Description: Description: Description: Description: Description: Asalogo3.JPGDescription: Description: Description: Description: Description: Asalogo5.JPGNEWSLETTER

of the American Scientific Affiliation &
Canadian Scientific & Christian Affiliation 


Volume 53, Number 3                                                                                                        MAY/JUNE 2011 


Christians in Japan Earthquake 

Schaefer Shares Trotter Prize 

As Graham-Purdue Professor of Chemistry and Director of the Center for Computational Quantum Chemistry at the University of Description: Description: Description: Description: Description: KBMpic1Georgia, Henry F. (Fritz) Schaefer is one of the world’s most distinguished physical scientists. Among his many awards, he has received the Centenary Medal, the Royal Society of Chemistry’s top award for a non-British subject, and is believed to have been nominated five times for a Nobel Prize. 

On April 26, Schaefer and Francisco J. Ayala, Donald Bren Professor of Biological Sciences, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at UC-Irvine and recipient of the 2010 Templeton Prize, traveled to Texas A&M University to receive jointly The Trotter Prize in Information, Complexity and Inference. This annual award honors “pioneering contributions to the understanding of the role of information, complexity and inference in illuminating the mechanisms and wonder of nature.” The series seeks to reveal connections between science and religion, often viewed in academia as nonoverlapping, if not rival, worldviews. 

Advance publicity announced that their presentations would be: 

Schaefer, addressing “C.S. Lewis: Science and Scientism,” 

Lewis was one of the intellectual giants of the 20th century and arguably the most influential Christian writer of his day. We will examine and reflect on Lewis’s thought about science through his essays and his space trilogy, Out of the Silent Planet, Perelandria, and That Hideous Strength. 

Ayala, speaking on “Darwin’s Gift to Religion and Science,” 

Darwin’s theory of evolution accounts for the design and diversity of organisms as the result of spontaneous mutations sorted out by natural selection. Darwin’s theory is a gift to religion, because the imperfections and cruelties of the living world need not be attributed to the Creator’s design, but to natural processes, just like earthquakes or volcanic eruptions. 

The Synergy Sessions 

July 29–August 1, ASA members will be concentrating on “Science-Faith Synergy: Glorifying God and Serving Humanity” on the North Central College campus in Naperville, IL, west of Chicago. Centered on the key verse “Wisdom is supreme; therefore, get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding” (Prov. 4:7), the program features the following plenary speakers and their topics: 

Symposia tracks will be 

And While You’re There 

Meeting attendees will have the option of attending one of two workshops on Friday. Field trips will be offered on Friday and Monday. 

Friday Workshops 

Friday Field Trips 

Monday Field Trip 

Field trip space is limited. Register early to guarantee yourself a spot. 

Meeting Organizers 

Wheaton profs Rod Scott and Ray Lewis are program chair and local arrangements chair, respectively. 

For meeting updates, check the ASA website, www.asa3.org

The Executive Director’s Corner 

Randall D. Isaac 

The ASA executive council met on March 25 and 26 at the ASA offices in Ipswich, MA, putting to good use the new expanded space in our suite at 55 Market Street. The council approved two major initiatives that will have a significant impact on our organization. 

First, I am delighted to report that the council approved a new full-time staff position for the ASA office. The ASA now has an “Associate Director for Communication” who will be responsible for writing, editing, and coordinating the various communications from ASA. We are particularly pleased to announce that we have hired Emily Ruppel for this position. Emily will be graduating this fall with an MS in science writing from MIT. She joined ASA as a part-time employee in this new position, focusing first on editing God and Nature, while she completes her studies. She will be working as an intern at Brookhaven National Lab this summer but will be able to take time to attend our annual meeting. 

David Fisher and Margaret Towne have been doing an outstanding job as co-editors of the newsletter for nine years. We are most grateful to them for their faithful and enthusiastic service. 

In September, she will begin full-time work with us, picking up responsibilities for writing and editing the newsletter, beginning with the September/October issue that covers our annual meeting. She will also take the responsibility of writing the user-interface material for our website and will gradually expand her role to include the whole spectrum of communications for the ASA. 

