The
creation–evolution controversy (also termed the
creation vs. evolution debate or the
origins debate) involves a recurring cultural, political, and
theological dispute about the origins of the Earth, of humanity, and of other life. The evolution-creation controversy is almost exclusively an invention and problem within American-Protestant religious communities, outside of which such a controversy largely does not exist. The
level of support for evolution is extremely high within the
scientific community and in
academia. While the controversy has a long history, today it is mainly over what constitutes good
science education, with the politics of
creationism primarily focusing on the teaching of
creation and evolution in public education. This debate is most prominent in the United States, and to a lesser extent in Europe and elsewhere, and is often portrayed as part of a
culture war.