I am one of the lucky ones. I have loved science and nature since my earliest years and those interests were nurtured by my parents and teachers--a microscope and telescope under the Christmas tree as a youngster, insect and rock collections, term papers on dinosaurs, model rocket projects, and even fruit fly genetics independent studies. I also grew up in a Christian home and a Bible-believing church. Never once did it occur to me that there was a conflict between my Christian faith and science. In junior high, I remember defending evolution as being compatible with the biblical creation account; it was only later as a college student that I encountered atheistic scientists or young-earth creationists who were antievolutionists.

My experience since college has been one in which a conflict between faith and science was more prominent than it was in my youth. My first encounter with the ASA was at a seminar by a Christian biochemist at Purdue. I picked up copies of the ASA brochures "We Believe in Creation" and "The Second Law of Thermodynamics" and the special issue of the Journal of the ASA on evolution. These resources confirmed my experience growing up: I could pursue both mainstream science (even evolutionary biology) and a robust, orthodox Christian faith.

Fast forward to the 1990s. I was drawn again into ASA circles, initially in a "debate" with ID advocate Mike Behe. I volunteered. At that 1994 meeting I met Jack Haas, who was looking for someone to help the ASA establish a web presence. Since then the ASA has had a huge role in my life, from various levels of involvement throughout the years, to now finding myself on the Executive Council and in the eye of the storm of activity that is the ASA.

All this personal biography just to make a pitch for the ASA. I am one who has benefitted greatly from ASA activities, resources, and members. I have friends all around the world because of the ASA. While I'm not famous enough to have a Wikipedia entry about me, I have worldwide notoriety mostly because of the ASA.

The ASA is a member-and friend-supported bridge organization. Its mission is to bring together two communities that don't often come together or who are sometimes even at odds with each other. The Christian community needs scientists who are Christians to reliably communicate relevant aspects of a biblical worldview to the scientific community. The Christian community needs believing scientists to help them understand many of the complexities of modern science. Scientists who are Christians need the broader Christian community and their local churches to encourage them in their ordinary faith and the particular (and sometimes lonely) vocation as scientists. The ASA has been devoted to meeting these needs for 78 years.

We hear of many who experience turning points of faith because of perceived conflict between faith and science. The ASA played a role in sparing me of such a crisis. Your support of the ASA may see a fellow Christian in the sciences through such a critical period. Please help us continue our mission with your prayers and a financial gift by our fiscal year end on March 31.

In His service,

Terry Gray
Executive Council Member
American Scientific Affiliation