NEWSLETTER

of the 

AMERICAN SCIENTIFIC AFFILIATION - CANADIAN SCIENTIFIC & CHRISTIAN AFFILIATION

 VOLUME 19, NUMBER 4        AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 1977

TO EDITOR NAUGHT TO EDIT?

... That is a question. The ant, Sir? Yes, the biblical ant could teach the Newsletter editor a thing or two ("you lazy fellow," Prov. 6:6-11 LB). But it wasn't procrustean proclivity to procrastinate that procreated this latest lateness. It was more like a miscalculation.

Who'd have thought that after leaving Aug. 12 for the ASA Annual Meeting, the Weary Old Editor (WOE is me) wouldn't be back in Berkeley by now--September 24?

Fortunately we're near enough to Elgin to deliver this makeshift copy to the Elves by hand. Where is the real copy, everything you wanted to know about ASA/CSCA members, the ideal job listing, red hot news of your section's latest clambake, the next episode in your favorite HOW TO series? In Berkeley, of course, in a pile probably flowing out of that big box marked Incoming Mail.

Would that editor and all that mail were together, especially since the Aug/Sept issue failed to appear way back in August. (The fact is that the Hearns are in Wheaton doing editorial work for Tyndale House, waiting for Ginny to enter a Milwaukee hospital for gynecological surgery. Prayers, please.) Meanwhile, here's the best we can do from notes we're still lugging around in our briefcase one month after one of the best ASA Annual Meetings ever.

NYACK BY KAYAK

You could have come that way, since Nyack College looks out from its wooded hillside campus over the mighty Hudson River. Or even by yak back, across the Tappan Zee Bridge from Tarrytown or Briarcliff Manor.

Actually most of us came by turnpike or dropped from the blue (by skyjack?), generally at the wrong airport. New Jersey's Newark was much more convenient to Nyack, New York, than either Kennedy or LaGuardia airports, especially during rush-hour traffic. But Mike Sonnenberg of Nyack College, local arrangements chairman, had commandeered enough cars and chauffeurs from the New York Metropolitan local section to bring all the lost sheep into the fold.

Final count of registrants at the 1977 ASA Annual Meeting was 188, give or take a few who may still be wandering around J. F. Kennedy airport, or whose kayak may have sprung a leak.

HIGH ON PIKESPEM

With so many bad puns already we won't call "Pike speaking" a mountain-top experience. But Kenneth Pike, director of Wycliffe Bible Translators' Summer Institute of Linguistics for many years and retiring professor of linguistics at the U. of Michigan, is so full of fresh ideas and has such a way with words that all who heard his three major addresses at Nyack felt stimulated and "elevated."

 Throughout, professor Pike built analogies on the linguistic distinction between phonetics and "phonemics." In phonetics a linguist learns to analyze speech patterns and classify sounds according to a scheme of universally applicable rules, a typical scientific procedure. But in practice Pike realized that unbridled phonetic analysis Sometimes led Wycliffe linguists "in the field" to come up with huge alphabets to record the speech of a previously unwritten language. So he invented "phonemics" as a way of cutting through masses of irrelevant detail to get at the meaning or message that transcend the technical phonetic apparatus. Phonemics thus deals with similarities in sounds--that is, with analysis of the way a variety of sounds is taken by a hearer to mean essentially the same thing.

Once you've thought of the "phoemic" distinction, many applications relevant to Christian faith come to mind (if you're Ken Pike). His Friday evening opening lecture.,  on "Conscience and Culture" dealt with distinctive levels of moral law, contrasting the Mosaic law (the Ten Commandments), the "law" in human hearts (conscience), and the universal "law of God" (the standard he has for all people in all parts of the world in all ages). Combining broad experience among different cultures with deep respect for God's Word, Pike argued for an "phoemic" universality of moral law (not corresponding exactly to the Mosaic law but also not relative to culture) as well as on 11-remic" culturally conditioned flexibility in the outworking of God's universal law.

 Is there anthropological evidence from human conscience for a universal moral law? Granted that its universality has been distorted as a result of human sin, has God's law been lost through cultural "noise" or can the universal theme yet be detected beneath the multitude of variations?

What angers people in different cultures? "Anger calibrates conscience" according to Pike. Taking a cue from Christ's words in Matthew 7:1-2, he argued that what a person gets mad- at in any culture can give the lie to a claim that "I didn't know it was wrong" about one's own immoral or unjust behavior. Pike fascinated his audience with dozens of illustrations from his cross-cultural experiences (among people ranging from headhunters to New Yorkers). But he also called on Affiliation anthropologists as well as Wycliffe translators to document scientifically the basis for anger in as many cultures as possible.

He gave credit to his wife and coworker, Evelyn Pike, for suggesting that how people give comfort to those in sadness should also be studied scientifically. The polemics of comfort might reveal an underlying positive aspect of moral law just as anger should reveal the negative aspect. Another area worthy of further study is the polemics" of persuasion, how people in a variety of cultures convince others of what to do, or of what is true. Pike pointed to the variety of styles of persuasion in the Bible, as in the different chapters of the Gospel of John, for example.

 To his second lecture on "Incarnation in a Culture," Pike continued to illustrate that God's universals are always worked out in a specific cultural context. "Local conscience leaves local people responsible to the universal moral law." Jesus was God incarnate in a specific culture, speaking a specific, low-prestige dialect. Pike sees the "good neighbor" and the "anti-neighbor" as probable universals, and suspects that a "hidden wistfulness for goodness" can be found even where it is commonly overridden by lust for power. The conflicting cultural ideals of goodness and power are both fulfilled in Jesus Christ.

Christians, who are to be "approximations of God in Christ" dare not let the gospel message be blocked by our cultural or linguistic arrogance. We must take on the burden  of, crossing cultural barriers with the message of Jesus Christ even though it makes us "look stupid," as when we babble in a language that is new to us. People will recognize us as scarred sinners and forgive us our stuttering. A major component of the message we bear, in fact, Is the act of humbling ourselves in the attempt to deliver It.
 
