>>> <pcjones5@comcast.net> 04/05/06 2:44 PM >>>Phil writes:
When I attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, one of the
required classes for my M.A.Th. in Philosophy of Religion path was a course
entitled "Philosophy of Religion: Faith and Science", which was a rather
popular class. Popular because a lot of students, e.g. myself at the time,
had a lot of unresolved issues with the alleged science and creation
dilemma.
The course professor, who refused to reveal his personal position on the
matter of creation theology, introduced the class to all of the theories on
Gen. 1 interpretation. He encouraged us to research the facts and draw our
own conclusion(s). Interestingly, for many of us this was our first time to
hear of Christian-based views outside of the YEC and Gap theories.
I appreciated this approach for the following reasons:
- it was not an indoctrination class telling us what we should believe
- it promoted academic freedom of allowing us to reach our own
conclusion(s)
- it differentiated primary theology (God created) and secondary theology
(how God created)
- the prof gave us a bibliography of resources that covered all
theories/approaches/views
- the prof distinguished between biblical interpretation issues and
scientific data interpretation issues
I wish evangelical colleges and seminaries would all adopt this approach.
Ted notes:
Phil, thank you for the description of my own courses here at Messiah,
except that I don't usually provide a bibliography to my students beyond the
various articles/books that we read in the course. I only tell the students
what I think, if they directly ask me at various points in the course--which
they invariably do.
Received on Wed Apr 5 15:08:35 2006
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