Another important role for Emily will be to coordinate communications with our local ASA chapters and sections. Interest in local chapters has been growing rapidly, and she will be able to facilitate and encourage the various groups. We are delighted to have Emily as part of the team. Come to the annual meeting and get acquainted! The next issue of the newsletter will feature an introduction to her. 

A second key initiative approved by the council was a fund-raising initiative. The outstanding matching grant we received last year was a tremendous benefit to us, but it was a one-time boost. That money will soon be gone, unless we invest it wisely to generate additional sources of revenue. The council has approved a subscription to a foundation database service that will help us identify new potential sources of revenue from various philanthropic organizations. We are pleased to announce that we will be working with Wendee Holtcamp, a free-lance science writer who has previously done some writing for ASA. She will carry out the searches and draft the grant requests for us. Our goal is to generate additional sources of revenue to support the various programs that we offer, including support for these new initiatives. Your ideas and information of possible additional funding sources would also be of great interest to us. Please let us know. 

The council also reviewed and encouraged continuation of several ASA programs. The homeschool project has been established by Doug Hayworth. He has laid a solid foundation for this effort that is focused on providing reviews of homeschool curriculum materials. You can learn more at www.asa3online.org/homeschool

The Smithsonian exhibit on human origins, which was a featured element of our annual meeting last year, continues to provide an outstanding opportunity for dialog. The council encouraged me to continue to participate in the Broader Social Impact Committee for that exhibit. More information is available at http://humanorigins.si.edu/about/bsic

Finally, we continue to work with AAAS and the NAE to find ways to expand a constructive dialog between scientists and evangelicals. There is much work to be done, but the opportunities are there. 

Continue to pray for us as we follow the Lord’s leading and use this organization’s resources for the glory of God. Your support is greatly appreciated. 

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Welcome, New Members!
February–March 2011 

Alloway, Cynthia J. –Mendham, NJ 

Baker, Jonathan –Las Vegas, NV 

Bakker, Hans A. –Edmonton, AB, Canada 

Bose, Margie –Woburn, MA 

Childress, Jonathan W. –Amers, IA 

Dehler, Kristin I. –Corvallis, OR 

Frans, Veronica F. –Jackson, NJ 

Gowanlock, Laura –Edmonton, AB, Canada 

Joines, Jerry D. –Graham, NC 

Kim, Jin Soo –Vancouver, BC, Canada 

Kuhn, Jocelyn –Langley, BC, Canada 

Lavender, Earl D. –Nashville, TN 

Leung, Grace –Vancouver, BC, Canada 

Petter, Ron–Hamilton, ON, Canada 

Regan, Kenneth W. –Amherst, NY 

Sikkema, William –Langley, BC, Canada 

Tomita, Shigemi –Hamilton, ON, Canada 

VandenBerg, Mary L. –Grand Rapids, MI 

Vanderhoek, Amanda –Bentley, AB, Canada 

Vaughn, Jennifer –Tustin, CA 

Wormington, Charles M. –Abington, PA 

Yeagley, Scott D. –Columbiana, OH 

Young, Joseph E. –Villa Nueva, Cordoba, Argentina 

Martin Rees Awarded Templeton Prize 

Description: Description: Description: Description: Description: Martin_ReesTheoretical astrophysicist Martin J. Rees has won the 2011 Templeton Prize. Rees, Master of Trinity College, Cambridge, and former president of the Royal Society, has spent decades investigating the implications of the big bang, the nature of black holes, events during the so-called “dark age” of the early universe, and the mysterious explosions from galaxy centers known as gamma ray bursters

The John Templeton Foundation president and chairman, John M. Templeton Jr., said the questions Rees raises “have an impact far beyond the simple assertion of facts, opening wider vistas than any telescope ever could.” He added, “By peering into the farthest reaches of the galaxies, Martin Rees has opened a window on our very humanity, inviting everyone to wrestle with the most fundamental questions of our nature and existence.” He has energetically urged the international scientific community to raise public awareness of the impact of human activity on planet Earth in the 21st century, the first, Rees says, when one species—humans—can determine the future of the entire biosphere. Video clips of his answers to “What effect has your scientific research had on your beliefs?” “How large is physical reality?” “Are human brains capable of understanding the very big, the very small, and the very complex?” “What challenges face science and civilization in the 21st century?” and “World population will be 9 billion by 2050. Can genetically modified (GM) crops help feed the world?” are posted at www.templetonprize.org/video/bigquestions/2011