All these Ideas and more were summed up In Ken Pike's banquet address "On the Relation of the Absolute to the Relative." Illustrating how most evangelicals already disobey ,many specific scriptural commands on cultural grounds, Pike spoke of the "crushing load of culture" we all bear. But he also reminded us, as academically trained people, that to love God with our minds to part of the first great commandment. God is rational and doesn't expect machine-like behavior from us, nor does he respond that way himself. Defending the necessity for cultural relativism, Pike nevertheless hit hard at the "sentimentalism" of Fletcher's "situational ethics" and spelled out how his position, differs from that of Fletcher, To Pike, the first commandment (to love God)-must take precedence over the second (to love others); concern for the individual takes precedence over concern for the whole; etc.

"Jesus was not the unsophisticated peasant Fletcher takes him to be; no matter how distinguished we may be in our own disciplines, Jesus is our academic superior."

PROGRAM NOTES

Saturday sandwiched two simultaneous symposia between morning and evening lectures by Ken Pike. a "Big Mac" of a day. Frank Roberts of Delaware County Christian School In Pennsylvania, program chairman for the whole meeting and a paleontologist, gave the geology symposium special attention by participating in it himself. Frank and Wayne Ault of The King's College had also arranged outdoor geological field trips Friday and a Monday trip to Teledyne Isotopes, the commercial lab where Don Carr used to date geological specimens by radioactivity measurements. Don, who helps manage Tom Skinner Associates, was on hand to direct the tour. Good show.

("Backslidden" Dick Bube's paper on "Nature and Scripture" introducing the geology symposium had to be read. Beverly Hoyer, former pupil of Frank Roberts and now a geology major at Wheaton College. read the paper beautifully. Youthful Bev inspired old-timers Harold Hartzler and John Howitt who presently hold ASA attendance records: this was her second -Annual Meeting already and she's only a sophomore! Actually even younger folk were taking technical papers in their stride, including several students currently at Delaware County Christian School. Youngest scientist in
attendance seemed to be Brian Yamauchi. still in elementary school but an avid astronomer, according to his historian dad, Ed Yamauchi of Miami U. in Ohio.)

Papers by Andy Boettcher (back in the U.S. after visa restrictions kept him from continuing graduate work in New Zealand) and Larry Marks of Bryn Mawr led to vigorous discussion of uniformitarianism, catastrophism, plate tectonics, Velikovsky's ideas, etc. Boettcher commented that uuniformitarians begin with tight analogies and move into speculation, whereas catastropbtota tend to begin with speculation. Do catastrophist ever get back "to reality" to clean up the messy details?

Afternoon papers by Dan Wonderly and Mqyne Ault reviewed several methods by which the age of the earth has been shown to be very great indeed. Frank Roberts and Ralph Ellenberger of Nyack College then unearthed a gap-full of fossils from the lowliest marine thingamajig to Homo whatchacallit.

We sent a trusted reporter to cover the social science symposium going on simultansously. She came back reporting, in sum, that "all the papers were excellent' and the discussions absolutely fascinating." A look at their abstracts does remind one that Christian sociologists, psychologists, etc. are generally more aware than physical scientists of both the philosophical framework and the social implications of their work. Ron Burwell (The King's College), George Jennings (Geneva College), Purnell Benson (Rutgers U.), and Russ Heddendorf (Geneva) all dealt with the philosophical presuppositions with which social scientists work--and the clash of Christian and non-Christian presuppositions.

Lois Propst of Ohio U. and Walter Johnson, psychiatrist from Hanover, Mass., focused on psychotherapy as an area where presuppositions make a big difference in practice, not just in theory. We couldn't tell if our trusted reporter agreed with all that was said about therapies appropriate for mental-depreasion. She did come back full of epinephrine, however, from the debate over whether depression is basically a spiritual or a biochemical abnormality.

ATTENTION BOOKWORMS (AND TAPEWORMS)

Steve Calhoon of Houghton College, book review editor of the Journal of ASA, requests that all member-authors notify him of your forthcoming publications, or, better yet, have a copy of your book sent to him for review in the Journal.

The ASA book table at the Annual Meeting did a brisk business, by the way. So did the InterVarsity Press booktable, especially since they started giving a 50 percent discount. People were stocking up on books for their own libraries and on books and booklets to circulate and give away.

Hot off the press was the new IVP book by ASA authors Robert Newman and Herman Eckelmann, Jr. Entitled Genesis One & The Origin Of The Earth, it embodies Bob's (and "Eck's reconciliation of the biblical creation narrative with modern cosmology, and includes as an appendix Dan Wonderly's earlier ASA paper on non-radiometric methods of dating the earth.

A display copy of Davis Young's brand new book, Creation And The Flood (Baker), drew a lot of attention and mail orders after favorable mention by several geology symposium speakers. (Both books are available through the Elgin office.)

SCRIBBLES

First Things First: Marlin Kreider led devotions on Saturday morning, Norton Sterrett on Monday morning, both magnifying the God of creation and pointing to worship as our appropriate creaturely response. Bob Herrmann led a fine Sunday morning worship service at the college, a time of drawing closer together as followers of Jesus Christ.

Heroic Deeds: Bob Voss, employed in a nearby engineering firm, stayed up till 2 a.m. the night before the meeting making street signs to direct ASAers to the campus. Biologist Wayne Frair of The King's College left a convalescent h6me for the first time since his heart attack several months ago to attend the meeting. Lots of members
responded with contributions to Bill Sisterson's announcement that we're short $6,000 for the year and especially hard up at summer s end. Over $2,000 came in and was just enough to get us through to the fall dues billing.

