NEWSLETTER

of the

AMERICAN SCIENTIFIC AFFILIATION - CANADIAN SCIENTIFIC & CHRISTIAN AFFILIATION

Volume 24 Number 5  October/November 1982

"KEEPING UP WITH THE GENESES"

.. Is a lot easier after hearing V. Elving Anderson's lectures at the ASA Annual Meeting at Calvin College. Several hundred of us now know "intron" from "exon," even if the antics of "restriction endonucleases" went by us. Our brother in Christ, a highly respected geneticist, shared freely with us both his knowledge and wisdom. The 1982 keynote lectures touched on issues ranging from the origin of life to theological guidelines for gene therapy to the possibility of human cloning (low).

Coming just one year after Owen Gingerich's sweeping "landscape" of distant galaxies, Elving's detailed submicroscopic "not-so-still life" was particularly striking. We are fearfully and wonderfully made, and God is our maker, that's for sure.

Even at an intermediate dimensional level, an ASA Annual Meeting always seems hard to picture. A brief account should have appeared in Christianity Today by the time you're reading this. We might even make Time magazine. The Newsletter will try to bring you both content and "vibes" from this year's meeting. The Holy Spirit's vibrancy when ASAers get together is essentially indescribable, though, so plan to experience it yourself at next year's gathering.

Executive Director Bob Herrmann worked hard before and during the meeting, but afterward found himself exhilarated rather than exhausted. You can probably tell that from his report-or at least from what has survived attack by our "restriction editorialase."

We had a great time at Calvin, with 173 active participants by my tally, and over 50 at our Biology Teachers 'Workshop. If Annual Meetings are a kind of benchmark of the "state of the Affiliation," those four days of good fellowship and challenging ideas bode well for the future.

Here are some highlights of my "give and take" with theASA membership at the Annual Business Meeting:

1. At the Ipswich office our DECMate Word Processor is finding more and more jobs to do. A new Membership Directory is targeted for December. To put together our speakers bureau, however, we need to receive more than the 35 percent of the membership questionnaires than have been returned so far. Please get yours in to us.

2. Your Executive Director has traveled some 20,000 miles this past year-to meet you and sense your needs and desires. I've given 31 lectures on bioethics to illustrate the relevance of a Christian perspective to the modern world of science and technology. I've also taught one term of organic chemistry at Gordon College and shepherded a group of Gordon pre-meds in the direction of medical school.

3. Our interaction with Logos Bookstores has led to placement of our Journal and Reprint Collections on sale in about 50 of their stores located near colleges or universities. Do you have a Christian bookstore in your area that might be willing to stock ASA materials on a consignment basis?

4. Looking ahead to 1985, a second Oxford Conference, twenty years after the one that produced The Scientific Enterprise and Christian Faith (IVP, 1969), is being planned. One possibility is to follow a small, select conference with a larger, Annual-Meeting-like international conference, with presentation of both contributed papers and reports from the smaller conference. Another possibility isa"history of science" tour to various European cities to recall the interplay of Christian faith with the work of Galileo, Mendel, Faraday, Newton, and so on.

5. Closer to home, in our attempt to recruit new members we've found the names of prospects you've submitted on your questionnaires extremely useful. For instance, we registered over 60 new members in July 1982. We still have rather high membership turnover, even outside the student category, so we have a long way to goto realize the potential membership of ASA. Here's our present profile:

                                   SUBSCRIBERS

Regular subscribers           1,841               

Institutions                           382
Exchanges                            69               
Student subscribers 38

Total subscribers              2,330
 
Grand total for ASA 4,791                                CSCA 178

6. Review of the 736 questionnaires returned so far reveals surprisingly good representation in the industrial and university sectors of the science community. In a sampling of 121 members we found that 36 percent are associated with secular colleges and universities and 35 percent in industrial or health-professional positions. Perhaps it is time to re-evaluate our program to see how best to balance scholarship, evangelism, and ministry to the churches.

8. Finally, a "far-out" idea. We are exploring the possibility of a Christian counterpart to Carl Sagan's "Cosmos" television series, perhaps with our 1981 Annual Meeting speaker, Owen Gingerich, as the lecturer. Owen has already been featured on the "Nova" series on public television, and was a consultant for the "Cosmos" series. I think we could convince him to do it if we could find the resources.

