Letter: Let's be clear about creationism 2

Your front page and leader ("Time for government to curb creationist call", THES , March 22) assume that "science" alone has to make its case against the claims of creationists.

Philosophers and theologians can also show the flawed propositional logic, the almost pre-literate biblical interpretation and the incoherent theology of the creationist position.

Philosophy and theology are now placed at the margins of the academy or, worse still, considered as "only for those who like that kind of thing". Such marginalisation weakens the breadth of any academic enterprise and opens the door for misplaced theories such as those espoused by creationists.

You also blur the dividing line between faith schools that work in mainstream education and those enterprises, such as Emmanuel City Technology College, that appear to have no real accountability beyond their governing body and principal benefactors. Mainstream faith schools do not deserve to be associated with what goes on in religion's name at places such as Emmanuel.

Revd Paul Hutchinson
Chaplain
University of Sunderland