Creationism's Trojan Horse Unmasking Intelligent Design

Creationism's Trojan Horse: The Wedge of Intelligent Design is a critical non-fiction work published in 2004 by Barbara Forrest and Paul R. Gross. The book provides an in-depth investigation into the origins of the Intelligent Design (ID) movement, specifically focusing on the Discovery Institute's Center for the Renewal of Science and Culture and its strategic approach known as the "wedge strategy."

Origins and Core Arguments

The book evolved from an essay titled "The Wedge at Work," written by Forrest for the 2001 volume Intelligent Design Creationism and Its Critics. Published by Oxford University Press and featuring a foreword by physicist Steven Weinberg, the work argues that Intelligent Design is not a scientific theory but rather a form of creationism designed to infiltrate academic and cultural mainstreams.

Forrest and Gross document the fundamentalist Christian origins of the ID movement and the funding mechanisms that support it, asserting that the movement's goal is to replace evolutionary biology with a religiously motivated alternative.

Critical Reception and Endorsements

The book received widespread praise from the scientific community and various critics. Notable endorsements came from prominent figures such as Richard Dawkins, E.O. Wilson, and Steven Pinker. Reviews in scientific journals like Science and BioScience were positive, with biologist Bruce Grant describing the authors as "heroes" for providing a thorough introduction to the movement.

However, the book was not without its critics. Allan H. Harvey, writing for Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith, questioned the authors' understanding of Christian theology, though he admitted the book's thoroughness made it a valuable read for those concerned about science education.

Conflict with the Discovery Institute

As the primary subject of the book, the Discovery Institute responded with strong criticism. Jonathan Witt, representing the institute, described the book's reasoning as "erroneous" and characterized its tone as "paranoid." This led to a public intellectual exchange in Science & Theology News, where Forrest and Gross defended their research against rebuttals from Witt and John G. West.

Impact on Kitzmiller v. Dover

The research conducted by Barbara Forrest had a significant legal impact. She served as an expert witness for the plaintiffs in the landmark case Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District. During the trial, it was ruled that intelligent design was religious creationism and could not be taught as science in public schools due to the Establishment Clause of the US Constitution.

A pivotal moment in the trial involved the discovery of pre-publication drafts of the textbook Of Pandas and People. These drafts revealed that the authors had systematically replaced creationist terminology with "intelligent design" terminology following the Supreme Court's decision in Edwards v. Aguillard, providing concrete evidence of the movement's tactical shifts.