March 9, 2007 John Farrell
More good news for thoughtful religious people (scientists and non-scientists alike) who don't believe that Charles Darwin is responsible for the ills of society.
What we're seeing here is the beginnings of a split between those who are open to a religious explanation for some natural phenomena — but unwilling to throw science overboard — and the intelligent design movement. We're also seeing the fruits of Dembski's journey from being someone with legitimate academic credentials to passport carrying member of the Crankosphere.
The statements by the Templeton Foundation and William Grassie mark the beginning of the end of serious consideration of intelligent design theory by mainstream religious thinkers. When added to the rejection of ID by the courts, voters, and news media, this development could well have devastating consequences for the ID movement.
More and more, I think, ID will be relegated to the same narrow niche occupied by fringe figures such as Ken Ham and Henry Morris. Their early hopes of breaking out of the creationist enclave to attract those outside the insular world of bible college and Christian academy, I think, are now past.
By the way, I wonder if Bill Dembski and Michael Behe are still proud of the role they played in Ann Coulter's latest screed?