Effective Collisions: Gil Dyrli of the U. of Connecticut and John Knapp of S.U.N.Y. Oswego. both professors of education, joyfully discovered each others' strong interests in popularizing science. Dan Wonderly of Oakland, Maryland, looking for a distributor for his privately printed book on nonradiometric earth-dating methods, met Don de Graaf of Flint, Michigan, who had just established "Crystal Press" to publish his own ph;7sics text and was looking for other books to publish or distribute. Helen Martin had the great fun of introducing Mr.(Peter) Hyde to Dr. (Jim) Jekel of Yale Medical School.

From Far and Near: Printed programs, mailed to all preregistrants, were also mailed to all members (and prospective members on ASA's "peripheral list") within a 200-mile (320 km) radius. That mailing and our over-the-weekend format helped to draw people from the vicinity. Major factor, though, was probably the New York Metropolitan Section's active program in recent years. Who came farthest to the meeting? Berkeley was easily outdistanced by Ecuador: Judy Maxwell. a Wycliffe worker in Quito from Gloucester, England, learned from Merlyn Bilhorn of Connecticut that Ken Pike was speaking, and discovered ASA in the process. But the real long-distance award probably goes to Sam Chao. Sam has a Th.M. from Princeton but is now back in Taiwan-and that's a long way to come, even for an outstanding Annual Meeting!

NIBBLES

There's no way we can give you a taste of all the goodies in the smorgasbord of papers presented Sunday afternoon and Monday morning. Our trusted reporter, covering the other simultaneous session, generally came back saying "Oh. you should have heard that one!" We couldn't hear but half of them, of course, and couldn't adequately summarize even that half in the Newsletter.

One session Monday dealt largely with the philosophy of science. Michael Peterson (Roberts Wesleyan) discussed Humean ontology; Bob Knudsen (Westmister Seminary), Dooyeweerdian transcendentalism; Jim Neidhardt (N. J. Institute of Technology), Polanyian epistemology; and W. D. §tengl (Gordon College), mathematical abstraction.

The other Monday session also had a focal point, the question of origins asked from both scientific and theological viewpoints. Wheaton College physicist Howard Claassen made a noble effort to get "young-earth" and "old-earth" Christians to respect each others's viewpoints, partly by acknowledging that a given object could have two real ages. (Is that helpful?) Deryl Johnson (Warner Southern College), largely from unpublished sermons and lecture notes of B. B. Warfield, reviewed that famous evangelical theologian's rapprochement with evolutionary science during his 1887-1921 tenure at Princeton Seminary. William James (not the philosopher-psychologist but a physiologist and director of the International Medical Education Association in Colorado) emphasized the mathematical improbability of life's origin through natural processes (at least on the basis of present knowledge).

The Sunday afternoon sessions were much more variegated. Don Munro (Houghton College) read a paper by Dennis Ridley (S.U.N.Y., Geneseo) on the relation of creativity and orthodoxy, with applications for "strategies" in both scientific work and Christian faith. Ed Woodside of California discussed early Greek studies of the "theory of grammar" and their significance for our understanding of the New Testament.

Jim Wetterau of Glendale, New York, drew on his experience with the vast computer networks of N. Y. Telephone Company to call attention to ethical problems at almost every level of computer systems development.

Several papers drew strong reactions pro and con. Jim Jekel's analysis of the U.S. health care system caused a stir among some other physicians in attendance when he placed medical care last in importance to health (after nutrition, sanitation, and overall behavior). Alf Barrow, an Illinois psychologist, gave a helpful analysis of homosexuality from a Christian viewpoint but the intertwining of moral and medical aspects always seems to stir up many questions. Adrian Clark of Alabama gave another of his frankly speculative papers on psycho-spiritual subjects, this one on "Biblical communication devices"; most of his listeners squirmed at his classification of the Holy Spirit as a "device." ASA's peripatetic pedagogue, Harold Hartzler gave a progress report on his 1976-77 lecture tour, in which he gave approximately 100 lectures on science and the Bible. Harold confessed that he had more lecture titles than lectures--but so far he's been able to come up with a lecture for each title when requested and response has been encouraging.

QUIBBLES

"It's not like the good old days." That's what one member of an earlier generation was mumbling as he vainly searched for the intellectual "action" late at night in the dorm lounges. "In my day, sonny, there'd have been arguments going on all night after some of those papers! Watsamatter with this younger generation? No spunk!"

Sorry, Old Timer. Times change, that's all. There's plenty of action, but it's more focused now. Sunday evening was devoted to give-and-take sessions, for instance. some planned ahead and others erupting from unfinished discussions after controversial papers. Topics and locations posted on the lobby bulletin board (sometimes with an outline or specific questions) drew the people keenly interested and generally informed on the subject. Result: more light, less heat. Energy conservation!

There were small open-ended discussions on campus witness (convened by IVCF faculty representative Charlie Hummel and regional director Terry Morrison) and on linguistic questions (Ed Woodside). A psychology session (Lois Propst) got stalled in a quagmire on "altered states of consciousness," we heard, but a spontaneous session on health care problems (Jim Jekel) took off like a rocket.

Several "working" sessions had practical results in mind. ' Paul Arveson of the Naval Research Lab in Maryland showed his superb "Astronomy Update" production and then exchanged experience with others interested in producing multimedia presentations.

One of the larger sessions, convened by Dan Wonderly to explore ways of "communicating information on the age-of-the-earth issue," drew up a list of actual projects to work on.

Dave Saunders, a U. of Michigan research scientist, convened an impromptu session for research scientists, engineers in industry, and others not responsible for classroom teaching. Their discussion of spiritual, personal, and ethical dilemmas in technical work led to concrete suggestions for the program for the 1978 Annual Meeting.

That's the kind of "action" we like to see.
DRIBBLES

It was easy to identify drought-stricken Californians even though name tags generally didn't reveal one's home state. The Californians were the ones standing awestruck as gentle rains watered already lush green grass--and the ones who didn't flush after each use.

