ASA perspectives, etc

I sent this earlier to David, having intended it for the list. Ted
>>> "David Opderbeck" <dopderbeck@gmail.com> 03/20/06 12:12 PM >>>asks:

Just a curiosity question -- is the ASA Perspectives journal peer reviewed
or how otherwise are editorial decisions made? The most recent PCSF had a
very pro-ID article that drew heavily on Dembski's work, which I'm sure
most
of the active participants on this list wouldn't agree with. Is this list
representative of the organization? Is PCSF representative? Or neither?

Ted replies:
Many posters on this list are not ASA members. That's to start with. The
content of the list *overall* does not reflect the range of views that one
finds in the ASA. Many ASA members support ID; Dembski himself is an ASA
member, as are Steve Meyer and ASA council member Walter Bradley. Most of
the IDs I know in the ASA do not post to this list. The ASA as an
organization does not have an official view on ID, and will not have one in
the foreseeable future. The journal frequently publishes contributions by
ID advocates, as well as ID critics. In some cases (on either side, though
more often on the side that criticizes ID) I have been a reviewer for such
articles, and in some cases articles have appeared b/c as a consulting
editor I solicited the article from the author for publication in our
journal. (The three most recent examples of articles I solicited are the
articles by Rob Mann and Ken Hendrickson in Dec 2005 and the article by
Tanzella-Nitti in Sept 05. Many years ago I also asked Ron Numbers and Dave
Lindberg to let us publish a version of their famous article, "Beyond War
and Peace." I very often act in this capacity now that I am a consulting
editor.)

I was elected to the Council this past fall on a platform that made
specific reference to my view that the ASA should remain an open forum on
issues of this type. This doesn't necessarily mean that a majority of our
members agree with me on this--they might have voted for me on other
grounds--but I think it's fair for me to interpret the vote as a "mandate"
on this particular issue since I was very clear about it. The final
paragraph of my statement is as follows:

A second challenge comes from growing tension within the larger body of
Christ between advocates of "intelligent design" and advocates of what
is commonly called "theistic evolution" (and I recognize that some ASA
members and other people advocate views that might fit into both
categories). Throughout its history the ASA has facilitated helpful,
respectful exchanges of views on many aspects of the origins controversy,
while not endorsing officially any one particular view. If elected, I would
do what I can to help the ASA retain and enhance its role as an effective
forum for the healthy exchange of views on all issues related to science and
Christian faith, and to increase our visibility among the religious press.

Ted
Received on Mon Mar 20 16:48:26 2006