Skip to content
1882
Volume 12, Issue 1
  • ISSN: 1792-2593
  • E-ISSN: 2507-0371

Abstract

Abstract

In 2002 Ronald Numbers noted that few countries have been as receptive to creationism as Australia. This paper follows up Numbers’s observations by providing an updated look at the vicissitudes of Australian Darwin-skepticism and its global influences. To do this it revisits the rise of creationism Down Under in relation to the Creation Science Foundation and its goal of reforming US antievolutionism, as well as the American market share drives that helped catalyze Answers in Genesis’s acrimonious legal split. The study further examines the socio-political conditions of the Joh Bjelke-Petersen state government that helped antievolutionism to mobilize in Queensland, which were reflected in the banning of MACOS and SEMP school curricula. Additionally, the history and contemporary peculiarities of Australia’s educational system are explored, as avenues for teaching creationism in both public and private schools still exist across the country. Finally, more recent political controversies associated with creationism are surveyed, including news reports scrutinizing the beliefs of Australian policymakers. Together, these lines of inquiry provide key insights into how creationism with an Australian accent has succeeded both in its home country and as an export abroad.

© Brepols Publishers NV
Loading

Article metrics loading...

/content/journals/10.1484/J.ALMAGEST.5.125388
2021-01-01
2025-12-06

Metrics

Loading full text...

Full text loading...

