A century-and-a-half after Charles Darwin published his theory of evolution, scientists and people who read the Bible literally remain locked in conflict. They are divided over a wide range of issues, from evolution and climate change to stem-cell research and homosexuality. But nowhere is the division stronger than in education. Despite court rulings barring public schools from teaching creationism, some authorities continue to promote it alongside evolution or have curbed the way evolution is taught. A controversial group of "New Atheist" scientists stridently advocates the total elimination of religion from society. But other scientists -- some religious and others not -- argue that condemning religion not only disrespects the majority of Americans who profess a faith but also undermines the public's support for science and ultimately threatens America's economic competitiveness.

Tom Price is a Washington-based freelance journalist who writes regularly for CQ Researcher. Previously he was a correspondent in the Cox Newspapers Washington Bureau and chief politics writer for the Dayton Daily News and The Journal Herald. His most recent book, written with former congressman and ambassador Tony Hall, is Changing The Face of Hunger: One Man's Story of How Liberals, Conservatives, Democrats, Republicans, and People of Faith Are Joining Forces to Help the Hungry, the Poor, and the Oppressed. He is the author of two Washington guidebooks, Washington, D.C., for Dummies, and the Irreverent Guide to Washington, D.C. His work has appeared in The New York Times, Time, Rolling Stone and other periodicals. He earned a bachelor of science in journalism at Ohio University.