Inherit the Wind: Religion for Individuals and Society

Inherit the Wind is based on a real-life court case which focuses on a law banning the teaching of evolution in the classroom, but in doing so peers into the role of religion in American political life, its influence over secular institutions, and the conflict of community values with dissenting voices. The teaching of evolution in schools is not a resolved issue, with creationism still having a noteworthy role in public education, though the role of government intervention has changed. The teaching of evolution is not just allowed, but in some way required in many states, and the question remains, to what extent can the government impartially decide on the curriculum? Modern conversations of the role of the government in religion have focused on a conflict between the rights of businesses and individuals to exercise their faith. The role of religion in the America portrayed in the film is as a social glue, giving honest people something to believe in and bringing certain people together. As America’s public has become less religious, the legal argument for evolution in the classroom has shifted away from seeing to it that evolution is allowed towards ensuring that evolution is taught. In this new environment, the role of government is no longer to prevent the teaching of evolution, but to balance commitments both to not advance any religion while legislating on matters which either promote a religion or restrict religious expression.  While Christianity has been seen as a social glue in American society and has been protected by religious constituents and rights to religious expression, including at the expense of others, the secularity of the American government has an understated role in American society. As a country where bans on atheists from holding office remain in state constitutions, and where appeals to religion are regularly made to describe national values, the relationship between religion and the country has remained impactful and politically controversial.

Comments

  1. David BernellFebruary 20, 2023 at 4:24 PM

    This post acknowledges the overlapping, cross-cutting currents in American society with respect to religion: community values vs. dissenting voices; free exercise of religion vs. no government favoring of any religion; secularism in theory vs. secularism in practice; and the inability for any arbiter to impartially decide any of these questions.

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