References

  1. “About the Ark” (2020), https://arkencounter.com/about/ (accessed June 11, 2019).
  2. Aechtner T. ( 2014), “Darwin-Skeptic Mass Media: Examining Persuasion in the Evolution Wars”, Journal of Media and Religion 13( 4): 187–207.
     [Google Scholar]
  3. Aechtner T. ( 2015), Health, Wealth, and Power in an African Diaspora Church in Canada. New York: Palgrave MacMillan.
     [Google Scholar]
  4. Aechtner T. ( 2020), Media and the Science-Religion Conflict: Mass Persuasion in the Evolution Wars. Abingdon: Routledge.
     [Google Scholar]
  5. Alford R. ( 2010), “Full-Scale Replica of Noah's Ark Planned in Kentucky”, http://usatoday30.usato-day.com/travel/destinations/2010-12-05-noahs-ark-kentucky-creation-museum_N.htm (accessed May 16, 2019).
  6. Anderson I. ( 1996), “Creationism in the Dock”, https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg15220580-300-creationism-in-the-dock/ (accessed May 16, 2019).
  7. Archer M., Poore A., Horn A., Bates H., Bonser S., Hunt M., Russell J., Archer N., Bye D., Kehoe E. ( 2018), “Thirty Two Years of Continuous Assessment Reveal First Year University Biology Students in Australia are Rapidly Abandoning Beliefs in Theistic Involvement in Human Origins”, Evolution: Education and Outreach 11( 1): 1–8.
     [Google Scholar]
  8. “Australian Christian Schools in Creationism Row” (2010), https://creation.com/australian-chris-tian-schools-in-creationism-row (accessed June 19, 2019).
  9. “Australian Creationist's 'Ark' Plan Resurfaces in Kentuck”, (2014), https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/australian-creationists-ark-plan-resurfaces-in-kentucky/news-story/54c72e-85ec57d2af163bfb9916c10bfc (accessed June 11, 2019).
  10. Beimers G. ( 2017), “The Guts of Gonski 2.0 School Funding”, https://www.mecs.vic.edu.au/About/Blog/The-Guts-of-Gonski-2-0-School-Funding (accessed June 19, 2019).
  11. Bertelsman W.O. ( 2009), Answers in Genesis of Kentucky v. Creation Ministries Int'l, Ltd. Lexington, Kentucky: United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
     [Google Scholar]
  12. Birmingham J. ( 2014), “For God's Sake, How Did He Get Out?”, https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/for-gods-sake-how-did-he-get-out-20140205-321yi.html (accessed June 12, 2019).
  13. Boyce J. ( 2019), “Australians Have a Right to Know What Our Prime Minister Believes: A Response to Stephen Fogarty”, https://www.abc.net.au/religion/australians-have-a-right-to-know-what-our-prime-minister-believ/10878742 (accessed March 7, 2019).
  14. Brown M. ( 2010), “Christian Schools Angry over Ban on Teaching Creationism”, https://www.smh.com.au/education/christian-schools-angry-over-ban-on-teaching-creationism-20100302-pgjb.html (accessed June 19, 2019).
  15. Bryant J. ( 2014), “Creationism, at Taxpayer Expense: Secrets of the GOP's Frightening New School Voucher Schemes”, https://www.salon.com/control/2014/02/03/creationism_at_taxpayer_ex-pense_secrets_of_the_gops_frightening_new_school_voucher_schemes/ (accessed June 11, 2019).
  16. Buckingham J. ( 2010), The Rise of Religious Schools in Australia. Sydney: Centre of Independent Studies.
     [Google Scholar]
  17. Campbell C. ( 2018), “MACOS and SEMP: Queensland (and Australia), 1970s-1990s”, http://dehanz.net.au/entries/macos-and-semp/ (accessed July 9, 2019).
  18. Colangelo A. ( 2018), “The Pentecostal Prime Minister: Inside Scott Morrison's church”, https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/the-pentecostal-prime-minister-inside-scott-morrison-s-reli-gion-20180825-p4zzos.html (accessed June 20, 2019).
  19. Conlan J.B. ( 1975), “M.A.C.O.S.: The Push for a Uniform National Curriculum”, Social Education 39( 6): 389–396.
     [Google Scholar]
  20. Court D. ( 2015), “Australian Film Funding Shouldn't Be a Beauty Contest - Here's Why”, https://theconversation.com/australian-film-funding-shouldnt-be-a-beauty-contest-heres-why-41029 (accessed June 25, 2019).
  21. Creation Ministries International (2006), Skeptics vs Creationists: A Formal Debate. Eight Mile Plain: Creation Ministries International.
     [Google Scholar]
  22. “Creationism in Schools” (2013), https://www.abc.net.au/qanda/creationism-in-schools/10659880 (accessed June 19, 2019).
  23. “Do You Teach Creation or Evolution?” (2019), https://www.mecs.vic.edu.au/about/faq/do-you-teach-creation-or-evolution- (accessed July 9, 2019).
  24. Egnor M. ( 2009), “Reviewing Jerry Coyne”, http://www.evolutionnews.org/2009/01/reviewing_jerry_coyne016301.html (accessed October 12, 2011).
