the Darwinism theory of evolution became more prevalent, creationism was removed from the schools, he said.
“Evolution has been raised to the status of operational science. It’s a theory,” Staples said. “I think this issue reflects the way you live your life.”
Kathy Rogers, assistant superintendent of teaching and learning for Carroll County Schools, said evolution is taught for a couple of weeks at the junior high level as required by Georgia standard testing. Staples would like to see both evolution and the creationism taught in the schools. “They are mutually exclusive,” Staples said. “God made heaven and earth in six days. Six literal days, not six thousands of years.”
In Genesis, God said animal and man was created on the sixth day, not allowing time for evolution from an animal into a human, he said.