The Templeton Prize has been awarded annually since 1973 by the John Templeton Foundation. Valued at £1 million (about $1.62 million or €1.14 million), the Prize is the world’s largest annual award given to an individual and honors a living person who has made exceptional contributions to affirming life’s spiritual dimension. HRH Prince Philip will award the Prize on June 1 at Buckingham Palace. 

Newsletter Disclaimer 


As a newsletter, this publication presents news spanning a spectrum of activities, reports, and publications in order to keep readers abreast of a variety of events and views. Inclusion in this newsletter does not constitute or imply official ASA endorsement. 

Origins in Public Schools 

A bill now being debated in the state legislature would allow science teachers to discuss other possibilities without getting into trouble with their school districts. 

Their data show that about 13% of the teachers surveyed advocate creationism for at least an hour in their classes. 60% of the teachers try to avoid controversy on this subject. Christian Century, March 8, 2011, p. 9 states,  

They aren’t strong advocates of evolutionary biology nor are they explicit proponents of non-scientific alternatives. The researchers fear that this group may be more of a hindrance to scientific literacy than the much smaller number who are creationists. 

Teach Evolution in Church? 

Paul Wallace, a prof. of astronomy and physics who is now attending seminary, thinks that if evolution were taught in churches it would “enhance congregants’ appreciation for mystery and their understanding of God.” He maintains that Christians opposed to evolution are guilty of “small-god-ism.” Christian Century, March 8, 2011, p. 9. 

In the Beginning Conference 

On June 15–18, the Briarwood Presbyterian Church in Birmingham, AL, will host a conference on the days of creation. Many questions will be addressed as to how they interpret the Genesis creation account and why it matters. Hugh Ross, of Reasons to Believe, will speak on the old earth creationist perspective. Leaders in young earth creationism, intelligent design, and theistic evolution will also present their perspectives. One can register at www.fixed-point.org. * Bill Payne 

Essay Contest for Students 

In memory of its founding president and former chairman, Arthur Peacocke, the Science and Religion Forum offers a prize for an essay directly relevant to the theme of its annual conference, “Inspiration in Science and Religion.”  

The prize is open to those who, on the closing date for submission, are matriculated students (full-time or part-time, undergraduate or post-graduate). The prize will consist of a cash award of £100, free membership  in the Forum for one year, and the UK travel and accommodation costs (or equivalent thereof) of the winner’s participation in the Forum’s 2011 conference.  

Each essay should not exceed 5,000 words in length, including footnotes but excluding references. It should be preceded by an abstract of no more than 250 words, and should be submitted as an email attachment in MS Word to Louise Hickman: l.hickman@newman.ac.uk, no later than 31 July 2011. She will answer any questions about the prize. For further details, see the Forum’s website, www.srforum.org. * J. Brian Pitts 

Christians Celebrate National Networking Week 

April 4–12 was National Networking Week. Some Christians see social networking sites as a useful platform through which to share God’s love with others.  

Christian Newswire reports that Facebook now boasts 500 million members—7% of the world’s population, half of whom reportedly log in every day, and Twitter transmits more than 50 million Tweets a day. These and other online networking sites represent a huge opportunity for Christians who want to have a positive influence for Christ in the world. The communiqué details,  

At no other time in history could the average Christian affect dozens, hundreds or even thousands of people in minutes, from the comfort of home. At no other time could one small comment, from an individual without major media connections, be shared with up to millions of people in a matter of hours. Social networking involvement requires little time and no financial investment. Posting a comment to your profile is easy and usually less than 140 characters, making it possible for even the busiest people to participate. Even though creating a post of that length takes less than five minutes to compose and publish, the potential is unprecedented. 

