science and the
Bible by Bolton Davidheiser, Chairman, Science Division, Biola College
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~/2¿e> Attt&Ucan Scien tific A ffilia tion
T w e n t y y e a r s ago the American Scientific Affiliation was founded as an organization of scientists who are conservative Christians. Its pur pose is officially stated as being “to study those topics germane to the conviction that the framework of sci entific knowledge and a conservative Christian faith are compatible.” But something has happened during the intervening years and this has been summed up by a member in the fol lowing words, “ Thus, in fifteen years vve have seen develop within the A.S.A. a spectrum of belief in evolu tion that would have shocked all of us at the inception of our organiza tion.” He expresses the opinion that membership is now represented by four main types, (1) those who are less well informed than the others (note the implication of this) and who protest the change, (2) those who have reacted by expressing themselves less frequently on scientific matters, (3) those who have become less ac tive in the affairs of the A.S.A., and (4) those who continue to remain active in the Affiliation and who ex press their present convictions to gether with the challenge, “ If you have a better approach please tell me quickly for this one of mine has been bought at great price to my peace of mind.” Although this opinion appears to be a reversal of the purpose for which the organization was founded, he does not feel that its work is finished. On the contrary, he believes that, “ only now are we ready to move into the field of real potential contribution— that in releasing Truth from the re strictions we have been prone to place upon it we can really view it in the true fullness which the Christian per spective gives us.” In another article in the Journal of the A. S. A. the same author says, “Again, the Adam-Eve sequence can be explained as spiritual. Whether this is true or a dodge is, of course, an academic question, for is it not the spiritual message which God seeks most to impart to us? Then why worry about what passages are to be inter preted literally and which figurative ly. Look, rather, to God to reveal Himself more fully and most directly
to you from each passage according to your need.” Another member has written an article around the question, “ If evo lution is now a solidly established scientific law which must be accepted and if evolution cannot be harmonized with the Biblical story, then what is to be our attitude toward the Bible?” Considering the purpose for which the A.S.A. was founded one might rather expect the question to be worded, “ Since the Bible is the infallible, in spired revelation of God, if evolution cannot be harmonized with the Bible, what is to be our attitude toward evolution?” After showing that evolu tion indeed cannot be harmonized with Scripture, he ends the article thus: “ It is therefore necessary to con clude this discussion with a question instead of an affirmation. Is harmoni zation possible, and if so, how?” The author of the article just men tioned sent a copy of it before publi cation to the president of the A.S.A. and the president’s reply is published. He says he had hoped to discuss it with a “mature Christian person” but could not find one. He professes that “the Biblical account clearly implies man as a special Creation of God,” and that evolution does not have the final answer. “However,” he con cludes, “we must reserve final judg ment on this point until we have more evidence.” He next says, “ Con cerning the matter of the antiquity of man, I must say that I do not see any possible difficulty between the Bibli cal account and the theory of evolu tion.” Concerning the suggestion that “ the story of creation was written in pic turesque, figurative language and . . . was never meant to be taken literally” he says, (1) that many Christians accept this, (2) that it is the attitude of a number of A.S.A. members, and (3) “we must be very cautious and indeed quite charitable with those who take this point of view.” This charitable attitude toward liberals is characteristic of those who are in transition from a conservative posi tion, and so is the not-so-charitable attitude toward fundamentalists. For example, it is reported that at the (Continued on next page)
T th u A lc a ti ------------- V / ( MESSIANIC FELLOWSHIP Founded in 1887 by W. E. Blackstone
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JUNE, 1961
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