"Creationism" refers to the religious belief in a supernatural deity or force that intervenes, or has intervened, directly in the physical world. Within that broad scope, there are many varieties of creationist belief. Some forms of creationism hold that natural biological processes cannot account for the history, diversity, and complexity of life on earth. Such "anti-evolution" creationists have been leading opposition to the teaching of evolution since the 1920s.

For more than two decades, the National Center for Science Education has been opposing efforts by creationists to weaken or block the teaching of evolution. This section of our website offers articles about anti-evolution creationist movements, critiques of creationist writings, and collections of materials on the leading lawsuits over efforts to teach creationism or to undermine the teaching of evolution in public schools.

Please note: the term creationism as used in this section refers to anti-evolution creationism. For perspectives on meanings of creationism in theological contexts, please see the Science and Religion section.

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