The Scopes Trial and the Power of Story
One hundred years ago this week was a court case that was known as “the trial of the century,” at least until the trial of OJ Simpson. In July 1925, hundreds of reporters descended on the small, fledgling town of Dayton, TN to cover Tennessee v. John Scopes, immortalized since as the Scopes Monkey Trial. For eight days, the small community was the center of the media world and a focus of national and international attention. Afterwards, it became a bit of a staple of popular culture. For example, Johnny Cash’s song “A Boy Named Sue” was inspired by the prosecuting attorney for the state of Tennessee, Sue K. Hicks.
According to popular myth, the Scopes Trial was a climactic battle in the ongoing war between religious fundamentalism and Science. At least that’s how the story was told by the loosely based play-turned-movie, Inherit the Wind.
In reality, the whole thing was a set-up. Dayton wasn’t a hotbed of fundamentalist zealotry, persecuting a courageous teacher who championed science over religion. The previous year, Tennessee had passed an ordinance making it illegal to “teach any theory that denies the story of the Divine Creation of man as taught in the Bible.” The ACLU, an emerging legal organization that employed a strategy of suing laws in high profile cases, had advertised in newspapers across Tennessee that they were looking for a defendant to challenge the law. Dayton city leaders saw the ad and, hoping to save their dying town through tourism, “volun-told” John Scopes, a local gym teacher who once substituted in a biology class. Though it’s not clear Scopes ever taught Darwinism, he became the defendant.
Supporters of the law saw evolution as an affront to human dignity and a means of undermining the faith of young people. Parents, not teachers, should determine what children are taught. The ACLU hoped to undermine religious litmus tests in education. They planned to lose the local trial so that the law could be challenged in a higher court.
William Jennings Bryan, known as the “Great Commoner,” joined the prosecution to defend the law. The three-time Democratic presidential nominee was, according to historian Edward Larson, a strange mix “of left-wing politics and right-wing religion.” Former Secretary of State under Woodrow Wilson, he was also a pacifist, a champion of popular causes such as women’s rights, a populist opponent of big business, and an incredible public speaker. Though not a strict six-day creationist, he was a staunch opponent of Darwinism and a champion of parental rights.
Clarence Darrow was the most popular defense attorney in the country and an ardent atheist. When he heard Bryan had joined the prosecution, he volunteered for the defense. Inherit the Wind portrays Darrow as a hero of free thought and science, but he hoped to bury religion and religion’s great champion, William Jennings Bryan.
Joining this colorful cast of characters was Judge John Raulston, who clearly enjoyed the publicity. In fact, on what would be the final day of the trial, Raulston allowed Darrow, the defense attorney, to call Bryan, the prosecuting attorney, to the witness stand. Bryan agreed, on the condition that he could call Darrow to stand. So many reporters and spectators crowded into the room that they moved the examination outside in the scorching July heat. The men did not disappoint. Darrow asked his village atheist questions, and Bryan confidently responded before fumbling a few questions about whether the Genesis account was literal.
The morning after Bryan’s grilling, the defense pleaded guilty. This prevented Darrow from being cross-examined by Bryan and also prevented the great orator from delivering his closing argument. Scopes was convicted of a misdemeanor and fined $100, which Bryan offered to pay.
Bryan spent the next few days travelling to nearby cities and towns delivering his closing argument as a public speech. The following Sunday afternoon, after speaking that morning, Bryan lay down for a nap. He never woke up. His body was taken by train to Washington, D.C., where he was lauded as a hero for his public service.
Winston Churchill quipped that history would be kind to him because he intended to write it. Bryan did not have that opportunity. Soon, the details of the trial were lost in the public imagination, and a new narrative took hold. H.L. Menken, the most famous reporter at the trial, described it as a battle between fundamentalism and progress. In his telling of the story, Darrow had embarrassed Bryan to death on the stand and exposed his religious beliefs as fables that can only be defended by intolerance and ignorance. That account was only cemented by the popularity of Inherit the Wind.
Of course, today, it is theories of creation that have been banned from the classroom, as well as references to biblical morality. In the name of academic “freedom,” students are taught all kinds of dangerous and radical ideologies, while parents are left completely in the dark. And it is widely assumed (and taught) that, throughout history, religion has stood in opposition to science and progress.
In the end, the Scopes Trial and its cast of colorful characters are the story of the power of narratives to shape public perception. Thankfully, there are those committed to correcting the record, not only about the Scopes Trial but also about the supposed conflicts between faith and reason, the Bible and science, and Christianity and freedom. Like those conflicts, the truth about the trial is far more interesting than the narrative.
Related Resource: The Bible Simplified: A Guide to Better Understanding God’s Word
In this episode of The Built Different Podcast, Dr. Zach sits down with Zach Windahl, a Bible teacher and the creator of The Brand Sunday, to talk about his brand new book The Bible Simplified. Known for helping people overcome fear and confusion when it comes to Scripture, Zach shares how his own spiritual journey shaped his passion to make the Bible accessible, clear, and transformational for this generation. Together they discuss why the Bible often feels intimidating or overwhelming, the theme of grace that weaves through the entire biblical story, Zach’s personal testimony of going from confusion to calling, practical tools and mindset shifts for understanding, digesting, and living the Word, and how to move from knowledge to transformation through a relationship with Christ. Whether you're new to the Bible or just want to fall in love with it again, this conversation will encourage, equip, and refresh your faith.If you like what you hear, be sure to subscribe to The Built Different Podcast on Apple, Spotify or YouTube so you never miss an episode!
Photo Courtesy: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/AlessandroPhoto
Published Date: July 10, 2025
John Stonestreet is President of the Colson Center for Christian Worldview, and radio host of BreakPoint, a daily national radio program providing thought-provoking commentaries on current events and life issues from a biblical worldview. John holds degrees from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (IL) and Bryan College (TN), and is the co-author of Making Sense of Your World: A Biblical Worldview.
The views expressed in this commentary do not necessarily reflect those of CrosswalkHeadlines.
BreakPoint is a program of the Colson Center for Christian Worldview. BreakPoint commentaries offer incisive content people can't find anywhere else; content that cuts through the fog of relativism and the news cycle with truth and compassion. Founded by Chuck Colson (1931 – 2012) in 1991 as a daily radio broadcast, BreakPoint provides a Christian perspective on today's news and trends. Today, you can get it in written and a variety of audio formats: on the web, the radio, or your favorite podcast app on the go.