Membership report (ASA and CSCA combined): 160 Fellows; 1,900 Members; 600 Associates. Total, 2,660 (plus about 800 nonmember subscribers to JASA).

Guelph, Ontario, is now officially recognized as a local section, Canada's second. Future "possibles" are Seattle (Washington), Vancouver (B.C.), and Denver (Colorado) areas. It takes a minimum of about 25 members in a reasonably compact area to sustain a local section, judging from past experience. The Elgin office gladly offers help in recruiting that 25, then in organizing a section.

The annual banquet was a full-scale production: a lavish smorgasbord; potpourri of vocal entertainment; Jack Haas's not-so-formal presidential remarks (assisted by his cartoon friend, "B.C."); Ken Pike's concluding address. Almost too much for one evening, calorie-wise and otherwise. Sleepy robins had three shrikes against lem,and were getting bittern by the finch of the program, but it was a lark for the owls (and ornithologist Frank Cassel missed it!).

HOPE FOR THE FUTURE

HOPE COLLEGE in Holland, Michigan is the site of next year's ASA ANNUAL MEETING, with the Western Michigan local section as hosts. Mark AUGUST 11-14, 1978, on your calendars now. Besides the usual (and unusual) contributed papers on whatever subjects Affiliation members have on our minds, serious attention will be given to the meeting's serious theme: "Christian Stewardship of Natural Resources."

Symposia, discussion groups, book table, even field trips will fit in with the theme. So will the major addresses by our featured speaker, Dr. Clark Pinnock. professor of systematic theology at McMaster University Divinity College in Hamilton, Ontario.

Beyond Hope? The discernible pattern is east (New York 1977) to central (Michigan 1978) to west. The San Francisco Bay Area section will host the 1979 ASA Annual Meeting on the campus of Stanford University (the Lord willing and the California drought breaking).

AND NOW, BACK TO OUR REGULAR FEATURES

Barring complications (surgical and otherwise), the editor should soon be back on the job. In fact, the Oct/Nov issue might even be in press before you're through reading this one. Then we'll be back on our regular publication schedule and back to our regular features: PERSONALS, for instance (keep those "pink postcards" coming, folks); PEOPLE and POSITIONS, looking for each other; and our various HOW TO series.

We were tempted to pad this issue with little-known facts of science (pulled out of the air like those in your typical competitor's research progress report). But the thought of those upright little ants toiling honestly away in Proverbs 6 kept us from it. We never got beyond inventing a few headlines, slight variations on our usual themes:

HOW TO CREATE SOMETHING OUT OF NOTHING (to "bara" a Hebrew phrase)

HOW TO FALL INTO A COMPOST PILE AND COME UP SMELLING LIKE A ZUCCHINI

HOW TO SERVE MANKIND (A series of recipes sent in by any of our members who happen to be cannibals



TORONTO

We know what happened at the August 20 meeting only because the Newsletter editor himself was the speaker. The meeting was held at the magnificent Ontario Science Centre, an exhibit hall and "hands-on" museum of science enshrined in a remarkable piece of architecture, worth a whole day's visit any time you're in Toronto.

,Walt Hearn and wife Ginny were on their way from Nyack to speak at the IVCF Holiday Conference ("Grad Camp") north of Toronto. They stayed in Toronto in the travel trailer in which CSCA president Dan Osmond and Faith had hauled their family (four kids) all the way to Vancouver and back, encouraging CSCA members along the way. For Saturday, Ian Taylor had arranged a picnic lunch on the Science Centre grounds and free entry to the Centre for the day. Walt's topic was "The Christian as a' Scientist." He outlined three areas in which CSCA/ASA members can bear effective witness: (1) To the world as a whole by the work we do and the way we do it; (2) To Christians in particular by the way we think as scientists; and (3) To be Christians in particular by the way we demonstrate wholeness in our lives. Walt, feeling somewhat as the apostle Paul must have felt at the Athenian Aeropagus, said he was privileged to deliver a Christian sermon in the Science Centre, a "Temple to the (as yet) Unsolved Equation."

GUELPH

Canadians get things done. That's our impression on hearing at Nyack of the new Guelph section and a week later seeing a copy of their own local section newsletter! Their first executive officers are all faculty of the U. of Western Ontario: chairman Gerald Hofstra (environmental biology); vice chairman D. Butler (clinical studies); secretary Steven Scadding (zoology); and treasurer Ernest Davison (engineering).

The Guelph Newsletter already goes to a mailing list of about 60 people. For openers, the section is at work preparing a short basic reading list of books on science and religion and is encouraging each member to write a statement of personal integration of science and faith. Contact with student leaders has brought requests for guidance and encouragement of university students along these lines.

MINUTES OF THE ASA EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETING 15 August, 1977 at Nyack College

(Editor's Note: It was voted by the Executive Council to publish a report of the minutes of their meetings in the Newsletter. In the past the minutes were only sent to the Fellows, but in the interest of having a more informed membership it was felt that it would be valuable for all members to see the minutes.)

Called to order at 1:10 p.m. Present: Buswell, Carpenter, Claassen, Haas, Weiss, Sisterson, Hearn. Opening Prayer: A round of prayers included expressions of thankfulness for the hospitality at Nyack and for a good meeting, and prayers for wisdom about the future ministries of the ASA. Approval of Minutes: The minutes of the April 1 and 2, 1977 meeting were approved without change.

Items of Business

1. Current Finances. Income is lowest during the months of September and October, and it will be difficult to meet all necessary bills. However, with the special offering of $1100 at the Nyack meeting, and with a few life memberships, it may be possible to pay bills. If it becomes 'necessary, Sisterson and Classen are authorized to seek a short-term loan not to exceed $3000. The increased dues income in later months is expected to cover the deficit.

2. Special interest Groups. Bill Zuspan, who teaches at Drexel University, has a strong interest in organizing Christian engineera and industrial scientists for purposes of fellowship and discussions of ethical problems encountered
on the job.

