Well, for example, on the genetics issue, certain Christian groups are
already weghing in asking for a ban on stem-cell research. Clearly , they
feel that there is a "Christian " position on stem cell research. I think
ASA has a role to play in educating the public about what Christian
scientists think about these issues. Now, part of that educative effort may
be that we say that there is no Christian position on such research.
However, this is a debatable point and I think that we should have such a
debate amongst ourselves.
While there is no Christian position on the technical aspects of such
matters, I think that there se surely should be a Christian position on the
approach that we should take in dealing with such issues.
-----Original Message-----
From: asa-owner@lists.calvin.edu [mailto:asa-owner@lists.calvin.edu]On
Behalf Of pearson@panam.edu
Sent: Tuesday, May 07, 2002 10:18 AM
To: asa@calvin.edu
Subject: RE: Please show respect (was GEN 1-11: Beyond the concordist
debate)
On Mon, 6 May 2002, Shuan Rose wrote:
> Hey, Mike, thanks. I will certainly try. even on science related issues,
> however, there a lot more issues and more pressing issues than CE.Aspects
of
> science impact the ordinary American's life more than GEN 1-11. Take
> environmentalism, for example. Genetics. The energy situation.Technology
> sharing with Third World countries.Population control.Space
> exploration.Global warming.
> It seems Christian scientists should have something to say about those
> issues that is scientific and Christian.
While I very much appreciate your encouragement to move us beyond
discussions of the minutiae of biblical hermeneutics, Shaun, I am
genuinely puzzled by your last sentence. Is there anything specifically
Christian that can be addressed to the issues you list above? Does the
Gospel say anything that speaks directly to the problem of technology
sharing with Third World countries? Are there any unique Christian
insights regarding population control? A distinctive Christian position
on space exploration?
It seems to me that, whatever it is that informs our judgments on matters
like the energy situation and global warming, the basis for those
judgments cannot be immediately derived from the Christian Gospel. In
that sense, good and useful insights on these problems are as likely to
come from non-Christians as from Christians. What Christians do have is a
different *motivation* for seeking greater wisdom about these things. We
are convinced that the earth is the Lord's, and that it is good. But the
conversations we have about such technical matters are not directly
informed by anything that is distinctively Christian.
I do not doubt that there are occasionally specific scientific issues that
intersect with specific Christian concerns. And it is always helpful for
me to hear what scientists who are also Christians have to say about these
issues. But I have difficulty imagining that such scientists are
functioning as Christians rather than scientific practitioners when they
are serving in that kind of role, just as I have difficulty imagining that
there is any particular "Christian position" on the environment or genetic
research.
So I would, like you, be happy to hear what Christian scientists have to
say, on these issues, that is scientific. But I am far less convinced
that any of us will have something to say, relevant to these topics, that
is uniquely Christian.
Tom Pearson
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Thomas D. Pearson
Department of History & Philosophy
The University of Texas-Pan American
Edinburg, Texas
e-mail: pearson@panam1.panam.edu
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