Creativity and Versatility 

Some people post pithy comments; others, Bible verses; and still others, a link to an uplifting YouTube video. The SaneSNS.com website helps neophyte social networkers to get started, yet contains hints that may help experienced users. It includes: 

A free copy of the e-book SANE: Social Networking Success in 15 Minutes a Day, by Marnie Swedberg, is available at SaneSNS.com. 

Not to Miss: “Civil Discourse and the ASA” 

In the aftermath of the shooting rampage that killed six persons and severely wounded Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and others, ASA Council president Jennifer Wiseman has written a guest editorial entitled “Civil Discourse and the ASA” that appeared in the March issue of ASA’s journal, Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith. It summarizes beautifully the respectful, collegial way that ASA members discuss differing viewpoints. If you haven’t read it yet, the Newsletter editors highly recommend it, at www.asa3.org/ASA/PSCF/2011/PSCF3-11Wiseman.pdf.  

ASAer Featured on TV 

Description: Description: Description: Description: Description: PhotoCarolHikingToDiamondCaveGeologist at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, Carol Ann Hill was featured on National Geographic’s Naked Science program about the Grand Canyon, Feb. 24, 2011, on the NatGeoTV channel. It dealt in-depth with the origin of the Grand Canyon. Filming was done by Back Fin Media in June of 2010 along the Grandview Trail down to Horseshoe Mesa, and then in the Cave of the Domes. Carol was one of ten geologists featured on the program, with her Karst Connection model being one of three models that try to explain the age and origin of the Grand Canyon and the evolution of the Colorado River. It was an amazing and most insightful program and so exciting to see an ASA scholar on TV! 

Carol has been working in the Grand Canyon as a geologist for twelve years, the last six being funded by a National Science Foundation grant. Her latest article on the Grand Canyon, “Karst Hydrology of Grand Canyon, Arizona, USA” was published in the Nov. 2010 issue of the Journal of Hydrology. 

ASAer at National Museum 

On Feb. 19, botanist Douglas Hayworth, a technical writer for Thermo Fisher Scientific in Rockford, IL, participated in the workshop Description: Description: Description: Description: Description: HayworthDSCN6428crop“Overcoming Stumbling Blocks to Communicating Human Evolution” at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC. The event was organized by the Smithsonian Institute staff responsible for the Hall of Human Origins exhibit, as well as the National Evolutionary Synthesis Center. The event included about 45 high-profile researchers, science writers and educators who have particular expertise and experience in paleonanthropology and/or teaching about evolution. Doug was invited because of his role in leading ASA’s Homeschool Science Resources website project (asa.3online.org/ homeschool) and because he had helped Randy Isaac organize and communicate the feedback offered by ASA Annual Meeting attendees who visited the Human Origins exhibit last July. Rick Potts, the exhibit’s curator, was the guide at that event and also spoke at the Annual Meeting. 

“It was an honor for me to be part of this stellar group, to represent the ASA and to share the particular concerns and needs of homeschoolers,” said Doug. “I commend Dr. Potts and the entire Human Origins Program staff for creating an exhibit and educational environment that encourages serious and broad-ranging dialogue about what it means to be human in light of current knowledge about human evolution.” 

The workshop included large and small group sessions in which participants shared what they see as being the major stumbling blocks to learning about human evolution as well as strategies or tools that they have found helpful in overcoming these barriers in their own teaching. All the ideas were captured for later compilation and ongoing discussion by the group via a working group wiki. Doug is excited about the many types of excellent educational resources becoming available for the public and for the new connections he was able to make at the workshop. 

Kathy and Paul Arveson kindly invited Doug to stay the night at their home, and Doug enjoyed worshiping with them at the National Presbyterian Church on Sunday morning before returning to Rockford, IL. 

