The Scopes Trial is one of the most important religious freedom cases of the 20th century. It involved a fight to uphold the separation of church and state in the classroom by allowing students in Tennessee to learn about the scientific theory of evolution.

Charles Darwin put forth the first word in evolution, not the last. Since his time, many other scientists have looked at the same data and advanced and refined Darwin’s ideas.

The idea that science is perpetually at war with religion and that one must choose sides is a tiresome trope embraced by fundamentalists. Most religious people long ago reconciled their faith with modern science. For many believers, God gave us intellect and reason precisely so that we can discover things about the world around us.