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Glossary of Selected Terms
up by woodpeckers who bore trees to search for insects to eat. The
mistletoe is adapted to make maximum use of woodpeckers’ habits.
Creationism. The belief that the description of the beginning of life as
found in the biblical book of Genesis is an actual account of what
occurred. Life on Earth—and for some creationists, in the universe—
was created by God in six literal days.
Creation Science. The use of scientific data to support creationism. Also
known as scientific creationism.
Divergence of Character. A term first used by Darwin and Alfred Wallace
to explain how varieties of a species became new species. Each generation
of the variety is slightly different from its parent as it adapts to
its environment. Each mutation in the variety also makes it more different
from the original species. After a number of generations, the
difference between the variety and the original species is so great that
the variety is a different species.
DNA (deoxyribose nucleic acid). A molecule found in the nuclei of cells
that is a key component of heredity. In 1953, James Watson and
Francis Crick demonstrated that the molecule was the shape of a
double helix. The unwrapping of the two strands of the helix and the
subsequent copying of each strand enables information about the cell
and the whole organism to be passed on to the next generation.
Evolution. The idea that biological life on Earth developed from simple
forms to more complex ones. (The development of inorganic matter is
called chemical evolution.)
Evolutionary Theism. The attempt to combine belief in God and evolution.
Evolutionary theists explain the origin of life by evolution but suggest
that God is connected with the process—either by setting it in motion
or by allowing it to occur. (Also known as theistic evolution.)
Fixity of the Species. The idea that species cannot change or mutate into
other species. All species were created or came into existence exactly
as they are at present. This was the most widely accepted theory about
the origin of species before the spread of Darwin’s theory.
Fundamentalism (Christian). An emphasis in Christianity begun by
American Protestants in the early twentieth century. These Christians
advocated a return to the basics of the religion, the fundamentals.
Among these fundamental doctrines was biblical literalism, the idea
that every statement in the Bible was true as written, which included
the belief in a six-day creation as found in Genesis 1.
Gap Theory. This is a term used by some scientific creationists to explain
why the geological data suggests that the Earth is much older than six
thousand years. Although God created life on Earth in six literal days,
there was a large amount of time between the days of creation.
Gene. The basic unit of heredity. Genes are located on chromosomes, which
are found in the nucleus of each cell. Genes are a specific sequence of