Doc. 11065
4 October 2006

The dangers of creationism in education

Motion for a recommendation
presented by Mr McIntosh and others

1.       The Assembly asserts the standard setting role of the Council of Europe and is aware of its own responsibility in re-assessing the basis on which our societies are to be built. It recognises science as part of this basis.

2.       The advance of scientific knowledge through the process of rational enquiry is thousands of years old. Ancient civilisations around the World made valuable contributions. Modern science started in Europe with the scientific revolution of the 15^th and 16^th centuries. This was followed by the Age of Enlightenment in the 18^th and has continued to the present. New theories were seldom easily accepted by the establishment, as was the case for instance with Lamarck and Darwin’s work on evolution in the 19^th century.

3.       However, in recent years we have witnessed attempts to reconcile the biblical account of creation with modern science and outlaw the theory of evolution. “Creationists” pretend that “intelligent design” by a supreme entity is the scientific explanation for the universe.

4.       Such an approach has no credibility among the scientific community but has succeeded in raising doubts in less informed minds, including persons with high political responsibilities, mainly in the USA but also in Europe. Some schools are now forced to teach creationism. The middle path of providing equal time for both merely offers a middle way between truth and falsehood.

5.       Support for the scientific theory of evolution is almost universal among those with religious beliefs in Europe and nothing in this motion is intended as disrespect for any religion.

6.       However, the Assembly is concerned at the possible negative consequences of the promotion of creationism through education and recommends that the Committee of Ministers assess the situation in the Council of Europe member countries and propose adequate counter-measures.

Signed ¹:

McINTOSH, Andrew, United Kingdom, SOC

ALATALU, Toomas, Estonia, EDG

BARGETZE, Rony, Liechtenstein, EPP/CD

CILEVIČS, Boriss, Latvia, SOC

de MELO, Maria Manuela, Portugal, SOC

de PUIG, Lluís Maria, Spain, SOC

DEVÍNSKY, Ferdinand, Slovakia, EPP/CD

DZEMBRITZKI, Detlef, Germany, SOC

FISCHER, Axel, Germany, EPP/CD

HUSEYNOV, Rafael, Azerbaijan, ALDE

LEGENDRE, Jacques, France, EPP/CD

MacSHANE, Denis, United Kingdom, SOC

SAHLBERG, Pär Axel, Sweden, SOC

SHYBKO, Vitaliy, Ukraine, SOC

SPILIOTIS-SAQUET, Christophe, Monaco, EPP/CD

SUDARENKOV, Valeriy, Russian Federation, SOC

TXUEKA, Iñaki, Spain, ALDE

WESTERLUND PANKE, Majléne, Sweden, SOC

WODARG, Wolfgang, Germany, SOC

¹     SOC: Socialist Group
       EPP/CD: Group of the European People’s Party
      ALDE: Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe
      EDG: European Democratic Group
      UEL: Group of the Unified European Left
      NR: not registered in a group