Nuance missing in creation row

‘‘The debate is usually characterised as [one] between informed modernists who understand evolution and its implications, and unsophisticated peasants who, the stereotype goes, believe in fairy stories.’’

If you based your life around a belief system that includes an account of the world’s creation in one of its founding stories, does that mean you are confusing your beliefs with science? It is a timely question. Contrary to what radical celebrity atheists like Richard Dawkins have claimed, it is not impossible for scientists to believe in evolution as well as God.

Georges Lemaitre was a fine example. A Belgian Catholic priest and astronomer, he was also the father of the Big Bang theory. He said: ‘‘As far as I can see, such a theory remains entirely outside any metaphysical or religious question.’’ Science and religion were parallel interpretations of the world.

But such nuanced views are rare. The debate between science and religion is usually characterised as fierce, polarised opposition between informed modernists who understand evolution and its implications, and unsophisticated peasants who, so the stereotype goes, believe in fairy stories.

We see that in the argument over the alleged teaching of creationism in schools. A former student of Auckland private school Mt Hobson Middle School has told media that, in a year 10 science class two years ago, evolution was described as ‘‘just a theory’’, and a video was played that claimed God’s existence had been proved.

The school’s website says it follows ‘‘a clear Christian philosophy and Christian values’’, which makes it surprising that the student’s mother should complain about ‘‘slick Christian propaganda’’ being shown. Principal Alwyn Poole calls questions about the video a red herring, and says it may have been screened to stimulate debate.

This in itself is not especially interesting. New Zealand has hundreds of state-integrated and independent schools that have a religious character. It is inevitable that the teaching of values and belief systems will at times conflict with a secular curriculum. If we are to have religious schools in New Zealand, we have to accept that this will happen.

But something else is going on here. The Villa Education Trust that runs Mt Hobson Middle School in Remuera also runs two charter schools and, at the moment, charter schools are at the centre of a fiery political debate. Labour pledged to close the schools, which arrived as ACT party policy. National leader Simon Bridges said his party would re-establish them in government.

It gets politically murkier. The science teacher in question is Bridges’ sister, who is married to National MP Simon O’Connor. New Zealand media usually observes a respectful convention of leaving family members out of political stories, but that seems to have been overlooked this time.

Family members’ personal religious beliefs should also be off-limits, yet Bridges found himself in the odd position this week of having to explain to media that his sister can believe in whatever she likes. He described the story as ‘‘a political hit job’’.

The story also appears to play on knee-jerk antiChristian prejudice. A media report noted that a group of Villa Education Trust students opened National’s weekend conference by singing Hallelujah. This might give readers the impression of religious fanaticism – except it turns out it was Leonard Cohen’s very worldly Hallelujah, happily sung by thousands of New Zealand kids at schools both religious and secular.