The 38th ASA ANNUAL MEETING will be held AUGUST 5-7, 1983, at GEORGE FOX COLLEGE in NEWBERG, OREGON. (Note that the time is one weekend earlier than usual.) As local arrangements chair the Executive Council has appointed Hector Munn, chemistry professor at George Fox. Program chair will be David Willis, radiobiologist in charge of general science at Oregon State University.

The theme tentatively set for next year's meeting is "North American Resources and World Needs." The meeting's northwestern setting makes one think immediately of timber, fisheries, and mineral resources, but the Council has the broadest possible interpretation in mind. Symposia and contributed papers can address all kinds of resources and many needs: human resources, economics, political constraints, ecological factors, international stability, and so on.

If you have an idea for a symposium related to the theme, or a keynote speaker to suggest, please write to Dr. David L. Willis, 3135 NW McKinley Dr., Corvallis, OR 97330.

Dave Willis already has a good idea for transportation, after the pleasant trip he and Earline had from Portland to Chicago via Amtrak for this year's meeting. Bob Herrmann hopes to arrange group travel from the east and midwest for next year. The Amtrak trip, which provides three days of marvelous scenery, can be interrupted for a day at Glacier National Park. Maybe special excursion airfares can be arranged for those on tighter schedules. Let the Ipswich office know soon of your interest in group transportation to the 1983 ANNUAL MEETING, and Bob will get cracking on it.

I n the oldest section of Grand Rapids one can see a few well preserved homes of early 19th-century settlers. But Dutch influence can be seen all over, just from the number of Reformed churches or from the pages of "Van" names in the phone book.

We were tempted to print "Walter VanHearnsma" on our ASA name tag to try to pass as one of the locals-until we saw how much work they were doing. Local arrangements chair Dan Anderson (of Grand Valley State College in nearby Allendale) seemed to be everywhere, doing everything. Calvin physics prof John VanZytveld had rounded up a crew to make registration go smoothly, including his wife Carol, Karen DeBliek, Paula Kunnen, John Beebe, Laverne Triezenberg, Chris Hierristra, Jim Bosscher & wife Angie, plus Frank Fishman & wife Alice and Roland Constant & wife from Grand Rapids Junior College. Calvin people on the local committee were Enno Wolthuis on publicity, Bob Albers handling field trips, and Herman Broene, who made all kinds of arrangements for people needing transportation.

Some Calvin folk weren't around much for the meetings. For instance, we got in a couple of days early and called up physics prof Vernon Ehlers. It was a Tuesday, but not an ordinary Tuesday in the Ehlers household. It was election day, in fact, and Vern was running for a seat in the State Legislature. What's more, he got elected. That's the district where Gerald Ford got his start, so who knows where this mightlead?

The local Weather Committee came up with the finest midwestern weather in anyone's memory, the Calvin food service provided not only a great salad bar but even a make your-own soft-ice-cream cone machine, and Doris Anderson brought forth an endless supply of goodies for the coffee breaks throughout the meeting.

What's this "tulip" theology? We say "orchids to 'em" for hospitality.

What she saw and heard on Sunday morning was somewhat atypical in content and mode of presentation, but not in its focus on Jesus Christ. Mike Sonnenberg, biology prof at Nyack College in New York, showed an award-winning television program on burn reconstruction that told the story of his son Joel. The program described the pioneering work of the Shriners Burn Institute in Boston, which saved Joel's life three years ago.

Mike explained what happened back in 1979 when a truck slammed into cars lined up at a freeway toll plaza. Burned seriously himself, Mike was barely able to get 22-month-old Joel out of the flaming inferno of their car. Joel was covered with 3rd-degree burns or worse over 85 percent of his body. Mike's wife Jan (not in the car at the time) was trained as a nurse and knew how much pain Joel would suffer, and how disfigured he might be, if he lived. She realized that without a fierce desire on her part for him to live, he wouldn't make it. Finally she prayed for that will because "if Joel could still be the same inside, I knew God had given him a lot to share with the world." (Jan spent one day in Grand Rapids with Mike to talk to Zondervan Publishing House about a book based on their experience.)

Burn Institute personnel interviewed on camera readily credited the Sonnenberg's strong religious faith as a key factor in Joel's survival. With one hand gone and no fingers on the other, Joel was given an opposing "thumb" by new surgical techniques. Half of his skull is still dangerously exposed because a child's skull grows too fast for ask in graft to work. Joel has a kind of temporary "synthetic skin." bandaged to his head, held in place by what looks like a football helmet.

