Faith-based Parks?

A brief note in the January 23 issue of The Christian Century alerted me to a new arena in the debate between creationists and those who follow the mainstream theories of geology and evolution.

It turns out that officials in the National Park Service, appointed by President Bush, are stirring up controversy by introducing a variety of religious elements into our national parks. According to a group called Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER), the NPS "has approved the display of religious symbols and Bible verses, as well as the sale of creationist books giving a biblical explanation for the Grand Canyon and other natural wonders." You can read about this controversy on PEER's website here, here, and here.

Reading about this reminded me of a trip Anna and I took to Arches National Park in Utah this past fall. On a ranger led hike through one of the most geologically interesting areas of the park, the ranger explained to us the geological theories about the creation of the park but had to preface it with a caveat that this was only one explanation, in order to not offend anyone who might maintain a creationist or "young earth" understanding of geologic history. I thought the need for such a preface was interesting, but didn't think much more about it until I read about this more widespread issue.

As a Christian pastor, theologian, and lover of the outdoors and our national parks, I find these developments disturbing. It bothers me that conservative Christians are using positions of power to push their beliefs on others at these natural treasures. I'm especially bothered because I find visiting these places to be deeply spiritual, not because they are evidence of a world-wide flood caused by God several thousand years ago (which has no real evidence at all), but because these wonders point to the magnificence of God's creation and to a God that is revealed through that creation.

When I hiked through the Grand Canyon a few years ago, I was indeed struck by how that experience raised many theological and spiritual questions for me. And I agree that there is a place for debates about the conflicts between a literal reading of the Bible and the theories of modern science. But the way that this has taken place in our national parks is not the way to do it.

And though I have a habit of buying a bunch of books at park bookstores when I visit, if this is the best we can do, I'd rather see the bookstores removed and let the parks speak for themselves.