ASAers in Print 

CiS Member in Print 

Christians in Science (CiS) is the UK’s counterpart of the ASA. CiS Fellow Michael Poole has written The “New” Atheism: 10 Arguments That Don’t Hold Water (London: Lion Publishing, 2010). As a Visiting Research Fellow at King’s College London, his research interest is in the interplay between science and religion, with special reference to the educational context. His previous books include Science and Belief and Miracles: Science, Bible and Experience

Poole organizes the book around an analogy originated by the late atheist-turned-deist Antony Flew, writing of “10 leaky buckets” by which the “New Atheists” attempt to make their case. Included among the “leaks” that he analyzes are logical fallacies, the excluded middle, and Dawkins’ infinite regress. He concludes that each skeptical argument is individually defective, but that Dawkins and others present them as if the cumulative effect holds water. 

Near the end of the book, he summarizes, “So, apart from being more vociferous, what’s new about the ‘New Atheism’? This question, posed at the outset, is itself also the answer, albeit in a different tone of voice: ‘What’s new?’” 

Der Spiegel Interviews Dawkins 

Richard Dawkins’ recent book, The Greatest Show on Earth, has been translated into German. When a Der Spiegel interviewer asked him whether he had ever experienced a religious phase in his life, Dawkins answered, “Of course. I was a child, wasn’t I?” and cited the Apostle Paul’s statement, “When I was I child, I spoke as a child. But when I became a man, I put away childish things.” 

The interviewer asked his evaluation of the God Gene hypothesis, in which American geneticist Dean Hamer postulated that humans are genetically hardwired for religious faith. Dawkins replied, 

I’d prefer to say that we have a lot of genetic predispositions for a lot of psychological attributes, which can under the right circumstances add up to religion. But I’m also thinking of things like a predisposition to be obedient towards authority, which might even be useful under certain circumstances. Or a predisposition to be afraid of death or, when frightened, to run to a parental figure. These are all separate psychological predispositions which under the right cultural circumstances end up pushing one into a religion, whichever the religion of one’s cultural upbringing. I wouldn’t call it a God Gene. 

The entire interview is posted at www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,748673,00.html

Oldest US Church 

San Miguel Mission in Santa Fe, NM, was built in 1610. It is known as the oldest church in the USA. It was destroyed by fire in 1640, rebuilt in 1645, destroyed in the Pueblo Revolt of 1680 and rebuilt again in 1710. Archaeologists excavating around it have found human remains, animal bones, pre-Columbian artifacts and even a Spanish coin from the 1820s. They have also found Santa Fe black-on-white pottery from the 1300s. This church is an example of the mission churches built by the Spanish as they came through New Mexico. The nonprofit Cornerstones of Santa Fe began working on San Miguel Mission last year and expect to continue for two more years. Las Vegas Review Journal, March 28, 2011. 

Scientists Becoming Politicians 

In the journal Science, 25 Feb. 2011, Andrew Leavitt of the Dept. of Laboratory Medicine at U. Cal San Francisco had a letter to the editor titled “A Vote for Scientists as Politicians” (p. 1010). He said that our society needs people trained in science to serve in the political arena to help with policies at local, state and federal levels. Vernon Ehlers, now retired from serving in Congress, said the same thing. The community needs to support such career ambitions. Maybe some ASAers should think about this possibility. 

App Inventor Needs Prayer 

Allen Wright, 18 years old, from Citrus Heights, CA, created the iPhone app called “A Note to God” which allows app users to post their prayers. In early March, he was injured in a hit-and-run accident while walking to a friend’s house and was in a coma for eight days. His father requests app users to pray for him. More than 9,200 people downloaded the app and posted prayers for Allen in the first eight days after his accident. This app made headlines in 2009 and currently 200,000 prayers have been submitted. This allows users to anonymously post prayers and to read the prayers of others. OneNewsNow, March 18, 2011. 

Congratulations, Long-time ASA Members! 

Celebrating 40 years of membership 

J. Richard Arndt 

Robert J. Bartholomew 

W Don Beaver 

Robert Brown 

John W. Burgeson 

John E. Carey 

Mildred V. Carlson 

Patrick E. Guire 

Charles E. Howard 

David H. Ives 

H. Newton Malony 

Alan W. Pense 

Martin L. Price 

Pattle Pun 

Dale Ritter 

Herman R. Schoene 

Arnold W. Sodergren 

Robert E. Sundell 

Ronald J. Vos 

Ray D. Walton Jr. 