  25. Finkel E. ( 1997), “Ark Claim Survives Court Fight”, Science 276( 5318): 1493–1493.
     [Google Scholar]
  26. Finkel E. ( 1996), “Science of Creationism to Go on Trial in Australia Next Year”, The Lancet 348( 9042): 1654.
     [Google Scholar]
  27. Fitchett P., Russell W.B. ( 2012), “Reflecting on MACOS: Why It Failed and What We Can Learn from Its Demise”, Paedagogica Historica 48( 3): 469–484.
     [Google Scholar]
  28. Fogarty S. ( 2019), “A Pentecostal Prime Minister in the Hands of Angry Secularists: Scott Morrison Undergoes 'The Monthly' Inquisition”, https://www.abc.net.au/religion/pentecostal-pm-scott-morri-son-in-the-hands-of-angry-secularists/10855540 (accessed March 7, 2019).
  29. “Food and Fibre: Science” (2014), https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/resources/curriculum-connections/dimensions/?Id=46740&YearLevels=42686&searchTerm=evolution#dimension-con-tent (accessed July 23, 2019).
  30. Gould S.J. ( 1999), Leonardo's Mountain of Clams and the Diet of Worms: Essays on Natural History. London: Vintage.
     [Google Scholar]
  31. Grant G. ( 2009), “Official Notice- Advice to Teachers of Science”, https://news.bostes.nsw.edu.au/blog/2009/6/3/official-notice-advice-to-teachers-of-science (accessed July 9, 2019).
  32. Hall J. ( 2019), “Theme Park Sues Insurance Company after Rain Damages Noah's Ark Exhibit”, https://www.news.com.au/finance/work/at-work/theme-park-sues-insurance-company-after-rain-damages-noahs-ark-exhibit/news-story/db268469f0f7317f44d2182885b0a5f7 (accessed June 11, 2019).
  33. Ham K. ( 2012 a), “Creation Down Under”, https://answersingenesis.org/blogs/ken-ham/2012/09/07/creation-down-under/ (accessed May 10, 2019).
  34. Ham K. ( 2012 b), “The History of AiG through July 2012”, http://www.answersingenesis.org/about/history (accessed May 10, 2019).
  35. Ham K. ( 2015), “Propaganda War Against the Ark!”, https://answersingenesis.org/ministry-news/ark-encounter/propaganda-war-against-the-ark/ (accessed May 10, 2019).
  36. Ham K. ( 2010), “A Sad Day for the Assemblies of God Denomination”, https://answersingenesis.org/blogs/ken-ham/2010/09/08/a-sad-day-for-the-assemblies-of-god-denomination/ (accessed July 16, 2019).
  37. Ham K. ( 2014), “Speechless and Convicted”, https://answersingenesis.org/blogs/ken-ham/2014/09/09/speechless-and-convicted/ (accessed May 10, 2019).
  38. Hanrahan C. ( 2018), “Here's How Australia's Schools Are Funded — And We Promise Not to Mention Gonski”, https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-05-30/school-funding-explained-without-mentioning-gonski/8555276 (accessed June 19, 2019).
  39. Harrison J. ( 2004), Joh Bjelke-Petersen: Pietism and the Political Culture of Queensland. Brisbane: University of Queensland Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  40. Hastie P. ( 1995), “What's Happened to the Horse?”, https://creation.com/whats-happened-to-the-horse (accessed June 12, 2019).
  41. “'Intelligent Design' An Option: Nelson” (2005), https://www.theage.com.au/national/intelli-gent-design-an-option-nelson-20050811-ge0o8e.html (accessed June 12, 2019).
  42. Jukes T.H. ( 1995), “Battling Creationism Down Under”, Journal of Molecular Evolution 40( 6): 707–708.
     [Google Scholar]
  43. Kaden T. ( 2019), Creationism and Anti-Creationism in the United States: A Sociology of Conflict. Cham: Springer.
     [Google Scholar]
  44. Krasnostein S. ( 2018), “Noah's Ark Floats Again”, https://www.themonthly.com.au/issue/2018/february/1517403600/sarah-krasnostein/noah-s-ark-floats-again (accessed June 11, 2019).
  45. Larson E.J. ( 2008), The Creation-Evolution Debate: Historical Perspectives. Athens: University of Georgia Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  46. “Losing My Religion?” (2013), https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs%40.nsf/Lookup/4102.0Main%2bFeatures30Nov%2b2013 (accessed June 11, 2019).
  47. Lucy M. ( 2015), “A Question of Creation: Andrew Hastie Should Be Clear about What He Believes”, https://www.themonthly.com.au/today/michael-lucy/2015/10/2015/1441867735/question-crea-tion (accessed June 12, 2019).
  48. Luskin C. ( 2009), “Darwinist Opposition to Academic Freedom Bills Demonstrates the Need for Legislation to Protect Academic Freedom”, http://www.evolutionnews.org/2009/02/darwinist_opposition_to_academ017651.html (accessed October 6, 2011).
  49. Luskin C. ( 2011), “How the Science Teachers' Lobby Keeps Its Constituents in the Dark on Evolution”, http://www.evolutionnews.org/2011/03/how_the_science_teachers_lobby044471.html (accessed January 12, 2012).
