Creation proponents are distributing thousands of creationist materials and Darwin Bibles to attendees at the National Education Association's annual meeting in San Diego, Calif., this week.
The Creation Science Educators Caucus is hoping to engage public school teachers in friendly dialogue and introduce them to what the group believes are the faults to Charles Darwin's theory of evolution.
Members of the caucus, as well as volunteers from the Answers in Genesis ministry, are also hoping to introduce NEA members to faith in Christ.
Tony Ramsek, spokesperson for the caucus, stressed that their purpose is to reach individual teachers with the creation/gospel message and "not necessarily to change the system."
"We are not there to lobby for policy or political changes within the NEA system, but rather to share the life changing gospel with teachers," he said in a statement earlier.
Conservatives have criticized the National Education Association, the nation's largest teachers union, for supporting a liberal perspective on many issues. The Creation Science Educators Caucus has been attending the association's annual meeting for the past 14 years plastering banners that state "Evolution is Science Fraud" and "Refuting Evolution."
Taking a slightly different approach this year, the creation proponents have gone into the meeting with the banner "For by Jesus Christ all things were created."
"Our goal this week is not to create controversy or hold a revival," noted Ken Ham, founder and president of Answers in Genesis and a Young Earth creationist. "We simply want to balance the representation of views presented at the conference."
Ham's ministry donated thousands of DVDs and books for this year's outreach.
"I hope that participants will take the time to watch a DVD or read a book that the Caucus is handing out, and that they will see how the Bible is confirmed by observational science," Ham said. "Also, we always welcome a friendly debate with evolutionists!"
For the first time this year, creationists are passing out The Charles Darwin Bible, which was released this year in response to the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth and the 150th anniversary of the publication of his On the Origin of Species book. The Bible is designed to serve as a tool to share with evolutionists and atheists at a time when many, including some in the Church, are dismissing the book of Genesis as a fable.