This Space Reserved … 

to report what you’re doing. Please send the information to either editor, using the contact information in the box on page 2. 

Eco-Friendly Seminarians 

Princeton Theological Seminary has a student group, ECOS (Environmentally Conscious Organization of Seminarians) which challenges seminarians to commit to making one sustainable lifestyle choice each week. At the end of the month, they gather over an organic meal to reflect on their experiences. The seminary began this group for students “who love God’s creation and take very seriously our covenantal responsibility to its well-being.” They work with faculty, staff, and other students to make the campus more sustainable and to equip future pastors with tools to apply these efforts in their communities. ECOS members apply their goals on campus, including working on the community garden, and they exchanged over 150 incandescent light bulbs on campus for energy-saving efficient bulbs. 

Bible and Archaeology Fest 

On Nov. 18–20, 2011, the 14th Annual Bible and Archaeology Fest will be held in San Francisco. Since 2011 marks the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible, it will be the featured topic, with Biblical Archaeology Review columnist Leonard Greenspoon as the featured speaker. In a 2005 Bible Review article, he said, “In my opinion, a copy of the King James Version belongs in every household. And this holds true not only for Protestants, but also for Roman Catholics and Orthodox Christians, Jews, adherents of other religions, and believers in none. The KJV is not just an English classic, it is the English classic, and everyone should have easy access to its elegant diction and cadence.” 

Other scholars in biblical archaeology from around the world will share their latest discoveries. There will be ample time for interaction with attendees. Contact Biblical Archaeology Society at 1-800-221-4644, ext. 208 for complete details, or email travelstudy@bib-arch.org 

Power of Meditation 

The Mind and Life Institute had a Summer Research Institute in Garrison, NY, last summer with 163 attendees. They have grant support from the John Templeton Foundation. Their 2010 seminar focused on “developing a secular scientific foundation for introducing contemplative practices into public educational settings. The goal was not religious instruction, but rather discovering ways to promote personal resilience among students and to decrease behavior that leads to educational and social failure.” 

Their scholars are compiling evidence showing that particular contemplative practices can lead to improved health, better cognitive development, and greater happiness, among other things. Richard Davidson, lead scientific adviser of the institute and prof. of psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, has studied the effects on brain function of long-term meditative practice. He thinks that in many ways, humans have the ability to reshape their brains and that possibly by 2050 mental exercise will be as important as physical exercise. 

Drew Rick-Miller, a senior program officer at the Templeton Foundation, says that the work that the Mind and Life Institute is doing “to bridge the gap between religious practitioners and the scientific studies of those practices” is important to the Foundation. He states that Sir John was very interested in how we use our minds and character to change things. Templeton Report, Sept. 8, 2010. 

Institute for Science and Judaism 

The Institute for Science and Judaism was founded in 2008, committed to expanding the understanding of the interface between science and Judaism, including how science can expand spiritual horizons and its philosophical and educational implications. The institute’s mission is to educate and inspire the community through lectures, workshops and conferences and by developing and distributing educational materials for use in Jewish institutions. It hopes to inspire poets and lay people to create Jewish liturgical materials that embrace science. Francis Collins has been a speaker at this group, headquartered in Bethesda, MD. See scienceandjudiasm.blogspot.com.
* Paul Arveson 

With the Lord 

Howard H. Claassen died Dec. 27, 2010, at age 92. He grew up in Hillsboro, KS, and earned his BA at Bethel College in Newton, KS. He earned a PhD in physics at the U. of Oklahoma and had a post-doctoral appointment at Ohio State U. In 1952 he and his family moved to Wheaton, IL, where he was a professor at Wheaton College until retiring in 1980. He also worked at the Argonne National Laboratory and Hebrew U. in Jerusalem as a Guggenheim Fellow, specializing in Raman spectroscopy. In 1964 he and two Argonne colleagues were awarded the Rosenberger Medal for work leading to the preparation of the first stable compound of xenon, which had previously been considered inert. 