  50. Luskin C. ( 2010), “New Law Review Article: The Constitutionality and Pedagogical Benefits of Teaching Evolution Scientifically”, http://www.evolutionnews.org/2010/05/new_law_review_ar-ticle_the_con034601.html (accessed October 10, 2011).
  51. Maddox M. ( 2011), “The Church, the State and the Classroom: Questions Posed by an Overlooked Sector in Australia's Education Market”, The University of New South Wales Law Journal 34( 1): 300–315.
     [Google Scholar]
  52. Maddox M. ( 2014), Taking God to School: The End of Australia's Egalitarian Education? Crows Nest: Allen & Unwin.
     [Google Scholar]
  53. “Man: A Course Of Study (MACOS): Welcome” (2018), https://libguides.ioe.ac.uk/macos (accessed January 10, 2020).
  54. McFadyen W. ( 2019), “Two by Two They Entered the Ark…with Lawyers Close Behind”, https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/two-by-two-they-entered-the-ark-with-lawyers-close-behind-20190606-p51v04.html (accessed June 12, 2019).
  55. “Millionth Guest Visits Creation Museum” (2010), https://answersingenesis.org/ministry-news/creation-museum/millionth-guest-visits-creation-museum/ (accessed April 27, 2012).
  56. Mitchell N. ( 2013), “Creationism in Queensland Schools”, https://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/lifematters/creationism-in-queensland-schools/4496260 (accessed June 19, 2019).
  57. Mitchell-Whittington A ( 2016), “Noah's Ark Replica Built by Former Brisbane Science Teacher”, https://www.smh.com.au/world/noahs-ark-replica-built-by-former-brisbane-science-teacher-20160707-gq0b38.html (accessed June 11, 2019).
  58. Montt G. ( 2011), Private Schools: Who Benefits?, vol. 7. Paris: OECD Publishing.
     [Google Scholar]
  59. Morris J.D. ( 2011), “Doubt Versus Unbelief”, https://www.icr.org/article/doubt-versus-unbelief (accessed 15 February 2012).
  60. “A New Name in the Creation Family” (2006), https://answersingenesis.org/ministry-news/minis-try/a-new-name-in-the-creation-family/ (accessed June 13, 2019).
  61. Nielsen. (2009), Special Nielsen Poll: Faith in Australia 2009. Sydney: Nielsen.
     [Google Scholar]
  62. Numbers R.L. ( 2002), “Creationists and Their Critics in Australia: An Autonomous Culture or 'the USA with Kangaroos'?”, Historical Records of Australian Science 14( 1): 1–12.
     [Google Scholar]
  63. Numbers R.L. ( 2006), The Creationists: From Scientific Creationism to Intelligent Design. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  64. Overington C. ( 2017). “Oz Creationist Wins Canyon Row”, https://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/health-science/australian-creationist-wins-grand-canyon-row/news-story/a0c501fb9d326f6ef130e-f9a224ea0ee (accessed July 12, 2019).
  65. Pennells S. ( 2016), “$100m 'Noah's Ark' Being Built by Aussie Teacher”, https://au.news.yahoo.com/100m-noahs-ark-being-built-by-aussie-teacher-31665046.html (accessed June 11, 2019).
  66. Peter P. ( 1997), “Geologist Loses 'Creationism' Challenge”, Nature 387( 6633): 540.
     [Google Scholar]
  67. Pethiyagoda M. ( 2013), “Media Statement”, https://www.abc.net.au/cm/lb/4498680/data/educa-tion-queensland-statement-data.pdf (accessed June 19, 2019).
  68. Pockley P. ( 1997 a), “'Ark Evidence' Challenged in Sydney Court”, Nature 386( 6626): 638.
     [Google Scholar]
  69. Pockley P. ( 1997 b), “Creationism 'Ark' Trial Opens in Australia”, Nature 386( 6625): 529.
     [Google Scholar]
  70. Reed J.K. ( 2010), “Untangling Uniformitarianism”, Answers Research Journal 3: 37–59.
     [Google Scholar]
  71. Reed J.K., Reed G.K. ( 2015), “Deep Time and the Christian Worldview”, https://answersingenesis.org/reviews/books/deep-time-christian-worldview/ (accessed June 12, 2019).
  72. “Religion in Australia” (2017), https://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs0.nsf/Lookup/by%20Sub-ject/2071.0~2016~Main%20Features~Religion%20Data%20Summary~70 (accessed June 11, 2019).
  73. Robertson B. ( 2010), “Action Alert April 2010”, http://www.coralcoastchurch.org/action/april2010.html (accessed June 19, 2019).
  74. Rosenberg E. ( 2019), “Lawyers for Noah's Ark Theme Park Are Suing Its Insurance Company for Rain Damage”, https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/lawyers-for-noahs-ark-theme-park-are-suing-its-insurance-company-for-rain-damage-20190526-p51r9z.html (accessed June 3, 2019).