After some discussion, it was agreed that the ASA is strongly interested in helping such special interest groups. The implementation procedure seems to be to arrange special interest symposia at the annual meeting and, to some extent, at local section meetings. The council member should take the initiative in inviting persons to arrange symposia. Less formally-structured discussions, such as those
arranged for Sunday night at Nyack, will also serve this general need.

The council agreed that the primary concern of the ASA is in relating basic science and-the Christian faith, but that it is highly appropriate to encourage discussions relating to applied science.

3. The Newsletter. Council members expressed enthusiastic approval of the Newsletter, and made suggestions as follows:

Buswell suggested a brief index in a box on the cover page,

Carpenter suggested that financial information be included twice a year.

Claessen suggested that an occasional humorous cartoons be included, such as those shown by Haas at the banquet.
The next issue should include a significant report of the annual meeting.

The council affirms the policy of publishing six issues per year.

After some discussion about the desirably of involving more members in thinking about the needs of the ASA, Lhe following resolution was moved, seconded, and passed unanimously:

Resolved that we begin the practice of publishing a report of council meetings in the Newsletter, and that we terminate the practice of mailing copies of the minutes of council meetings separately to fellows.

4. The Journal, Council members expressed a firm consensus of appreciation of the high quality of the JASA, To overcome a complaint often heard from authors, efforts are underway to speed up publication of papers, and to keep authors informed about the status of their submitted manuscripts.

The council affirms the policy that Editor Bube has followed of accepting only papers that relate science and theology, and rejecting papers on only science and papers on only theology.

5. Travel Costs for Sisterson. The Pinto owned by ASA, and used by Sisterson, costs about 7 cents/mile in out-of-pocket expenses, and depreciation costs are 6 to 7 cents/mile. This seems satisfactory to the council.

6. Part-time help in the Elgin Office. The office is now caught up on all its backlog of work. This has been made possible through the diligence of Miss Parker, and by the help of Mrs. Sisterson, Bill's mother. Mrs. Sisterson has recently retired and moved to Elgin, and has spent many days working in the ASA office without pay. The council appreciates this contribution, and was unanimous in a hearty vote of thanks.

7. Retirement Plan for Sisterson and Parker. After the discussion in the previous council meeting, Sisterson made further comparisons between the Fixed Annuity now being utilized and the newly-available Individual Retirement Account plan. Upon recommendation by Sisterson, speaking also for Parker, the following resolution was moved, seconded and passed by the council: Resolved that we terminate our Retirement Plan with Minister's Life for both of our employees, and that we increase the salaries by the amount that we are now paying for retirement. This is done with the understanding that both employees will set up IRA accounts and contribute approximately 10% or more of their salaries, the change is to be effective Jan. 1. 1978.

8. Popular Newsletter. No action, but keep the idea on the back burner.

9. Tape-slide presentations. The people who watched the tape-slide presentation on modern astronomy prepared by Paul Arveson and shown at Nyack were highly complimentary. Sisterson is asked to write to Arveson and try to arrange for the council to view it at the November meeting. Hopefully, the one being prepared. by Chignell and Craven, Chicago Section, will also be shown then.

10. Fall Council Meeting. This will be Friday and Saturday, November 18 and 19. Sisterson will arrange the starting time.

A 90-minute break was taken at this time for dinner.

11, Relations with CSCA. After some discussion about the need for closer relatioship with our sister organization in Canada, CSCA, Sisterson was asked to write to Dan Osmond to invite the CSCA to send a representative to our council meetings.

12, It was decided to co it ourselves, through the Elgin office, to sell fifty copies of a book that is being printed based on the Wheaton, 1975 Conference on Human Engineering.

13. Membership Dues. After discussion, the following schedule of fees was


approved; Previous Fee Future Fee
Category (through 1977) (effective 1978)
Fellow's dues $25.00 $26.00
Member's dues 18.00 19.00
Assoc. Member's dues 13.00 14.00
Student Member's dues 5.00 5.00
(10.00 individual
Subscription 9.00 (15.00 library

14, Constructive criticisms. A letter written by Dr. Ian Kling to the council raised several points of constructive criticisms. These were discussed, and the council noted that such criticisms are valuable and appreciated.

15. ASA-produced Radio programs on science and theology. The idea is good, but is placed on the back burner for now.

16. JASA Reprints. Haas has sent a questionnaire to eight Christian colleges to determine an approximate market for sets of reprints. He should have responses to report at the November meeting. A print shop in Boston would print 80-page off-sets for under $2.00 each in orders of 1000.

17. Fund Raising. Foundation possibilities were discussed briefly. A large effort to attract foundation money does not seem feasible at this time. Sisterson volunteered to try personal contacts with individuals as one method of fund raising.

The goal will be to raise $10,000 in capital funds as seed money for the tape-slide project, the reprint project, etc. Council members should also solicit gifts and life memberships. These capital funds would have to be replaced by the end of year for use in future projects.

18. The 1978 Annual Meeting at Hope College. The broad subject to be emphasized is Scarcity. The featured speaker is Clark Pinnock. Sisterson will work with Bill Zuspan on arranging an engineer's symposium.

Claassen will ask Dr. Jack Sheaffer to arrange a symposium on plans for a cooperative community using maximum recycling and energy self-sufficiency.

Suggestions coming from the Nyack meeting for better future meetings:

We need a program coordinator who knows local restaurants.

Chairmen of sessions and devotion leaders should be listed on the program.

The special interest discussion groups should be publicized in advance, although last-minute additions are probably inevitable.

We need a break between breakfast and the first meeting.

Job openings and job applicants might advertise and get together at annual meetings.

The Council adjourned at 9:10 P.M.

