Rabbi Ken Ehrlich, Librarian
This Fall semester, I will be teaching a history course in the OLLI Adult Studies Program at SOU that might be of interest to members of our congregation: “The Scopes “Trial of the Century.”
The course will examine a trial that occurred in July 1925 in Dayton, Tennessee: John T. Scopes, a local high school science teacher, was accused of violating a Tennessee law that prohibited the teaching of evolution in the public schools.
At first glance, the case seemed of relatively minor consequence. But the trial soon became the symbol of a bitter culture war that divided America; a culture war that in many ways has never really ceased.
We will look at three dimensions of the Scopes trial. First, we will review the trial itself, and analyze the arguments for the prosecution and the defense. Second, we will examine the culture war that in many ways defined 20th century America. Finally, we will consider the same question that was raised in that Tennessee courtroom a century ago: Is it possible to ensure both “freedom of religion” and “freedom from religion” in America, or must we choose between them?
In 1925, most American Jews felt that the Scopes Trial affected them only indirectly, if at all. A century later, we now understand that many of the cultural, political, legal, and religious questions we confront as American Jews today were raised by or resulted from that trial. And we American Jews – and all Americans –must also come to grips with the fact that those questions have not yet been answered.
For further information about this and other OLLI courses, I urge you to contact the OLLI office: (541) 552-6048