To help Joel adapt to life in his unique condition, the faith, hope, and love of both the immediate family and the whole Christian community are now needed more than ever. The importance of "the family of God" as a supportive network was one point Mike stressed after showing the videotape. "Without the help of our local church, Jan and I would be bankrupt neurotics," he said. He also stressed the importance of being spiritually prepared for whatever life brings. "It happened so fast and was so devastating. If we hadn't had a devotional life before the accident, there was no time to pick up the habit afterwards." Finally, Mike said the experience had affected his own spiritual life by helping him to value eternal things above temporal things. "Eternity?" he said poignantly. "After all this, I'm ready for it today."

Other morning devotions may have been less gripping emotionally but all pointed to eternal values. On Saturday John Cruzan of Geneva College in Pennsylvania read Psalm 104 from an ecologist's perspective, raising the perennial 

question of "preservation" versus "use" of the natural world. "Here the cedars of Lebanon are described as nesting sites for birds, not as timber," John pointed out. Passages about God taking care of certain species bring all kinds of questions about predator/prey and herbivore/plant relationships to an ecologist's mind. Most ASAers see the Creator as designing the whole ecological system, not "intervening" to tinker with survival of a particular species. But is "explanation" in the scientific sense even a secondary goal of Scripture? The Bible seems intended to stir us to praise God for "the wonders of creation." John said that a trip across a part of the country devoid of human occupants made him think of all the millions of creatures that did live there. He wondered, "Do they know what God has created? Can they appreciate this beauty, these wonders? Created in God's image, human creatures have been given a sense of awe and wonder-and the Bible to sharpen it and make sure we don't miss the point of "Who is behind it all."

On Monday Dan Anderson stepped out of his local factotum role to share some profound insights on the meaning of 11 glory," especially in John 1:14. Dan cited many passages of Scripture relating the "glory as of the only Son from the Father" to that Father-Son relationship itself. That is, to be 11 one in him," combining majesty and intimacy in a relationship not only perfect but transferable, is "glory." Most of us think of "glory" as some kind of shining perfection but seldom see that the absolute perfection of Jesus Christ's relationship with God is meant to be passed on to us. We "beheld his glory" when "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth And from his fullness have we all received, grace upon grace No one has ever seen God; the only Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he has made him known."

Friday morning the Biology Teachers Workshop began with devotions by Wayne Frair, biology prof at The King's College in New York and program chair for the whole Annual Meeting. Wayne read Hebrews 12:1-6 about the race we should run, looking to Jesus "the pioneer and perfecter of our faith" and aware of a crowd of witnesses who have run before us. Wayne pointed to runner Eric Liddell, hero of the 1924 Paris Olympic Games and of the movie "Chariots of Fire," as "one of us." The film correctly stated that Liddell went to China as a missionary (where he died at age 43 of a brain tumor in a Japanese internment camp, but didn't say that he went as a teacher of science, especially of chemistry. Wayne spoke of the discouragements all scientists face when we can't figure out why an experiment isn't working, don't have the right set-up, can't make sense of our data, or are tempted to quit or "cut corners" for some other reason. He left us thinking about all the scientists and Christians "looking over our shoulder," and exhorted us to be "steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain" (1 Corinthians 15:58).

Biology teachers from Christian colleges who came a day early seemed to think the Workshop organized by Houghton College biologist Don Munro well worth attending. Discussion of "Integration of Faith and Learning in the Biology Classroom" hit a high level of discernment in a paper by Al Smith (Wheaton) and responses by Larry McHargue (Southern California College of Costa Mesa), Charles Owens (King

College of Tennessee), and Dave Wilcox (Eastern College). Afterward, several small groups grappled with related philosophical questions (Must science be naturalistic in any broader sense than its exclusive focus on natural phenomena? Does a naturalistic approach keeponefrorn seeing or acknowledging purpose in nature? Might naturalism turn out to be a special caseof theism theway Newtonian physics turned out to be only a special case of quantum physics?). Some groups tried to bring their discussion down to earth by addressing classroom strategies (How much time should be given to the historical development of present ideas? Does Christian integration demand a strong personal dimension, including out-of-class concern for students' welfare?).

