This is encouraging to hear! Having the academic freedom to present the alternative views so that the students can make their own decisions is preferrable over indoctrination of any single view. Your approach resembles the teaching method at the seminary I attended--a method that was criticized by denominational leaders, but wholeheartedly supported by the seminary professors and leadership.
For myself, a former YECer, it was a combination of factors as a student that caused a paradigm shift in my cosmological view:
- a course in ancient Hebrew backgrounds where I learned about the usage of allegory as a common method of communication for that time
- two courses in Biblical hermeneutics
- a philosophy course that contained a required reading of Conrad Hyers' article, "Biblical Literalism: Constricting the Cosmic Dance"
Interestingly, my scientific studies came later, and never played a role in my abandonment of the YEC views.
-Phil
> Phil's comments about the Christian colleges are interesting, and probably
> on target for many of them. Lots of students come to Messiah as YECs, many
> of them leave as YECs. Those who take courses with me and with several of
> my colleagues, do get educated about the issue and do get shown alternative
> views, with discussion of biblical issues. What they do with that is of
> course not for us to determine--it would be arrogant and insensitive for us
> to try to think for our students.
>
> But we don't duck the issue, at least not here.
>
> ted
Received on Fri Feb 6 09:08:53 2004
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