Despite renewed controversies across the country over how the creation of the universe is taught, S. Blaire Hedges, Penn State biology professor, said the university will continue teaching the theory of evolution as it always has.

Hedges teaches Biology 427 (Evolution) and said he uses Charles Darwin's theory of evolution only.

He said the theory of creationism is a religious concept, and he doesn't bring it up because it holds no scientific foundation. "I never bring it into debate because it doesn't deserve being brought into a debate," he said.

Darwin's theory of evolution says all forms of life descended from a common ancestor, or complex creatures evolve from simpler creatures over time. The theory of creationism says that God originally created the universe and all living beings.

Religious studies professor Anne Rose said it is hard to say any specific religious group in its entirety believes in creationism.

"Groups you consider to be fundamentalist believe the Bible is inerrant, or without error," she said. "Those will be people who will look at Genesis and say this has got to be true." Genesis is the first book in the Bible that recounts how God created the universe, which Rose said is the basis of creationism.

The controversy has come up again as a result of two separate cases in Georgia and Pennsylvania. There is a federal court case pending in a suburb of Atlanta over stickers placed on science textbooks that call evolution "a theory and not a fact." The stickers encourage readers to "critically consider" evolution and study it carefully.

In the Dover Area School District, about two hours and 125 miles south of Penn State, the school board has mandated that biology teachers present both evolution and another theory known as "intelligent design," which says the creation of the universe is so complex that some form of a higher power must have responsibility for it.

Rose said there is no law in Pennsylvania that mandates evolution has to be taught in science class, so it is common for schools to avoid the controversy and not teach either theory.

Thaddeus Jones (senior-psychology) said he was taught both theories, but neither was addressed much. "I vaguely remember some stuff," he said. "It was so long ago, but I would say we only spent two days covering them."

Rose said the idea that the Bible should be taken literally only started in the late 19th century and was a response to science. "Any time there are rapid science advances, some people react with dogmatic resistance to new ideas," she said.

Rose said it started as a science versus religion debate but has gradually evolved into a science versus science debate, with creationists starting to uphold it as a scientific theory.

Monique Matelski (junior-psychology) said she took several advanced placement classes in high school and covered Darwin's theory in-depth.

"They would say there were some traditional beliefs, but we would focus on Darwin's theory," she said.

However, Rose said creationists sincerely believe in the theory and that it should be taught in schools.

Hedges said discrepancies in teaching evolution are at the high school level or lower because a school board can mandate what is taught. Hedges said colleges are in the "real world," and therefore, this is not an issue. "School boards think they have authority to dictate and make teachers teach whatever they want," he said. "They are not teaching general knowledge but forcing beliefs."