Re: [asa] Colling Statement

Dr. Colling has apparently posted another statement on a different blog, adding one fact that I
had not known earlier. Apparently the president is also requireing that a religion professor be
present in biology classes during the evolution lectures. So, the affects there, at least, are not
limited to Colling.

It seems to me to be a horrible covert messge to the students. Here is your professor, whom
whe have trusted to teach you on this important subject, biology. Your professor is a
distinguished professional, and a respected authority on the subject. Except when it comes to
evolution, we're requiring a babysitter from another discipline.

http://www.energionpubs.com/wordpress/?p=900

__
Louise M. Freeman, PhD
Psychology Dept
Mary Baldwin College
Staunton, VA 24401
540-887-7326
FAX 540-887-7121

-----Original Message-----
From: "Steve Martin" <steven.dale.martin@gmail.com>
To: "Charles Carrigan" <CCarriga@olivet.edu>
Cc: asa@calvin.edu
Date: Mon, 17 Sep 2007 22:26:46 -0400
Subject: 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

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Received on Tue Sep 18 08:42:49 2007