I wish to go on record as being in strong support of Lucy's comments on the
issues that are relevant for this forum.
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Lucy Masters [mailto:masters@cox-internet.com]
> Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2002 9:08 AM
> To: asa@calvin.edu
> Subject: Email Volume/Relevance
>
>
> Allan Harvey wrote:
>
> "A good example is the current discussion of doctrines of
> original sin, which I consider OK because it has a
> significant impact on science/faith discussions. But
> extended discussions on topics pretty much entirely unrelated
> to science/faith issues (important though the topics might
> be) should stop. My opinion is that the recent discussion
> about compassion, welfare policies, etc. is in this category."
>
> Lucy responds:
>
> Allan, I could not disagree with you more. The recent
> discussion regarding compassion and welfare policies is
> **EXACTLY** what the science/religion debate is all about. I
> cannot imagine anything being more "on target." In fact, I
> spent two summers up at Princeton Theological Seminary
> studying just these kinds of topics precisely because (at the
> time) Princeton was the only seminary with an endowed chair
> created to explore these issues.
>
> "Compassion" is all about Christianity. And the particular
> welfare we were discussing, food aid, is all about science.
> Agriculture, transportation, antibiotics, caloric intake, and
> so on are all issues of science that mesh with our Christian
> perspectives and thus impact policy.
>
> The science/religion debate cannot be limited to the worn
> argument between creationism and evolution or to the newer
> argument between evolution and intelligent design. The
> purpose of the ASA, it seems to me, is to explore **all**
> science/religion topics, including stem cell research,
> euthanasia, emergency room technology that keeps people
> alive, the moral responsibility concerning reproductive
> rights with mentally retarded individuals in the face of
> technology that can prevent their ever becoming pregnant, and so on.
>
> These are the kinds of issues explored on the seminary
> campuses that discuss science/religion topics. Check out the
> publications, for example, from CTNS (the Center for the
> Study of Theology and the Natural Sciences).
>
> I encourage everyone on the ASA list to continue these and
> other similar topics. This is the "stuff" of day-to-day
> science/religion struggles.
>
>
>
>
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