Thanks Steve, I appreciate the thoughtful and respectful engagement. There are schools that teach a different approach that include transcendence but they are not authorized in the sense of government schools. I believe there should be greater allowance for what our public schools can teach given the ferment on major questions of origins and the history of the universe and life.

But where I would disagree most is your suggestion that "scientists are open" to convincing evidence. I have written several posts noting the treatment given by ardent defenders of physicalism, particularly exclusive Darwinism, to any who would question it. This includes attacks on atheist critics such as Thomas Nagel and David Berlinksi. I do believe you are right given sufficient time and evidence that serious questions such as exist about evolution being the complete answer to the origin of life and its history, will result in a reassessment. In fact, I think that reassessment is going on now as can be seen in the https://www.thethirdwayofevolution.com/. These scientists stridently oppose intelligent design but recognize the limitations of exclusive Darwinism and so are seeking for that third way that Nagel suggests is needed. While that reassessment of physicalism in biology is going on in science circles, it has not made it to the general media or public awareness to any significant level in my view.