Most Americans believe God created humans on the sixth day of the universe, yet they also overwhelming want science-based evolution taught in public school, according a Scripps Howard/Ohio University poll.
Half of the 1,005 adults interviewed support President Bush's suggestion that public schools should also teach intelligent design, the notion that God played a role in the evolution of humans. But only 17 percent said they believe in intelligent design when asked their opinion of humanity's origins.
"People don't understand science. But they do understand the Bible and so they are comfortable with a biblical response," said John Calvert, director of the Intelligent Design Network in Shawnee Mission, Kan. "Certainly, there is a lack of understanding about what intelligent design really is."
Fifty-four percent said they believe "God created the universe and humans in a six-day period," 23 percent said "humans evolved from other animal species through natural selection," and 17 percent said "God caused humans to evolve from other species." Six percent were undecided.
Many Americans falsely assume that evolution is at odds with religion, said Glenn Branch, deputy director of the California-based National Center for Science Education, which defends science-based evolution instruction.
"Biologists are split on this point. A lot of scientists regard natural selection as one of the means through which God accomplishes his ends in the world," Branch said.
Yet Americans also embrace science when asked to take a clear position on whether pure Darwinian evolution should be taught in science. Sixty-nine percent agreed with the idea that "evolution is what most scientists believe, so it should be taught in public science classes." Twenty percent said they believe "scientists are wrong, so evolution should not be taught." Eleven percent were undecided or suggested teaching both.
The survey was conducted by telephone Oct. 9-23 at the Scripps Survey Research Center at Ohio University. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.