Respectfully submitted,

Howard H. Claassen, Secretary


Notes from the National Office


There can hardly be a subject more pertinent to the purposes of our affiliation than that of the stewardship of natural resources. It arises out of clear Biblical teaching about man's duty to the world about him and a pressing current need that everyone in the world will be increasingly faced with. It is an issue that requires the efforts of every scientific discipline if a viable solution is to be found and the theoretical and ethical input of Biblical Christianity. With these requirements what group should be more involved than the ASA?

I personally feel a strong commitment to the editorial on this subject ("A Christian Affirmation on the Stewardship of Natural Resources") by Dick Bube in the most recent issue of the JASA. While this shouldn't be the only issue that we concern ourselves with, it seems to me it should be a central concern of ours. Let me know how you feel about this since it is important to have member input into the future priorities of the ASA,

As a visible sign of our concern for the use of natural resources, the 1978 Annual Meeting will be built around the theme of a "Christian Stewardship of Natural Resources.11 A top priority in this meeting is to ground ourselves-firmly on God's Word and our first action has been to invite a Biblical theologian, Clark Pinnock, to speak to us at length on our Christian basis for stewardship of resources.

More than than, of course, we want significant scientific input to the subject and will solicit your help on this as well as other specialists in the field not necessarily in the ASA, We invite you to consider what input you might have including the presentation of a paper from your own specialty perspective. I feel that virtually any ASA member can contribute to this theme because of the way it touches every person.

Beyond the meeting itself we need to consider what actions we should take both as individuals and collectively as an affiliation. I pray that God will give the ASA a specific project related to this theme that will genuinely reflect the concerns and gifts of our members. Such a project might be presented at the 1978 Annual Meeting and used as a focus of our concern in the years to come. Pray with me, won't you, that God will show us how we can specifically respond as a group of concerned Christians in the sciences. If you have suggestions please write to me so we can begin now to sort out God's plan for us in this area of pressing need.