Such give-and-take went on at meals, during the coffee breaks, and in the dorm at night, of course. That's what ASA meetings are all about. The interesting thing is that some of the biologists had never been to an ASA Annual Meeting before, and some had barely heard of ASA. They had learned of the Workshop through the Christian College Coalition, which seeks to serve its 66 "Christ-centered" colleges in various ways. A number of biologists agreed that introducing them to ASA through the Workshop was one good way.

Karen Longman, a Ph.D. in higher education and program director of the Coalition, attended the Workshop and the ASA meeting. She explained that they had not done much in support of the sciences "because of ASA's fine work in that area." She was impressed with the Biology Workshop and said the Coalition would be glad to cooperate by spreading the word of similar ASA programs in the future. Member colleges must have an explicit policy that faculty and administrators be professing Christians (which eliminates about 700 of some 800 "church-related" colleges in the country) and must be regionally accredited (which eliminates a few small separatist "fundamentalist" colleges).

Workshop participants also heard Calvin DeWitt, professor of environmental studies at the U. of Wisconsin, describe the teaching program of the AuSable Trails Institute of Environmental Studies, of which he is director. An arrangement has been made with nineteen Christian colleges to .grant their own credit for courses taken at the Mancelona, Michigan, Institute. AuSable will grant something like a vo cational certificate in certain environmental specialties, such as "water resource analyst" on completion of the required program of studies. A new winter program for the January interterm will be added this academic year, now that a new earth-and-snow-sheltered passive-solar building is ready. The goal of the Institute isto "integrate environmental information with Christian thought for the purpose of bringing the general public to a better understanding of the Creator and the stewardship of His creation."

Lots of interest was shown in the "nuts and bolts" of biology teaching. Russ Camp (Gordon), Noel Falk (Messiah), and Max Terman (Tabor) shared their experiences at trying to keep a respectable research program going in a setting where classroom teaching is more readily appreciated. That panel was chaired by George Harrison of Taylor University. A panel chaired by Marvin Hinds of Marion College dealt with counseling biology majors into various career options: medical and dental school (Don Munro, Houghton); other health-related professions (Gerald Hess, Messiah); and graduate work in biology (Jay Moore, Eastern). "Teaching Creation and Evolution" was discussed on Saturday as a regular ASA session, chaired by Bernard Ten Brock of Calvin. Martin LaBar (Central Wesleyan of South Carolina) gave a carefully balanced paper responded to by Gerritt Van Dyke (Trinity Christian, Palos Heights, Illinois) and Randall Brown (Huntington in Indiana).

Of course one of the biggest hits for the biologists was having geneticist Elving Anderson as keynote speaker for the ASA meeting. His three lectures were easy for a non-geneticist to follow but loaded with up-to-date information on what genes are and what they do. The range of Elving's interests, from the molecular level to the population level, made his lectures a remarkable overview of modern genetics. But there was lots more: Elving's own research on such human diseases as epilepsy, his experience in counseling couples who may be "carriers" of defective genes, and his own lifelong concern to integrate his genetic understanding with his Christian faith. There was nothing "dry" about the facts he presented. Having built a strong case for genetic influence on physical, mental, and behavioral aspects of human life, he faced squarely the religious implications of those facts.

So, if you missed the Workshop and the Annual Meeting, it wasn't merely good fellowship that you missed.

Battles make history-and news. Courtroom battles come off well in print, especially since TV news camera's aren't allowed in. Scientific meetings are another kettle of ichthyological specimens, however. Personally, we've never been to a dull ASA meeting, but that's because we care about science, about honoring Christ, and about other people who care about such things. We're thankful we don't have to "hype" what we report in the Newsletter. Controversy doesn't have to sound like conflict in order to "sell papers." But we do love to hear folks express opposing views, at least when they're trying to find a better view. You might say we feel a certain charity toward disparity-in the interest of clarity.

Whatever "Time will tell," ASA's response to "creationism" was to recognize controversy but minimize conflict. The Saturday morning plenary session on "Creation, What Is It?" was put together from contributed papers rather than invited ones, so there was no particular plot to it. Dewey Carpenter of Louisiana State University and Norman Geisler of Dallas Theological Seminary gave answers that were just about diametrically opposed to each other. Dewey argued that the biblical understanding of creation is neither focused primarily on past events nor intended to be an explanation in anything like the scientific sense. "Scientific creationism" is not only poor science to Dewey but doubtful religion. Norm went to bat for "scientific creationism," defended the Arkansas "balanced treatment" statute (though he was critical of several of its specific points), and argued that "creation" has no implicitly religious connotations.

