it is not often that one of the pillars of the religious establishment strikes a blow against obscurantism. Which is why the archbishop of Canterbury, the head of the Anglican church, must be complimented for coming down on the side of reason in the controversy over intelligent design. The debate, which has been on for a while, is whether the theory of intelligent design (a thin euphemism for the biblical version of the genesis of life, the universe and everything) should be taught alongside scientific theories like those of evolution and natural selection in science courses. Some states in the us allowed the inclusion of intelligent design in science classes, but courts moved swiftly against this retrograde move.

The archbishop, Rowan Williams, makes a simple point: that creationist theories should not be taught in science courses, because they are not science. The biblical narrative of creation follows no standard of investigation