Ron Wetherington in “The Revolutionaries.” Wetherington is a prominent supporter of evolutionary teachings. (Courtesy of Magnolia Films)

Science and religion often lend themselves as clashing concepts for the sake of a good documentary.

In the case of The Revisionaries, a sharp documentary that follows the thunderous battle between textbooks on the Texas Legislative floor, this too is the case.

Director Scott Thurman, who is relatively fresh to documentary film making, does a solid job of showcasing the clash of cultures that surrounded Texas’ education system in 2009 and 2010.

With Lubbock, Texas roots, Therman is more than familiar with the ever-changing landscape of Texas’ education bureaucracies.

Essentially, the film portrays the battle between the teaching of creationism and evolution, a nationwide argument that is still being discussed to this day.

As one of the nation’s largest textbook purchasers, Texas has a lot of say in what the nation as a whole learns.

By the film’s standards, the quarterback for the “Team Evolution” is prominent SMU professor Ron Wetherington.

Wetherington receives ample screen time as the loud, often frustrated proponent for Texas’ teaching of evolution.

Opposite Wetherington is Don McElroy, State Board of Education chairman and creationist.

In the film, McElroy is portrayed as aloof and almost dumb. Thurman couldn’t have skewed the characterization more.

McElroy, along with a team of spirited supporters, argue the case of creationism. He believes that at one point on the Earth’s history, man and dinosaur shared the same land.

Wetherington and Texas Freedom Network Presidnet, Kathy Miller, aren’t neccesarily arguing for an “evolution-only” classroom, they just want the state to stop dilluting the science in the name of religion.

Regardless of one’s political or religious views, The Revisionaries is still one of the year’s most intriguing features.

Thurman tackles the subject with courage, not too many filmmakers possess the patience Thurman had to sit through hours and hours of state education meetings.

Thurman’s documentary will become ever more important as the debate surrounding Texas’ textbooks heat up later this year.