A lot of biologists in the audience seemed about to cheer when Norm said that "creation vs. evolution is not the issue."

The issue is "naturalism vs. supernaturalism," he said. That seemed to squelch any cheerful impulse, probably because it takes scientists a while to think out the implications of philosophical "isms." Christians who think of ourselves as 11 naturalists," "natural scientists," or "investigators of natural phenomena" wonder if we don't have as much stake in 11 naturalism" as in "supernaturalism."

Anyway, under the wise and witty chairing of Dave Willis (and under the sobering influence of Time's note-taking reporter, who made us feel "the eyes of the world" upon us), the reaction to such startlingly contrasting views was downright benign. No noses were punched oremotions unleashed -though the reporter may have heaved a heavy sigh as the fizz went out of her story. In Timespeak we may come out a bit erratic in the attic, but we are definitely not raucus in the caucus.

Oh yes, we almost forgot. Philosopher David L . Siemens, Jr., of Los Angeles Pierce College closed that session by dropping in what he might call his Genesis 'two bits' worth. He argued that a strict regard for the biblical text of Genesis 1 and 2, taken together, keeps one from drawing conclusions about the technique and sequence of God's creative acts set forth there. Dave suggested that God may have inspired Genesis 2 and placed it there in order to keep us from seeing "six-day creationism" in Genesis 1. No riot ensued. Maybe we were still pondering "naturalism vs. supernaturalism."

Others papers dealt with aspects of creation and/or evolution throughout the meeting. A final session chaired by Walt Hearn did build up to a kind of climax, starting with a paper on "The Nature of Fitness" in which Dave Wilcox of Eastern College argued for natural selection as a method God uses. Charles Detwiler of Stony Brook School in New York then showed how the now well-characterized "jumping genes" (or T.E.s, for "transposable elements") could have speeded up evolution-or made rapid speciation possible after the flood of Noah.

Weldon Jones of Bethel College read a paper sent by Steve Scadding of Ontario to the effect that the so-called "vestigal organs" now constitute only a "vestigial argument" for evolution. That was after Mary Jane Mills of Galveston, Texas, had described the present state of confusion in dating historical events in the 2nd and 3rd millennia B.C.-which C-14 dating has not cleared up at all.

The final two papers brought us back to the end of the 2nd millennium A.D. and the "creation/evolution controversy." Program chair Wayne Frair had invited one of the founders of the Creation Research Society to address the ASA on the history and aims of CRS. Wilbert H. Rusch of Concordia College in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the CRS membership secretary, quickly put an end to any idea that CRS is a"splinter" or "clone" from ASA. He has never been an ASA member, he said, although he attended the joint meeting of ASA and the Evangelical Theological Society in July 1963, where he met with nine others to plan the more narrowly "creationist" organization.

Harold H artzler of Mankato, Minnesota, former Executive Secretary of ASA and, like Wayne Frair, a member of both organizations, got the last word of the session (and the Annual Meeting). His paper clarified differences between ASA and CRS but stressed the many beliefs about science and Christian faith that members of the two societies hold in common.

We'll have more to say about ASA and CRS (and no doubt about creation and evolution) in future issues. Stay tuned.

Doug Morrison, executive officer of the Canadian Scientific and Christian Affiliation, missed most of the sessions because his department at Guelph was hosting a huge meeting of animal nutritionists. He and wife Barbara (who keeps the CSCA books) did arrive in time to meet with the ASA Executive Council on Monday. A number of "wrinkles" were ironed out, which should lead to closer cooperation between our two sister Affiliations.

Richard Bube of Stanford University has asked to be relieved of the editorship of Journal ASA next year, after fifteen years at the job. The Council is beginning a search for a replacement-even though they consider Dick "irreplaceable."

Bob Herrmann's statistics about how many ASA members are in government or industrial labs seem borne out by the two nominees for a term on the Executive Council this year: one each. Paul Arveson works for the navy in Washington, D.C., and Ann Hunt works for Eli Lilly in Indianapolis, Indiana. Both have been active ASA supporters and leaders.

