Geoffrey W. Sutton PhD, Psychology and Culture

The Scope of Evolution Includes the Psychology of Religion In 2015, I visited the historic Rhea County Courthouse in Dayton, Tennessee—the site of the famous Scopes “Monkey” Trial. That year marked the 90th anniversary of the proceedings, which began on July 10 and concluded on July 21, 1925. At the heart of the trial was science teacher John Scopes, charged with violating Tennessee law by teaching evolution in a public school. Now, in 2025, I revisit the story in its centennial year, reflecting on how far we've come—and how the debate endures. The arguments presented during the 1925 Scopes Trial may seem like quaint historical disputes—until one considers that a significant minority of Christians in the United States continue to reject scientific explanations for the origins of life in favor of a literal or near-literal interpretation of creation. In 2014, a Gallup poll revealed that 42% of Americans believed God created humans in their present form approximately 10,000 ye...