Re: [asa] Colling Statement

Hi Charles,

Thanks for the clarification. Maybe you could clarify another issue. Some
sites are talking about Colling's book Random Designer being "banned". I'm
assuming this is a little bit of an exaggeration and that the book is simply
no longer on the required reading lists for various ONU courses. Is this
correct? Or has ONU gone even further (eg. removed the book from the
library)?

I guess what I meant by "impact on the students" are the models of
leadership they are seeing. Ted stated in another thread,

> "It's hard to know how to balance academic freedom with an institution's
> commitment to it's own understanding of truth",
>

but that doesn't really seem to be the case here. In my understanding, the
Nazarene church, nor ONU, take an official stand against evolution (unlike,
for example, the CRC which Calvin College falls under). So I guess,
another question. Is this statement true of the Nararene Church and
ONU? And if so, the issue seems to be entirely political (ie. satisfying
some constituents that ONU relies on for fundraising) - and this is what
Colling seems to be indicating in his comments that I've seen. When
someone like Colling is defending both the integrity of scripture and the
integrity of science, and he is abandoned (maybe a strong word but that's my
perception) by his leadership in spite of this & in spite of the fact that
he has NOT taught anything contrary to his institution's policies, that I
believe sends an entirely wrong message to our Christian
students/children.

Maybe things are a whole lot more complex than this, and maybe I shouldn't
be throwing stones from the sidelines (I certainly haven't had to make a
choice like this), but I can't see it any other way than ONU did a diservice
to one of its loyal staff and also to its students.

thanks,

On 9/17/07, Charles Carrigan <CCarriga@olivet.edu> wrote:
>
> If you are talking about the General Biology course curriculum, then the
> decision will have NO impact on the students. They will get the same
> content with a different professor. It's not like Colling is the only
> professor here who teaches evolution, although I can understand why someone
> might get that impression from all the articles/blogs that have talked about
> this situation.
>
> If you are talking some other "impact" on the students, it is hard to
> say.
>
> Best,
> Charles
>
>
> _______________________________
> Charles W. Carrigan, Ph.D.
> Assistant Professor of Geology
> Olivet Nazarene Univ., Dept. of Physical Sciences
> One University Ave.
> Bourbonnais, IL 60914
> PH: (815) 939-5346
> FX: (815) 939-5071
> ccarriga@olivet.edu
> http://geology.olivet.edu/
>
> "To a naturalist nothing is indifferent;
> the humble moss that creeps upon the stone
> is equally interesting as the lofty pine which so beautifully adorns the
> valley or the mountain:
> but to a naturalist who is reading in the face of the rocks the annals of
> a former world,
> the mossy covering which obstructs his view,
> and renders indistinguishable the different species of stone,
> is no less than a serious subject of regret."
> - James Hutton
> _______________________________
>
>
> >>> "Steve Martin" <steven.dale.martin@gmail.com> 9/14/2007 9:07 AM >>>
> Apologies if this has already been posted here (I didn't see it in any of
> the threads) ...
>
> See:
> http://northstatescience.blogspot.com/2007/09/richard-colling-scientist-christianand.html for
> a personal reply by Richard Colling regarding the events of the last week.
> One small snippet:
>
> "In a culture and society increasingly driven by advances in science and
> technology, it is a sad day in the life of a Christian university when new
> understanding and insights into God's creation revealed by biology and
> genetics are viewed as a threat to faith. Students deserve better. Those who
> continue set biology at odds with the Bible do a terrible disservice to
> both."
>
> I think this is an important aspect of this situation : What is the impact
> of this decision going to have on the students?
>
> --
> Steve Martin (CSCA)
> http://evanevodialogue.blogspot.com
>

-- 
-- 
Steve Martin (CSCA)
http://evanevodialogue.blogspot.com
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