The Council hardly seemed cheered up by our reminder that ASA's indebtedness is at least several hundred billion dollars less than that of the U.S. government. Occasionally, though, they catch a glimpse of something shining at the end of the fiscal tunnel that does cheer them up. An example was the offering of almost $2,000 collected at the Annual Business Meeting. We're getting there.

Mention of ethnicity reminds us of Kurt Weiss for some reason, and his Sunday afternoon plenary talk, "From Nazism Till Now: The Story of a Hebrew Christian." Kurt's tale of some of his adventures among well-meaning but insensitive evangelicals brought both laughter and tears to the audience. Kurt summed up a lot by quoting this ditty:

After about a day the Newsletter editor had "maxed out" on personal news, gossip, and chitchat. Hence a notice appeared on the bulletin board in the registration area saying that "WALT HEARN CANNOT BE TRUSTED to get  it straight unless you write it out and hand it to him." It was an eye catching note. One eye it caught was that of Claude Stipe of Marquette University, whose PERSONALS communication we mangled so badly (see "Moberg" and "Stipe" items, Feb/Mar 1982). Claude said he was tempted to append a note: "WALT HEARN CANNOT BE TRUSTED to get it straight even if you do write it out." (Or was that Dave Moberg who said that?-Ed.)

2. Tapes of Elving Anderson's three keynote lectures and Chi-Hang Lee's presidential address at the 1982 ASA Annual Meeting are available from ASA, P.O. Box J, Ipswich, MA 01938. The tapes are $4 each or $15 for the set of four.

3. Another set of tapes from a series on "Evangelicals and Evolution" given last spring at Grace Chapel in Lexington, Massachusetts, has lectures by biologists Wayne Frair of The King's College and Richard Wright of Gordon College, and Jack Davis, professor of systematic theology at Gordon-Conwell Divinity School, plus a panel discussion with all three speakers interacting, chaired by Bob Herrmann. Those tapes are available not from Ipswich but from The Sanders Christian Foundation, P.O. Box 384, South Hamilton, MA 01982. The tapes are $4 each or $15 for the set of four.

4. William C. Duke, Jr., completed a Ph.D. dissertation in February 1982 at the School of Theology, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas, on the subject, "The American Scientific Affiliation and the Creation Research Society: The Creation-Evolution Issue." Will has donated his extra copy of the thesis to the ASA, but facsimile or microfilm copies can be purchased from University Microfilms, Inc., Ann Arbor, Mi. According to the abstract, Will concludes that "Scripture does not require a recent creationist approach; science does not require a macroevolutionary approach; and a resolution of the issue is to be sought most likely in the direction of some progressive creationistic synthesis. Continued open dialogue by all parties will be required, but the two most influential organizations seem to be moving further apart."

5. Norman Geisler of Dallas Theological Seminary brought to the Calvin meeting a few copies of his book, The Creator in the Courtroom: "Scopes //," hot off the press. Written in collaboration with A. F. Brooke 11 and Mark J. Keough, Norm's book is a 242-page paperback published by Mott Media, Inc., 1000 East Huron St., Milford, MI 48042. It is almost entirely a documentary history of last winter's trial in Little Rock, "Arkansas Act 590of 1981" and of the media coverage of that trial. The one chapter that is not documentary contains Norm's "Observations and Implications of the Arkansas Case." His conclusion is that "On January 5, 1982, Federal Judge William Overton in effect established Secular Humanism as a religion in the Arkansas public schools. For he ruled that only humanist beliefs, including non-theism, evolution, and naturalism, can be taught in public school science classes ......

In a Foreword by Duane Gish of the Institute for Creation Research, Norman Geisler is described as "the lead witness for the creationist side and one of its most brilliant witnesses." Both Geisler and Gish regard Judge Overton as prejudiced from the beginning and consider his decision flawed on a number of counts. A summary of all the testimony plus the judge's decision are there for anyone to read. Norm thought coverage in the secular media was disgraceful and was keenly disappointed in the Christian media for not sending reporters to the trial. Another disappointment was what seemed to be skirmishing between Arkansas Attorney General Steve Clark and attorneys Wendell R. Bird and John W. Whitehead over how to organize the defense.

All in all, The Creator in the Classroom makes us feel like changing a couple of phrases in the Lord's Prayer to something like "Lead us not into litigation, but deliver us from cavil."

