Q: Who is a creationist? Is it correct to identify Latter-day Saints as creationists?

A: Though this may seem to be a straight-forward question, the work "creationist" - like so many used in conversations about evolution needs careful definition. As generally used in the context of the controversy over teaching creationism in the public schools, Latter-day Saints are not creationists.

Putting one-word labels on people to categorize their positions on a certain issue is nearly always an unfair and inaccurate practice. Often the term creationist is used carelessly, based on the assumption that its meaning is self-evident. Thus a creationist is thought to be one who believes in a divine creator, and creationism the acceptable general label for the position of religious faith. This notion is reinforced by the fact that creationism is nearly always used in tandem with, and presumably the antithesis of evolution. In this way a false dichotomy is born, and creationism/evolution joins the ranks of white/black, good/evil, and faith/atheism as mutually exclusive alternatives at opposite ends of a single continuum. This is not true.

A Latter-day Saint accepts Jesus Christ as the Creator of the earth; this is a central element in our doctrine. it is my view, however, that we cannot theologically and should not politically align ourselves with "creationism" as it is generally understood in the United States today. Our beliefs about the Creator and his methods are not compatible with the tenets of the ultra-conservative Protestant tradition espoused by contemporary "creationists" (2). We do not demand a literal interpretation of all scriptural passages; in our view some Biblical statements relative to the origin of the earth and man ought to be regarded as figurative. As a single example, we do not believe that "the earth was created in 6 24-hour days out of nothing." Secondly, in contrast to contemporary creationists, we do not hold a political agenda which calls for the insertion of narrow sectarian dogma into the science curriculum of the public schools.

Speaking for myself, I accept the Savior as the Creator of the earth, and believe that the process by which it and its living inhabitants came to be should properly be called creation. I believe, however, that the scriptural accounts of creation were intended both by the Revelator and the inspired writers to convey general, spiritual aspect, not necessarily an accurate description of specifics, always to be literally interpreted in absolute terms. I am not, therefore a "creationist" as the term is generally understood today.