> The idea of ASA news releases is being considered by ASA leadership. The
> problems this release illustrates include:
>
> 1. Can we say anything as ASA at all without misrepresenting members'
> views?
Here we need to have some idea why we're issuing such releases.
Is it
a. to let the public know that there are Christians who are
studying and discussing current scientific issues,
b. to let the public know that there is some diversity of views
among Christians on these issues,
c. to publicize ASA,
d. to disseminate expert scientific &/or theological
statements,
e. to evangelize,
or something else, or some combination of these?
> 2. We consider it part of our ASA mission to address "the waning faith of
> modern youth subjected to the sweeping tide of scientific materialism."
> (_ASA Directory, p. 2, "Background").
One way of doing this - that favored by Johnson et al, is to try
to show that "scientific materialism" is wrong. Another approach -
which I & some other ASA members think is much better - is to argue that
there is a sense in which a carefully defined "scientific materialism"
is NOT antithetical to Christian faith, and may even be more coherent
with it than the ID program &c.
George L. Murphy
gmurphy@imperium.net
http://www.imperium.net/~gmurphy