6. Grand Rapids is headquarters for three major Christian publishing houses (Baker, Eerdmans, Zondervan). Zondervan had display copies of a number of its books at the ASA meeting, including maybe a half-dozen by Norman Geisler on theological and philosophical topics. The most significant new book on display directly related to science/faith issues was Christianity and the Age of the Earth by Davis A. Young, associate professor of geology at Calvin College. If you've read his Creation and the Flood (Baker, 1977), you know that Davis opposes both flood geology and theistic evolution. His new book "reviews the history of Christian thought about the age of the earth, challenges the validity of the scientific arguments said to favor recent creation, and examines the relationships between creation and apologetics." He does all that in only 188 pages, examining in detail specific arguments of recent creationists about stratigraphy, sedimentation, radiometric dating, the earth's magnetic field, and so on. He also discusses uniformitarianism and catastrophism from the perspective of a competent geologist firmly orthodox in his Christian understanding of Scripture. A hurried reading of Christianity and the Age of the Earth convinces us that it is an outstanding treatment of the subject (even though the author doesn't care for our own position on evolution.-Ed.) The price seems to be $7.95 (paper).

7. Another significant new book was announced at the Biology Teachers Workshop by Cal DeWitt, director of the AuSable Trails Institute for Environmental Studies. The Environmental Crisis: The Ethical Dilemma, edited by Edwin R. Squiers (biology prof at Taylor University in Indiana), contains papers given at the first (1980) AuSable Forum. Papers are grouped under the following headings: Environmental ethics; Ethics, resources, and technology; Ethics and environmental policy; and Ethics and energy. Lots of the authors are ASA members; they represent many disciplines but share a common concern for the environment and a Christian commitment to care for it. They might not agree on solutions but they competently examine the alternatives. Offset reproduction of single-spaced typescript, a 368page bargain at $6.95. Published by AuSable Trails Institute of Environmental Studies, Route #2 Big Twin Lake, ManceIona, MI 49659.

8. A useful book we received months ago is the 3rd edition of Harry Leith's massive bibliography, The Contrasts and Similarities Among Science, Pseudoscience, the Occult, and Religion. The 105-page list, covering everything from astrology to Velikovsky, is a good reference to have on one's desk and would be a great help to students probing for term-paper material. The 1982 edition, marked $2.75, seems to be obtainable from Prof. Harry Leith, Dept. of Natural Sciences, Atkinson College, York University, 4700 Keele Street, Ontario, Canada.

(Actually, a description of Harry's list, Davis Young's new book, and Steve Grunlan's book below has been bumped from at least two issues of the Newsletter at the typesetting stage when we lacked room for all the copy. This time we've told the typesetter to save this item at all costs, so we can at least beat the appearance of a 4th edition of Leith's Long List of the Legitimate and Loony-Ed.)

9. Stephen A . Grunlan, associate professor of social science and Christian ministries at St. Paul Bible College in Minnesota, teamed up with a former St. Paul colleague, Milton Reimer, to coedit Christian Perspectives on Sociology (Zondervan, 1982). We recognized among the contributors a number of ASA members, including Executive Council member Russell Heddendorf, formerly of Geneva College. Designed as a reader for introductory sociology courses in Christian colleges, the book could also be used for a special topics seminar or social problems class. Steve says the book has a chapter on each major subfield in sociology, introducing that area and then dealing with a specific issue in that subfield from a Christian perspective. Various theological and theoretical perspectives are represented.

Bron Taylor, an ASA member with an M.A. in theology from Fuller, first mentioned the possibility to us months ago when he was interim director of Pasadena's Interfaith Center to Reverse the Arms Race. He and a few others dreamed of getting all evangelicals together, not just peace activists or people from the historic "peace churches," to see what biblically-oriented believers can agree on about the nuclear arms race. Now Bron has returned to his doctoral work in social ethics at U.S.C., a broadly representative board is planning the conference, and two of Bron's student friends are doing the organizational work.

Wallace Johnson, president of Computer Code Consultants of Los Alamos, New Mexico, who knows his way around the weapons research establishment. Ted Engstrom of World Vision chairs the board and William Pennell of Fuller and Youth for Christ is vice-chair. John Bernbaum (director of the Christian College Coalition's American studies program), Vernon Grounds, Richard Mouw, John Perkins, Ronald Sider, and David Winter (president of Westmont) are other board members whom you may know.

