Scopes Trial

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The infamous "Scopes Monkey Trial" occupies a pivotal position in American mythology and the evolution debate. On one side was fundamentalist Christianity: narrow minded, dogmatic and intolerant. On the other side was modern science: skeptical, progressive and liberal. In an epic battle, the latter defeated the former and the way was paved for a better future. Or at least that is what many believe - but is it what really happened?

Most people's perspectives of the trial seems to be shaped by the movie "Inherit the Wind," but that depiction of events leaves out quite a lot. Edward J. Larson fills in the gaps with a more comprehensive treatment - perhaps the most comprehensive treatment that has ever been written. His work shows that the truth can be even more engrossing that the fiction most of us have grown accustomed to. In three distinct sections, Larson discusses the context (scientific and social) of the trial, the personalities and causes of the trial itself, and finally the influence which the trial has had on American society.

Although the theme of science vs. religion continues to resonate strongly with many in the debate over evolution, that was in fact not the only and perhaps not even the most important theme at the trial. Another significant theme was the battle between two political visions for America. William Jennings Bryan, for example, was a staunch majoritarian; he believed that electoral majorities had a right to impose their will on minorities:

Individual rights lost out under this political philosophy. [...] "No concession can be made to the minority in this country without a surrender of the fundamental principle of popular rule," he once proclaimed with respect to Prohibition.

On the other side was the ACLU, an organization which was created to combat the assault on civil liberties originating both in excessive governmental power during World War I and in majorities which dismissed the needs of minorities. This is, obviously, a conflict which is not ended even today, and it certainly touches more people than the debate over science and religion.

Another important theme is the division between modernist and fundamentalist Christianity. The latter had for years been growing in strength and looking aghast at what it considered a decline of Western society - all due to modern values, of course. Evolution became a favorite target for the fundamentalists because it was regarded as a cause for declining morality, an argument still used by fundamentalists today.

Bryan, who built his political career on denouncing the excesses of capitalism and militarism, dismissed Darwinism in 1904 as "the merciless law by which the strong crowd out and kill off the weak."

Modernists, however, sought to harmonize the Christian message with modern society and modern science. For modernists, limits imposed upon education by fundamentalists were in fact limits upon the religious liberty for everyone. This argument continues to be used today in opposition to attempts to teach creationism and eliminate evolution from school curricula.

In American mythology, the dragon of fundamentalism was slain in Dayton, Tennessee by the knight of science. In reality, however, fundamentalism remained as healthy as ever - including in Dayton, where a Christian college named after Bryan was founded. Although fundamentalists have continually failed to convince courts to allow creationism to be taught in schools, they have never given up their attack on evolution.

So much for the mythology. The reality of the Scopes Monkey Trial does show, however, that the battle between creationism and evolution is much more than a conflict between science and religion. It is also a conflict between differing visions of society and differing visions of religion. While some might find the mythology comforting for their personal biases, the truth is much more important and much more interesting.

Larson provides a fantastic means for learning all of that. His background information on the personalities involved is some of the most fascinating - too often in such historical events the people get lost, only to be replaced by two-dimensional caricatures. Larson rectifies that by giving us once again the real individuals whose lives became forever identified with this trial. Thus, anyone with an interest in issues like evolution and creationism, fundamentalist and liberal Christianity, or civil liberties should take the time to read Larson's book.