Re: [asa] Response to Baylor meeting

Randy,

What is the Baylor prof's academic discipline?.

Pete Enns

peteenns@mac.com
peterennsonline.com

On Aug 30, 2009, at 4:54 PM, Randy Isaac wrote:

> In a recent note to faculty at Christian Colleges and Universities,
> I provided the link to the talks at the Baylor meeting. One
> professor responded with a note to say he found the talks very sad
> and was disappointed. I started a dialog with him and have had some
> interesting exchanges. I'd like to share part of his note and
> perhaps gather some feedback from several of you that I can collect
> and forward to him. I had asked him what kind of discussion he would
> have found interesting. Here's part of his feedback:
>
> "When I saw the conference, I was impressed at the availability of
> the slides and audio and dug into slides of presentations that
> looked interesting.
> The first one I looked at carefully was on "Worldview" - and was
> dismayed to find it was just another convoluted twist of a way to
> justify believing in the faith of evolution while still maintaining
> some faith in Christ. This seemed to follow the lines of the complex
> machinations in the Christian Scholar's Review. Seeing the first
> slides, I thought this one would be a breath of fresh air vs. those
> approaches, but, alas, just another twist on the same story.
>
> Along these lines, discussions of science and faith which would be
> interesting, even from a group of committed evolutionists, might be:
>
> -Philosophically, why do I want so much to believe in evolution?
>
> -Discussion of dealing with evolution as a constructive mechanism
> vs.our observation of environmental degradation with time(even
> without man), species extinction etc.
>
> -An answer to the question of why evolutionists are concerned with
> extinction when this is a vital part of the process. How does a
> Christian reconcile this necessity of species destruction with the
> stewardship mandate of man?
>
> -As a scientist, how has a belief in evolution guided my
> understanding and research in profitable ways? For example, how
> using the theory has lead to examination of fruitful lines of
> research, or predicted results that were confirmed by
> experimentation, results that one who did not believe in evolution
> would never have thought to pursue. The only answer I have heard to
> this question, never stated, but implied, is that believing in
> evolution gains "respectability"."
>
> I may share some of the other comments later.
>
> I'd particularly like to solicit your comments on the last one.
>
>
> Randy
>

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Received on Sun Aug 30 18:22:59 2009