Workshops and speakers ranging from Jim Wallis to Billy Graham will face the spiritual and political realities of our world, see what kinds of peacemaking efforts evangelical Christians can unite behind, and try to set up some machinery for doing what can be done.

The foundational statement of the Conference Board of Directors affirms not only the Lordship of Jesus Christ, the authority of the Bible, and the biblical call for "the Body of Christ and individual Christians to serve as peacemakers" but also "that the ministry of peacemaking is understood differently by various Christian traditions." The goal is to promote "respectful and earnest discussion of peacemaking among differing Christian traditions" to "edify the Church and equip Christians to respond obediently and effectively to the leading of the Holy Spirit."

Over a dozen organizations, including Calvin College, Eternity Magazine, Evangelicals for Social Action, Fuller Seminary, Reformed Church in America, Voice of Calvary Ministries, and Westmont College have signed on as "Conference Conveners." They have pledged promotional and financial support to get the Conference off the ground. Now the Board seeks a second level of "Affiliate" organizations. Your Newsletter editor has been asked to serve as the contact for the American Scientific Affiliation.

If the ASA Executive Council votes to affirm the Conference Statement of Purpose and back the Conference, ASA will also be expected to provide (a) an initial gift of $250 to support the Conference and (b) travel expenses for ASA workshop leaders at the Conference. So far Walt Hearn has been asked to lead one workshop on "Should Christians in Science and Technology Work for Weapons Manufacturers?" and another with wife Ginny on "Lifestyles That Make For Peace."

ASA Executive Council members will receive copies of the fu I I Conference prospectus by the time oft heir next meeting. One hindrance to their voting to support the Conference is the financial obligation, at a time when ASA's own bills aren't being paid. O.K., you peacemakers, here's your chance: If you want ASA to support the Conference, Write a check made out to ASA with your name and address and the word "Peace" on it. Send it to Walter R. Hearn, 762 Arlington Ave., Berkeley, CA 94707. If less than $250 comes in, or if the Council decides not to support the Conference, your check will be returned to you after the Council meeting. If more than $250 is received, the surplus will also go to the Conference, partially to pay travel expenses for ASA workshop. leaders. You will get a receipt from Ipswich for your tax deductible gift to ASA. And your representatives will be able to distribute brochures and otherwise let the several thousand participants know about ASA.

How does that sound? A lot of you have been asking why ASA never seems to discuss the threat of nuclear war from a technical, sociological, theological, or any other point of view. Here's a chance for evangelicals who care about peace to "put up or shut up." You could put up one buck, ten bucks, or more bucks. Why not add a note of encouragement to back up the Council's decision? On the other hand, if you think "peacemaking" sounds too radical for ASA, don't send a check, send a note to that effect.

For that matter, give us some guidance on what to say in those workshops. We know some Christians who're in the military or support it; we know others who think Christ's disciples shouldn't have anything to do with war. Personally we've tried to wage a little peace here and there, even while we were in the navy. What do you think?

Whatever you tell us, we'll forward your response to the Executive Council. You'll get your check back if we don't come up with at least 250 "Peace bucks." How about doing it now? When you hear that warning siren it will be too late.

Judy Manley (Rumannstr . 2,8 Munchen 40, Federal Republic of Germany), who has spent the last six years in Germany, is looking for a teaching position in biology or psychology. She has an M.Sc. in biology and a Ph.D. in psychology from McGill, with several publications on the neurophysiology of the auditory system. She spent five years at the Max Planck Institute for Psychiatry doing brain research on monkeys but is currently investigating the sonar system of bats. Judy was active in IVCF as an undergrad at Rutgers and has since led Bible studies in her home. She would be happy to combine her training in psychology/neurophysiology with some outlet for Christian service, especially "in a framework where my two small children would have contact with other warm, caring Christians." At the ASA Annual Meeting at Calvin College Judy was looking for leads for a job this fall, but she said she could continue in her position in Germany for one more year.

Robert Seevers (Chemistry Dept., Bldg 200. Argonne National Laboratory, 9700 S. Cass Ave., Argonne, IL 60439: tel. 312-972-3641) is looking for a position teaching organic, biochemistry courses in a college. Bob is currently doing post-doctoral research at Argonne. He attended the 1982 ASA Annual Meeting.