WhoareAmerica’screationists?Whatdotheywant?DotheytrulybelieveJesusrodearoundondinosaurs,assometimesdepicted?CreationismUSArevealshowcommonmisconceptionsaboutcreationismhaveledAmericansintoacenturyofunnecessaryculture-warhistrionicsaboutevolutioneducationandcreationism.AdamLaatsarguesthatAmericansdonothavedeep,fundamentaldisagreementsaboutevolution-notabouttheactualsciencebehinditandnotinwaysthattrulymattertopublicpolicy.LaatsassertsthatAmericansdo,however,havesignificantdisagreementsaboutcreationism.Bydescribingthehistoryofcreationismanditsmanyvariations,Laatsdemonstratesthattherealconflictaboutevolutionisnotbetweencreationistsandevolution.ThetruelandscapeofAmericancreationismisfarmorecomplicatedthanheadlinessuggest.CreationismUSAdigsbeyondthoseheadlinestoprovetwofundamentalfactsaboutAmericancreationism.First,almostallAmericanscanbeclassifiedascreationistsofonetypeoranother.Second,nearlyallAmericans(includingself-identifiedcreationists)wanttheirchildrentolearnmainstreamevolutionaryscience.Takentogether,thesetruthsaboutAmericancreationismpointtoalargeandproductivemiddleground,awidelysharedpublicvisionoftheproperrelationshipbetweenschools,science,andreligion.CreationismUSAbothexplainsthecurrentstateofAmerica’sbattlesovercreationismandoffersanuancedyetstraight-forwardprescriptiontosolvethem.