Sincerely in Christ,

William D. Sisterson

Executive Secretary

NEW MEMBERS

CALIFORNIA
Casey Klimasauskas, 338 E. Mendocino, Altadena, CA 91001 BS - Math
Michael Pappas, 218 N. Ventura St., Anaheim, CA 92801 Student
Henry L. Richter, 178 W. Longden Ave., Arcadia, CA 91006 PhD - Chemistry
Don Sterk, 10120 Walnut, Bellflower, CA 90706 BS - Physics
Richard H. Brown, 4832 Pinemont Drive, Campbell, CA 95008
Robert McBride, Platt Campus Ctr., Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, CA 91711 Student
Robert Conkling, P.O. Box 125, Costa Mesa, CA 92660 BD - Theo.
Harold S. Wilson, 4330 N. Sixth St., Fresno, CA 93726 ThB - Archaeology
Richard C. Olsen, 9240-C Regents Road, La Jolla, CA92037 MS - Physics
Allen W. Fowler, 15455 Lassalette, La Puente, CA 91744 Student
Janet L. Dafoe, 418 Concord Dr., Menlo Park, CA 94025 Student
John Meninga, 1001 Northfield Ct., Modesto, CA 95350 BA - Physics
Robert K. Kawaratani, 408 Grant Ave. #207, Palo Alto, CA 94306 MA - Biology
Fred Ahrens, 372 Fanshaw, Pomona, CA 91767 Student
Lee Kroon, 6424 Lake Arrowhead Dr., San Diego, CA 92119
Bernard C. Abbott, 2025 Fair Oaks, So. Pasadena, CA 91030 PhD - Biophysics
Kirk B. Cassidy, 14251 Bledsoe, Sylmar, CA 91342 Student
Jean Toner, 1016 Drexel Circle, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360 Student
COLORADO
Stanley L. Haan, 1735 S. Corona St., Denver, CO 80210 BS - Physics/Math
Gerald L. Scheirman, 1305 W. Berry Ave., Littleton, CO 80120 BS - Physics
CONNECTICUT
John B. Laird, Yale Univ. Observatory, Box 2023 Yale Sta., New Haven, CT 06520 BS-Astro.
GEORGIA
Marshall Gillam, DeKalb Chr. Academy, 1985 LaVista Rd., NE, Atlanta, GA 30329
Carl R. Nave, Rt. 5, 1507 Moody Lane, Austell, GA 30001
HAWAII
Daniel Chung, 3031-L Nihi St., Honolulu, HI 96819 Student
Edwin T. Sakoda, 3310 Makini St., Honolulu, HI 96815
ILLINOIS
James Smith, 1675 Marywood, Apt. #101, Aurora, IL 60505 BS Biology
Edward Rosenwinkel, 1446 S. 58th Ave., Cicero, IL 60650 BS Physics/Math
Gary A. Neudahl, 1310 Clayton Marsh Drive, Lake in the Hills, IL 60102 BA - Chem.
Peter Hartwell, 21231 Butterfield Pkwy., Matteson, IL 60443 BS
Glenn L. Stahl, 434 N. Austin Blvd., Oak Park, IL 60302 PhD - Chem.
Chris R. Mondello, 1921 N. Lewis Ave., Apt. 113, Waukegan, IL 60085
Henry D. Tazelaar, 1501 S. Portsmouth, Westchester, IL 60153 BS - Biology
Christopher J. Austin, 1438-A Woodcutter Lane, Wheaton, IL 60187 BS - Biology
Sally Bushhouse, 1003 Scott Street, Wheaton, IL 60187 BS - Biology
Beverly Hoyer, Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL 60187
David C. Thompson, 201 N. President, Apt. 3-D, Wheaton, IL 60187 BS - Biology
INDIANA
Gordon H. Fricke, 1925 N. Mitthoefer Rd., Indianapolis, IN 46229 PhD - Chem.
Julian D. Newhouse, 1800 Garden St., West Lafayette, IN 47906 BA - Political Sci.
KANSAS
Guy M. Grabau, 2532 Ousdahl, Lawrence, KS 66044 Student
Rowland Shank, Prairie View Mental Hlth. Ctr., Box 467, E. lst St., Newton, KS
KENTUCKY
David W. Terhune, 237 Forest Park Road, Lexington, KY 40503 BS - Biology
David C. Randall, 2093 Williamsburg Ave., Lexington, KY 40504 PhD - Physiology
MARYLAND
Virgil L. Whitaker, 5121 Saratoga Ave., Bethesda, MD 20016
Marion Man-Ying Chan, 4218 Knox Rd., Apt. A, College Park, MD 20740 BS - Microbiology
Alex F. Perge, 715 So. Belgrade Road, Silver Spring, MD 20902
Charles W. Lucas, Jr., 4511 Poppe Place, Temple Hills, MD 20031 PhD - Physics
MASSACFUSPTTS
Jeff Chinn,'-dll Hodgdon Hall, Tufts Univ., Medford, MA 02154 Student
Elizabeth Cole, 661 Pearse Rd., Swansea, MA 02777 BA - Biology
Kenneth A. Berg, 156 School St., Waltham, MA 02154 BA - Biology
Harry A. Lusk, Jr., 63 Cedar St. #2, Waltham, MA 02154 Student
Torrey B. Olsen, 39 Plain Rd., Wayland, MA 01778 BS - Geology
MICHIGAN
Kenneth R. Acheson, 200 N. Cass St., Berrien Springs, MI 49103 PhD - Psych.
J. Mailen Kootsey, Andrews Univ., Dept. Physics, Berrien Springs, MI 49103 PhD Physics
Cathy Mae Bolt, 429 Six Mile Rd., NW, Comstock Park, MI 49321 BS - Math/Physics
Thomas Nanninga, 13433 48th Ave., Coopersville, MI 49404 Student
David Wendt, 1620 Andover SE, E. Grand Rapids, MI 49506 BS - Pre-Med
James McCue, 803 E. Grand River, E. Lansing, MI 48823
Timothy Wynsma, R.R.1, Ellsworth, MI 49729 BS - Biology
Abbey Gantenbein, 440 Logan St. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505 Student
Berry Jonker, 1906 Rowland SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49506 BA - Physics
Cathy Selvius, 2065 Ridgewood SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49506 BS - Biology
Dale Van Stempvoort, 744 Adams St. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49507 Student
James B. Veldkamp, 1417 Edgewood SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49506 BS - Pre-Med
John W. Zwart, 835 Alexander SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49507 BA - Physics/Math
Timothy Zwier, 1200 Bates SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49506 BS - Chemistry
Marvin Fields, 4440 Horton Road, Jackson, MI 49201
Ralph Ford, III, Rt. 1, Upper Silver Lake, Mears, MI 49436 EdD - Psychology
Bruce Hyma, 2091 S. Manitou, Muskegon, MI 49441 AB - Biology
Kenneth C. Katerberg, 201 Leroy, SW, Wyoming, MI 49508 AB - Physics
MISSISSIPPI
Mary B. Neill, Box 686, Laurel, MS 39440 BA - Biology
MISSOURI
Jeffrey P. Tillinghast, 1714 Boneta Ave., Richmond Heights, MO 63117 BS - Biology
MONTANA
William, J, Fritz, 101 Helena Court, Missoula, MT 59801 MS - Paleobot.
NEBRASKA
Alan P. Derry, 1640 So. 21st Street, Lincoln, NE 68502 Student
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Vanessa S. Aspinall, Forest Park #K-2, Durham, N. H. 03824 Student
NEW JERSEY
Henry J. Halvorsen, 212 Scherrer St., Cranford, N. J. 07016
Rhoda G. M. Wang, 23 Chester Circle, New Brunswick, N. J. 08901
NEW MEXICO
William M. Moeny, 9109 Somervell Court NE, Albuquerque, N. M. 87112 MS-AAE
Mike DeYoung, General Delivery, Rehoboth, N. M. '87322 AB - Gen. Sci.
