Teachers’ Views on Evolution: Religion Matters in South Korea

Abstract

This work is the first extension in East Asia of the international research started with the Biohead-Citizen project on the analysis of teachers' conceptions of evolution. It presents the first results related to Buddhist teachers. The questionnaire, built and validated by the Biohead-Citizen project, and including 15 questions related to evolution, has been filled out in South Korea by 306 teachers (Primary Schools, Secondary Schools teaching Biology or the Korean Language). The results show that a majority of teachers are clearly evolutionist, including the Buddhist teachers who do not differ from their Agnostic or Atheist colleagues. Nevertheless, most of the Protestant teachers are radical creationist: their answers significantly differ from those of their colleagues. These results show a clear country effect, South Korea being economically developed, with 41% of teachers being Agnostic or Atheist, and clearly evolutionist, as are also their Buddhist or Catholic colleagues. Nevertheless there is also a religion effect, the Protestant teachers being fundamentalist and having radical creationist positions, that are also described in other countries where Protestant are fundamentalist, but not in European countries where Protestant are Calvinist or Lutheran.

Creationist and evolutionist views of South African teachers with different religious affiliations

“…More Protestant teachers held creationist views than their Roman Catholic colleagues in Brazil, Burkina Faso 60 and South Korea. 37 In Lebanon, slightly more Sunni teachers (but not Shiite or Druze teachers, who are also Muslim) held creationist views than their Christian colleagues. 60 The clear differences linked to religion in our study illustrate a greater diversity of views with regard to evolution than that of other countries.…”

“…This result can be compared to that observed in South Korea, where the concepts of Buddhist teachers were as evolutionist as those of their agnostic and atheist colleagues. 37 This finding can be explained by the fact that Buddhists, like Hindus, do not have a creation story as one of the central tenets of their religion.…”

“…With regard to the African Independent Churches, our results contribute to understanding many teachers' beliefs, because this is the largest church group in South Africa. 37 Although such churches are officially Christian (for instance, ZCC has a strong Pentecostal orientation), the views of adherents of these churches are more evolutionist compared with other Christian teachers'. A possible explanation is the influence of African traditional beliefs and the decreased emphasis on a literal acceptance of the Bible.…”

“…In South Korea, the views of Protestant teachers are more creationist than their colleagues who are mainly agnostic, atheist or Buddhist. 37 These findings prompted us to administer the Biohead-Citizen questionnaire in South Africa. South Africa provides an interesting case study because the country has diverse religions, including Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and African traditional churches or beliefs.…”