In Creating the Creation Museum: How Fundamentalist Beliefs Come to Life, Kathleen C. Oberlin presents an innovative exploration of the sociopolitical underpinnings for modern interpretations of creationism. Following the trajectory of the movement from the 1925 Scopes Trial through the present, Oberlin contends that a variety of public spaces (like schools and museums) have been adopted by marginalized Christians to push the boundaries of commonly held social beliefs, like those about science. Throughout, Oberlin’s detailed ethnography of the fundamentalist parachurch Answers in Genesis (AiG) centers on the formation and operations of the Creation Museum, a multimillion-dollar alternative science museum in Kentucky that denies the theory of evolution. The result is an expansive view of the intersections between modern literal biblicism, built environments, and the mobilization of an intentional social movement seeking widespread cultural change.
Through an introduction to the museum’s history and contents, Oberlin illustrates how and why AiG built a tangible place for mainstream communication, rather than investing in more typical avenues like publishing. As the author observes, the interpretation of content at the museum is likewise anything but ordinary. Through the lens of Young Earth Creationism, the institution depicts a world that is thousands rather than billions of years old, with exhibits portraying unexpected anachronisms like the coexistence of dinosaurs and humans. Aligned with what Oberlin terms “plausibility politics,” AiG’s unconventional views are situated in an environment that parallels the familiar models of traditional natural history museums (5, 14). Seeking mainstream recognition to legitimize creationism, the organization’s museum is a culturally relatable physical manifestation of belief, open to practitioners and outsiders alike.
Beyond the structure and functions of the museum, Oberlin investigates its role as a catalyst for ongoing contentious conversations about accepted truths. In the scope of creationist history, elements of today’s dialogue distinctly reflect those of a century ago, despite a marked shift in cultural approaches to fundamentalism in the interim. Timeless questions about authority and bias are foundational for more recent debates, the results of which are largely driven by popular opinions shaped by traditional and social media, as Oberlin underscores. Given the influence of these outlets on social consciousness today, when confronted with a cultural consensus that challenges religious credibility, it becomes apparent that innovative measures must be taken in order to disrupt the status quo, as reflected AiG’s attempts to drive social mobilization through the Creation Museum.
Oberlin’s study successfully demonstrates the myriad ways in which AiG has used the Creation Museum as a mechanism to “curate the credibility of its claims” since opening its doors in 2007 (19). It serves as a significant reminder that disputes about science and religion persist through the present day, and are not solely relegated to legislation and education. In considering the widening gap between religious and secular life in the United States, this work also highlights that for some communities, like the biblical literalists who founded the museum, the sacred remains pervasive, blurring the lines of science and history. Employing its alternative views, AiG’s museum has become an unexpected platform for proselytizing while serving as a catalyst for conversations about belief and credibility across religious and non-religious communities.
Emily J. Bailey is associate professor of Christian traditions and religions of the Americas at Towson University.
Emily Bailey
Date Of Review:
April 14, 2023