NEW YORK
Joseph 0. Schwalb, 54 Kalmia Street, East Northport, N. Y. 11731 BTh- Theology
John L, Gilbert, 46 Prospect Ave., Hewlett, N. Y. 11557 BA - Sociology
John Bloom, 429 Mitchell St., Ithaca, N. Y. 14850 BA - Physics
George P. Corey, 109 Walzford Rd., Rochester, N. Y. 14622 BS - EE
Donald D. Newmeyer, 400 Kendrick Rd., Apt. 680, Rochester, N. Y. 14620 MS - Math
NORTH CAROLINA
Tor P. Schultz, 3115 Douglas St., Raleigh, N. C. 27607 BS - Forestry
Joseph C. Tuttle, 308-A Roselle Court, Raleigh, N. C. 27610 BS - Math
NORTH DAKOTA
Stephen J. Settle, Physiol. & Pharm. Dept.,Un. of N.D. Grand Forks, N. D. 58202 MS-Zoal
OHIO
Robert E. Huston, Dept. of Psychol., Bluffton College, Bluffton, OH 45817 MA - Psych.
OKLAHOMA
J. T. Pento, Univ. of OK, 625 Elm Street, Norman, OK 73069
PENNSYLVANIi~
Richard Szucs, 13 Rittenhouse Road, Broomall, PA 19008 BS - Biology
David W. Lyter, 408 Floral Lane, Dauphin, PA 17018 Student
Frances J. Benham, 4501 Chester Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19143 PhD - Human Genetics
William R. Stover, 222 S. 3rd St. F1.4, Philadelphia, PA 19106 BS - Biology
John R. Wilson, 1409 Penna. Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15233 BSEd - Earth-Space Sci.
TENNESSEE
Stephen L. Lindsay, Dept. Biology, Memphis State Univ., Memphis, TN 38152 MS - Biology
TEXAS
E. Scott Middleton, Box 841, Corsicana, TX 75110 MD - Medicine
Russ Bush, III, SWBTS, Box 22176, Fort Worth, TX 76122 PhD - Philosophy
H. Wayne Sampson, Rt. 1, Box 139X, Greenville, TX 75401 PhD - Anat.
Scott Sayles, 2901 Helena Ave., Apt. 512, Nederland, TX 77627 Student
UTAH
'Fatrick Lester, 2866 Lancaster Drive, Salt Lake City, UT 84108
VIRGINIA
Theodore E. Byers, 6104 Beech Tree Drive, Alexandria, VA 22310 BS - Chem.
Kenard E. Smith, Dept. of Geog., 244 Henderson Hall, V.P.I. & S.U. Blacksburg, VA 24061
Michael V, McCabe, Rte. 1, Box GL-47, Ruckersville, VA 22968 MSEd-Sec.Ed. /PhD - Geog.
WASHINGTON
E. Lawrence Gulberg, 7419 NE 145th St., Bothell, WA 98011 BS - Chemistry
Jim Seibert, 3621 Oakes, Everett, WA 98201
Raymond J. Struthers, 19123 34th Dr. S.E., Bothell, WA 98011 MA - Psych & Counseling
Davis B. Nichols, 14411 SE 183rd, Renton, WA 98055 PhD - Physics
DeLyle M. Ellefson, 7312 Vashon Pl. S.W., Seattle, WA 98136 BS - Physics
John R. Hanley, 5020 18th NE, Seattle, WA 98105 MA - Archy
Tim Kelly, 5214 35th Ave. N.E., Seattle, WA 98105 BA - Chemistry
Lyle B. Peter, 6306 Beacon Ave. S., Seattle, WA 98108 PhC - Chemistry
Paul Swamidass, 4005 15th NE #204, Seattle, WA 98105 MBA - Business
Robert L. Tomlinson, Jr., 4730-20th N.E., Seattle, WA 98105 MS - Computer Science
Ronald J. Edgar, E. 2918 S. Riverton, Apt. #7, Spokane, WA 99207
WEST VIRGINIA
Bruce G. Nilson, 2587 University Avenue, Morgantown, W. V. 26505 BA - Psychology
 WISCONSIN
Mark R. Hovestol, Rte. 3, Box 380, Delevan, WI 53115 Student
Philip L. Skoglund, 1414 West Lawn Avenue, Racine, WI 53404 MS - Math
Thomas G. Franke, 4667 N. Wilshire Rd., Whitefish Bay, WI 53211 BS - Biology
CANADA
Larry T. Winstone, 228 Primrose Gardens, Edmonton, Alta. T5T ORI BSc - Physics
G. A. Kerr, 6779 Strathmore Avenue, Burnaby, B. C. V5E 3H8 L.S.T.
Leland Bertsch, Box 441, Swan River, Manitoba ROL UO
A. Bruce Broadbent %Zool. Annex 1, Dept. Environ. Biol. Univ. of Guelph, Guelph, Ont,
Gerald Hofstra, 72 Yorkshire St.N., Guelph, Ont. NlH 5B2 PhD - /NlG 2W1 MSc-Entomol-ogy
John Tucker, 480 Stone Road E., Guelph, Ont. NIH 6H8 Student7Plant Physiology
Richard T. Wukasch, 72 Yorkshire St. N., Guelph, Ontario MSc - Environ. Biology
Grace M. Anderson, 40, Third Ave., Kitchener, Ont. N2C lN6 PhD - Sociology
Ernest Davison, RR #1, Moffat, Milton, Ontario LOP IJO PhD - Mech. Eng.
Clare Fuller, 242 Gladstone, North Bay, Ontario BSc - Physics
Robert J. Van Exan, 2220 Marine Dr., Apt. 208, Oakville, Ont. L6L 5H1 MSc - Devel. Biol.
Philip Feeley, 194 Henderson, Ottawa, Ont. BSc - Biology
Martin Gibling, Unit 20, 1670 Kilborn, Ottawa, Ont. PhD - Geology
Mark Philpott, 540 Driveway, Ottawa, Ont. Student
Choon Eng P'Ng, 18 Henderson, Ottawa, Ont. Student
William R. Bates, 113 South Drive, St. Catharines, Ont. L2R 4V8 BSc - Biology
J. Higinbotham, Apt. 1022, 30 Charles St. W., Toronto, Ont. M4Y lR5 MSc - Physics
Ross Rains, 373 Melrose Ave., Toronto, Ont. M5M lZ6 Student
FOREIGN
Uriel Heckert, Rua Santo Antonio, 1079-Apto. 802, 36100 - Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais,
Francisco L. Neto, Rua Hungria 844/16, Sao Paulo, Brazil Student Brazil
Deborah L. Weaver, Inst. Ling. de Verano, Apdo. 22067, Mexico 22, D.F., Mexico BS-Biol.
Dennis A. Coles, 50 Grande Vue Road, Manurewa, Auckland, New Zealand BSc Geology
Jon R. Jacobson, P.O. Box 15, Auckland Park, Rep. of So. Africa 2006 BS Zoo/Chem.

GENESIS ONE AND THE ORIGIN OF THE EARTH, by Robert Newman and Herman Eckelmann, Jr. Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, 1977. 156 pp., paperback. List Price - $3.95; Member Price - $3.50. An excellent up-to-date presentation on current scientific theories of the creation of the universe and our planet and how they relate to responsible biblical interpretation. Authors take general position referred to as "progressive creationism." Referred to in this Newsletter (p.4).

CREATION AND THE FLOOD, by Davis A. Young. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1977. 217 pp, Hardback. List Price - $6.95; member Price - $6.25. Young challenges both theistic evolution and flood geology in this valuable up-date on geological inputs to the creation/evolution question. He presents "a careful and reasonable alternative that is both biblical and scientific." Referred to in this Newsletter (p.4).

To order books, send your check made out to the ASA to our Elgin office (5 Douglas Avenue, Elgin, IL 60120). Ask for the book(s) by title. Book(s) will be sent postage paid for the price indicated (no handling or postal charges) by return mail.