A review by Michael Luo in this week’s New Yorker of Brenda Wineapple’s book, “Keeping the Faith: God, Democracy and the Trial That Riveted a Nation” locates the famous 1925 Scopes trial, pitting the reality of human evolution against Biblical accounts of creation, in the context of today’s influential evangelical fundamentalism in our presidential politics. This fundamentalist cult’s diehard support for Trump, including by mega-hypocrite Franklin Graham, son of a famous preacher who would have none of this today were he still alive, is a major factor in Trump’s chances.

I am struck by the quote from William Jennings Bryan, a thrice-failed progressive Democratic presidential candidate who “championed the poor, the plain, and anyone left out of an increasingly corporate America” in his pro-democratic politics, but who turned out on the wrong side of the Scopes trial. Luo characterizes him as “a fervent believer in Christianity’s ability to spur people to generosity and compassion” while nonetheless being a racist. In taking the side of the Creationists in the trial, he said, “We cannot afford to have a system of education that destroys the faith of 75 percent of our children.” . .

The pro-evolutionist attorney Clarence Darrow countered, “We have the purpose of preventing bigots and ignoramuses from controlling the education of the United States.” Darrow won. 

Bottom line today: It is sad that this division remains. We can advocate for generosity and compassion without having to adhere to an anti-science religious dogma, and indeed we must.    .