AN EAST Lancashire vicar has accused schools of short changing children about the facts of life and their origins.

And the Rev Kevin Logan says that teaching pure evolution to school children is partly responsible for anti-social behaviour and a "crippled" society.

Mr Logan, vicar of Christ Church, Accrington, has written about the subject in his latest book Responding to the Challenges of Evolution.

In it he suggests that, according to an increasing number of scientists, evolution is a 'theory in crisis' but he says the book is evenly balanced and invites the reader to make up their own minds.

Mr Logan said: "I'm not asking people to ditch evolution. I simply want the debate to be re-opened in our classrooms, laboratories and society.

"In the States, Australia, Canada, the Netherlands and even Russia, evolution and sixth day creation are taught or discussed side by side, as well as the idea that evolution could have been the Creator's way of making everything.

"The way evolution is taught, devoid of God and values is totally inadequate to explain where we have come from and how we got here."

Mr Logan, who leads the chaplaincy team in St Christopher's High School, Accrington, says pure evolution teaches that survival of the fittest and mutation is all that is needed.

He said: "No wonder anti-social behaviour is wrecking our lives.

"We teach our brightest and best that they've swung from the jungle and that survival of the fittest should rule.

"We then blame them for behaving as if they've swung out of the jungle. Our society needs to look at this screwed up and insane type of logic.

"They not only get this in the classroom, survival of the fittest television reinforces it.

"We ditch the weakest blind date, vote off the unfit pop idols and cheer celebrities fighting each other for survival in Big Brother houses, boxing rings and on survival islands."

A spokesperson for Lancashire County Council said: "In Key Stage 3 the children are required to investigate the arguments of existence of God which includes God as a creator and the whole of the year is about looking at the role of God. It is part of the syllabus that children study God active in the world creating, redeeming and sustaining."

Mr Logan discusses the theory more in Responding to the Challenge of Evolution which is published by Kingsway and available through all book shops.

He said: "I give each side a fair hearing. I present the evidence for and against evolution and then invite the reader to be judge and jury."