Re: [asa] The ASA and the Soft Sciences (ASA focus for the future)

On Jan 1, 2009, at 12:09 PM, Dehler, Bernie wrote:

> One of the problems with economics is that no one cares about it
> until there is a crisis or meltdown. I also don’t see how religion
> plays a part in the economy- does an atheist, Mormon, Baptist, or
> Catholic have any faith-based issues or distinctives?

It sure seems to be the case as many evangelicals seem to have more
faith in an unfettered free market than just about anything else.
Furthermore, money was one of Jesus' favorite topics.

>
> In addition, Christianity is in a crisis right now, over the issue
> of evolution and how to deal with it (is it atheist and ungodly, or
> God’s way of design?). I’d suggest that the ASA put more effort
> into resolving this conflict for the churches and scientists.

Yes, the church is in crisis but I contend that the evolution wars are
just a symptom of a much larger problem, the self-marginalization of
the church. What the YEC and ID communities set up is a complete
mistrust of any educated elite. This is irrespective of the
discipline. You see it obviously in biology but it is also there in
climatology and in evidence-based medicine and in economics. I see
ASA's mission as larger than resolving the evolution issue between
churches and scientists. It should be there to support the idea that a
Christian scholar of any discipline is a honorable thing and not some
elitist threat. I don't see this as a threat to the Academy as it will
survive. I do see it as a threat to the church as she becomes more and
more marginal in society. This happens in two ways. First, by the
disillusionment by academically minded young Christians. Second, the
church ceases to be salt and light to the world because the world
views as it as completely irrelevant to "reality". I believe what you
suggest is a necessary mission of the ASA as many people are indeed
taking "friendly fire" but I don't believe it is sufficient.

Rich Blinne
Member ASA

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Received on Thu Jan 1 15:36:25 2009