Creationism and evolution aren’t mutually exclusive

Some people, called Old Earth creationists, believe that God, or some other higher power played a part in the events that led to our creation.^[1] But they do not disagree with mainstream science - in fact, they openly embrace it. Indeed it was it was Priest Father Monseigneur Lemaitre (b. 1894) who came up with the idea of the Big Bang. Old Earth creationists do not argue that creation was one event that happened in 6 days, but occurred over millennia and the ‘days’ in the bible were in no way literal. Evolution and science do not prove or disprove God’s existence. Many scientists are religious and comfortably hold both beliefs. So evolution can be taught without threatening religious sensibilities.^[2] Very few English creationists believe in a young earth: this is partly because most are Muslims, and Muslim creationism has no strong attachment to a literal reading of the bible story.^[3]

[P1] Many creationists do not take the bible story literally and agree with evolutionary facts as well. [P2] This ‘old earth’ creationism sits well with science so can be taught in schools.