While at Wheaton he established the Human Needs and Global Resources (HNGR) program, which sends students for six-month internships to developing countries. He introduced a number of students to ASA and nominated ASA Executive Director Randy Isaac for Fellow. 

In 1989 he and his wife moved to Tacoma, WA, and he helped Habitat for Humanity for ten years with his carpentry and plumbing skills. He single-handedly built a solar home in the mountains near Ashland, OR. He was very active in church choirs, contributing his rich baritone voice, often as a soloist. He is survived by his wife, Esther, 3 children, 5 grandchildren, and 7 great-grandchildren. 

With the Chapters 

·                     On April 2, 2011, Westmont College physiologist Jeff Schloss spoke to the Southern California chapter on “Human Genome, Human Origins, Human Nature,” preceded by a potluck dinner. 

Jeff explained how recent advances in the biosciences relate to theological understandings of human origins, behavior, and uniqueness. He reviewed genetic evidence supporting the origin of humans from a single small population and the common mitochondrial origin of Jews about the time of Sarah. After presenting possible approaches to the theological question of Adam and Eve, he discussed the complex contemporary picture of the genetic determination of human behavior and its implications for understanding human nature and the Fall. E.g., genetic evidence for a “God Gene” is very weak, while evidence for a monogamy gene seems credible and is growing. 

Jeff concluded by describing how mainstream biologists have found human nature to be anomalous in terms of how humans engage in altruistic behavior. * Stephen Contakes 

·                     On April 7, 2011, ASA Executive Director Randy Isaac spoke to the Wheaton/Naperville, IL, chapter on “Science and the Question of God.” Referring to the model of “God’s Two Books,” his works and his Word, he said any perceived conflicts between the two volumes are due to human misinterpretation. Problems occur when seeking truth in one book while ignoring the other. 

He differentiated evolution from evolutionism. The latter is a theological extrapolation from the scientific theory of evolution, in which scientific explanations allegedly replace God and justify atheism. 

What Warfare? 

In the late 19th century, several scholars forcefully denounced religion in the name of science, using the metaphor of “war.” They used second- and third-hand sources, and their premises have been discredited. But they have had a major influence on elite schools. 

Randy commended a well-documented book that he hopes can be “the obituary of the [warfare] myth”—Galileo Goes to Jail and Other Myths about Science and Religion, by Ronald L. Numbers (Harvard University Press, 2009). 

Science has no definitive answer to the question of God. He cited George Murphy’s advice to read the Bible first and to use it as the standard by which to interpret all other data: 

Jesus Christ’s incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection are the bases for understanding nature, the book of God’s works. The Creator became part of his creation; the Incarnation is not an afterthought or a means of salvaging a good creation, but God’s plan for his creation. 

God’s plan of redemption resonates throughout nature, bringing order from chaos, good from evil, and life from death. 

·                     The DC Metro chapter has just been chartered and will hold its first meeting May 3, 2011. For details, e-mail Paul Arveson (asa@arveson.com) or Dick Fischer (dickfischer@verizon.net

The Newsletter of the ASA and CSCA is published bimonthly for its membership by the American Scientific Affiliation. Send Newsletter information to the editors: David Fisher, 285 Cane Garden Cir., Aurora, IL 60504-2064. E-mail: dfisherasa@gmail.com and Margaret Towne, 8505 Copper Mountain Ave., Las Vegas, NV 89129. E-mail: TowneMG@aol.com. Both receive e-mail through asan@asa3.org 

Please send Canadian matters to: CSCA, PO Box 63082, University Plaza, Dundas, ON, Canada  L9H 4H0. 

Send address changes and other business items to the American Scientific Affiliation, 55 Market St., PO Box 668, Ipswich, MA 01938-0668. Phone: (978) 356-5656; FAX: (978) 356-4375; E-mail: asa@asa3.org; Website: www.asa3.org 

©2011 American Scientific Affiliation (except previously published material). All rights reserved. 

Editors: David Fisher, Margaret Towne
Managing Editor: Lyn Berg