  75. Sarah E. ( 2011), “Row over Creationist's Class Lecture”, https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation-al-affairs/row-over-creationists-class-lecture/news-story/787cac983376a2279d6461bcdb75a367 (accessed June 19, 2019).
  76. Schipp D. ( 2017), “Is Ken Ham's Life-Size Noah's Ark Theme Park a Sinking Ship?”, https://www.news.com.au/world/north-america/is-ken-hams-lifesize-noahs-ark-theme-park-a-sinking-ship/news-story/315bd1d074b8ca74b3340d1115599a9e (accessed June 11, 2019).
  77. Schlanger Z. ( 2014), “Creationist Ken Ham Raised Enough Money After Bill Nye Debate to Build Noah's Ark”, https://www.newsweek.com/creationist-ken-ham-raised-enough-money-after-bill-nye-debate-build-noahs-ark-230539 (accessed May 18, 2019).
  78. “Scott Morrison Invites Media into Pentecostal Church amid Election Campaign 'Truce'” (2019), https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/apr/21/scott-morrison-invites-media-in-to-pentecostal-church-amid-election-campaign-truce (accessed April 29, 2019).
  79. “Screen Australia Film Agency Awarded Creationist Film AUD$90,000” (2015), https://www.the-guardian.com/film/2015/apr/29/australian-film-agency-awarded-creationist-film-aud90000-an-ti-evolution (accessed June 19, 2019).
  80. Skeptics A. ( 2020), “Who Are We?”, https://www.skeptics.com.au/about/us/ (accessed September 17, 2020).
  81. Smith C., Burke H. ( 2007), Digging It Up Down Under A Practical Guide to Doing Archaeology in Australia. New York: Springer.
     [Google Scholar]
  82. Stevenson C. ( 2012), “Faith in Schools: The Dismantling of Australia's Secular Public Education System”, https://www.abc.net.au/religion/faith-in-schools-the-dismantling-of-australias-secular-public-ed/10100234 (accessed June 19, 2019).
  83. Tessa A. ( 2015). “Christian Creation Film Gets $500,000”, The Australian (April 29).
     [Google Scholar]
  84. Trollinger S.L., Trollinger W.V. Jr. ( 2016), Righting America at the Creation Museum. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.
     [Google Scholar]
  85. “Trouble in Paradise: Answers in Genesis Splinters” (2006), https://ncse.com/library-resource/trouble-paradise (accessed 21 May, 2019).
  86. “Uni Scraps Creationism Seminar” (2010), https://www.abc.net.au/news/2010-10-19/uni-scraps-creationism-seminar/2303328 (accessed June 20, 2019).
  87. Wahlquist C. ( 2015), “Canning Byelection:Andrew Hastie Refuses to Give His Views on Creationism”, https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2015/sep/10/canning-byelection-andrew-hastie-refuses-to-give-his-views-on-creationism (accessed June 12, 2019).
  88. Waterford J. ( 2018), “Is There a Grand Strategy behind Morrison's Policies?”, https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/is-there-a-grand-strategy-behind-these-dumb-policies-20181214-p50m8r.html (accessed June 7, 2019).
  89. “Welcome to Noah's Ark” (2019), https://www.noahsark.com.hk/ (accessed June 11, 2019).
  90. “Welcome to the Ark of Noah Foundation” (2019), http://arkofnoah.org/about/ (accessed June 11, 2019).
  91. Wieland C. ( 2009), “In Charles Darwin's Footsteps”, https://creation.com/charles-darwin-voy-age-movie (accessed 21 May, 2019).
  92. Williams B. ( 1998), “A Victory in Australia: Creation Science Foundation Removes 'Science' from Name”, The Skeptical Inquirer 22( 2): 7–8.
     [Google Scholar]
  93. Wilson D. ( 2011), “A Nation of Creationists”, Australasian Science 32( 3): 14–16.
     [Google Scholar]
  94. Wyatt N., Stolper D. ( 2013), “Science Literacy Report”, https://www.science.org.au/support-ing-science/science-sector-analysis/reports-and-publications/science-literacy-report (accessed June 19, 2019).
  95. Wyler G. ( 2014), “Was Bill Nye's Creation Debate The New Scopes Monkey Trial?”, https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/4x3d9m/was-bill-nyes-creation-debate-the-new-scopes-monkey-trial (accessed May 18, 2019).
  96. Zwaans L. ( 2010), “Creationism Ban a Test of Faith for Religious Schools”, https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/creationism-ban-a-test-of-faith-for-religious-schools/news-story/ce3c-c7755fa223a3892bc1b53f3896a7?sv=af8056b187e2587b92f76912db70ce3b (accessed June 19, 2019).
/content/journals/10.1484/J.ALMAGEST.5.125388
Loading
  • Article Type: Research Article

Most Cited Most Cited RSS feed

This is a required field.
Please enter a valid email address.
Approval was a Success
Invalid data
An error occurred.
Approval was partially successful, following selected items could not be processed due to error:
Please enter a valid_number test
aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYnJlcG9sc29ubGluZS5uZXQv