Adelle M. Banks and Bill Sulon report today on Tuesday’s ruling in Dover, Pa., calling intelligent design unconstitutional: A federal judge dealt a setback to the teaching of intelligent design Tuesday (Dec. 20) by ruling a Pennsylvania school district’s policy promoted an unconstitutional variation of creationism, a religious theory. U.S. Middle District Judge John E. Jones ruled that intelligent design violates the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause, which bars government from establishing a religion or favoring one religion over another. Jones said it is “abundantly clear” the Dover Area School District‘s policy-which requires that ninth-grade students hear a statement on intelligent design prior to the start of a unit on evolution-“violates the Establishment Clause.” He added that the theory “cannot uncouple itself from its creationist, and thus religious, antecedents.”

As we approach the 200th birthday of Joseph Smith Jr., the founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, David Briggs writes about Kirtland, Ohio, the site of Smith’s revelations: Anyone with a birthday close to Christmas will recognize the dilemma faced by leaders of two churches linked to the man they call the Prophet Joseph Smith Jr. Smith, who is said to have discovered the Book of Mormon, received revelations here that remain effective for millions today. He was born Dec. 23, 1805. Yet as the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints celebrates the bicentennial of Smith’s birth, it does so with some wariness that their reverence for Smith not be seen as taking away from their devotion to Jesus, whose birthday is celebrated two days later. So here at the Historic Kirtland complex, Smith’s portrait was taken down in the multipurpose room and replaced with an exhibit of Nativity scenes. Nonetheless, attendance has soared this year as Mormons visit the place where they believe their founder received 65 revelations.