Re: [asa] Colling Statement

I posted on Pandasthumb and Colling added his story.

http://www.pandasthumb.org/archives/2007/09/viewpoint_discr_1.html

Comment #207632

On 9/17/07, Dick Fischer <dickfischer@verizon.net> wrote:
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> NCSE also has picked up on this:
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> Christian professor embattled for supporting evolution
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> Richard Colling, a professor of biology at Olivet Nazarene University,
> wanted to express his views about the compatibility of his religious faith
> with his scientific knowledge, and accordingly wrote Random Designer:
> Created from Chaos to Connect with the Creator (Bourbonnais [IL]: Browning
> Press, 2004). But his views, especially about evolution, proved to be
> unwelcome to at least some of his coreligionists, as Newsweek's Sharon
> Begley (September 17, 2007) reports:
>
> Anger over his work had been building for two years. When classes resumed in
> late August, things finally came to a head. Colling is prohibited from
> teaching the general biology class, a version of which he had taught since
> 1991, and college president John Bowling has banned professors from
> assigning his book [which was previously used in "at least one history
> class, an advanced biology course and the general biology course"]. At least
> one local Nazarene church called for Colling to be fired and threatened to
> withhold financial support from the college. In a letter to Bowling,
> ministers in Caro, Mo., expressed "deep concern regarding the teaching of
> evolutionary theory as a scientifically proven fact," calling it "a
> philosophy that is godless, contrary to scripture and scientifically
> unverifiable." Irate parents, pastors and others complained to Bowling,
> while a meeting between church leaders and Colling "led to some tension and
> misunderstanding," Bowling said in a letter to trustees.
>
> The local Daily Journal (September 13, 2007) adds that although Colling and
> the university administration are trying to reconcile, Colling "is still
> stinging because, he says, the book was a true and honest expression of
> faith; and one he felt led by God to write. Moreover, he says there is room
> with the college's mission and policies for such an alternative view -- and
> that no real case has been made to date that his views are inconsistent with
> those or the teachings of the Church of the Nazarene."
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> In a previous article about Colling for the Wall Street Journal (December 3,
> 2004), Begley reported, "In his new book, 'Random Designer,' he writes: 'It
> pains me to suggest that my religious brothers are telling falsehoods' when
> they say evolutionary theory is 'in crisis' and claim that there is
> widespread skepticism about it among scientists. 'Such statements are
> blatantly untrue,' he argues; 'evolution has stood the test of time and
> considerable scrutiny.'"
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> Dick Fischer
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> Dick Fischer, Genesis Proclaimed Association
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> Finding Harmony in Bible, Science, and History
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> www.genesisproclaimed.org
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> -----Original Message-----
> From: asa-owner@lists.calvin.edu [mailto:asa-owner@lists.calvin.edu] On
> Behalf Of Charles Carrigan
> Sent: Monday, September 17, 2007 6:30 PM
> To: asa@calvin.edu; steven.dale.martin@gmail.com
> Subject: Re: [asa] Colling Statement
>
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> 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.
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> If you are talking some other "impact" on the students, it is hard to say.
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> Best,
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> Charles
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> _______________________________
> 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
> _______________________________
>
>
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> >>> "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) ...
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> 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.
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> One small snippet:
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> "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."
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> 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

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Received on Mon Sep 17 23:19:44 2007