Neither side in the controversy at La Sierra University over the teaching of the origins of the universe and life is satisfied with the latest developments.
La Sierra officials are none too happy about an online article by Mark A. Kellner, news editor of Adventist Review, concerning the continuing complaints, primarily from alumni, that biology professors are teaching theistic evolution rather than the young earth account of creation as portrayed in the bible.
One member of the La Sierra board of trustees, Dr. Carla Lidner-Baum, a dentist in Riverside, California, is quoted in the Adventist Review article as explaining that she was concerned about the potential direction an evolutionary view could take the Seventh-day Adventist Church:
"This is a real time of threat to the historically held Adventist beliefs. … Either we are accepting this change or we are not," Dr. Lidner-Baum said in a telephone interview by the Adventist Review, referring to those supporting a move away from the traditional view of creation.
Responding to the article, Larry Becker, the executive director of University Relations, stated Thursday (April 1) that it contributes to the controversy rather than to its solution, gives a disproportionate voice to critics, ignores steps that have been made toward solving the issue, wrongly characterizes the university's actions against a student, and fails to mention the institution of a new class for all freshmen biology students "to help prepare them to navigate issues of faith and science..."
Bill Knott, editor of the Adventist Review denied the allegations, stating that its policy is to make every attempt to ensure that articles and news reports appearing in the Review are carefully researched, factually accurate, balanced, and ultimately supportive of the larger mission of both the magazine and the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
According to Kellner's article, a student, Louie Bishop, said he was placed on “citizenship probation” for circulating letters opposing the teaching of evolutionary concepts and for posting a professor's lecture notes online. The university statement vigorously denied ever disciplining any student for holding Adventist beliefs and said the article did not give the University an opportunity to share its attorney's opinion of the ethics and legality of "unapproved selective posting of faculty intellectual property."
But critics of the biology courses are not satisfied with the university's explanations, saying it is the university that is misstating the facts. According to an article on the website, EducateTruth.com on Friday (April 2). critic Sean Pittman, M.D. insists that the university has put extreme pressure on Bishop and others to keep quiet about "the theistic evolutionary ideas being promoted at LSU which actively undermine faith in a literal six-day creation week–a fundamental doctrinal position of the SDA Church."
While acknowledging that the board of trustees has spent much time considering the issue and making recommendations, Pittman said nothing substantive has changed. The new freshman class the university set up, Pitman said, is being taught by many of the same science professors who were "actively promoting theistic evolutionary views to begin with" and that most of the guest speakers were also theistic evolutionists who questioned the literal interpretation of the Genesis account as interpreted by the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
"If anything, this new class only makes things worse when it comes to the active undermining of the faith of students in the reality of a recent, literal creation week," Pittman said.
The EducateTruth website was created a year ago by alumnus Shane Hilde of Beaumont when the controversy first came to light, and has published numerous letters about the controversy. The university spokesman, calls it an "attack website" and claims that it has "allowed highly negative, destructive attacks on individuals and on Adventist institutions" and that it has censored supporters of the university's side, including a posting made by Larry Blackmer, the North American Division vice president for education, who claimed that earlier comments had been taken out of context: “I feel betrayed by this website,” Blackmer wrote.
Theistic evolution is the concept that God sparked the beginning of the universe billions of years ago and left the rest to wholly natural processes. It differs from Intelligent Design which teaches that the creator personally directed the various stages that ultimately led to human life. Both concepts come from a figurative interpretation of the Genesis account of creation. See: "Refuting Theistic Evolution, on the Creationist.org website.
Another view, accepted by the scientific community at large, rejects both the theistic evolution and creationist explanations, holding that the universe and life are natural phenomena, the only one of these concepts compatible with atheism.
Comments
The above report stated, "La Sierra officials are none too happy about an online article ... concerning the continuing complaints... that biology professors are teaching theistic evolution rather than the young earth account of creation as portrayed in the bible."
The actual debate stems not from LSU professors teaching theistic evolution RATHER THAN the young earth account, but from the fact that they simply will not allow serious examination or consideration of any alternate explanations or theories, including the traditional creationist theory. Their attitudes (albeit more subtle) echo the ones that landed Copernicans in jail. And worse, their actions are a violation of very expensive trust in light of what their employer claims to stand for.
That there is no serious examination or consideration of the traditional creationist theory shows the professors are competent scientists.
Implying "traditional creationist theory" is a scientific theory is a misuse of the term theory. In common vernacular theory can mean either conjecture or a rigorous explanation of a phenomena, and at best Creationism is an opinion or conclusion based on incomplete information. Applying the scientific method to any measurable Creationism claim, such as a 6000-10000 year old planet, has falsified it, so any time in science class will be used explaining why the hypotheses failed - a poor use of expensive college credit. Bear in mind that if new scientific evidence verifies a Creationist claim, then it will become part of the curriculum.
La Sierra requires one religion course per year, so the University could require all students to take a religion course about creation in light of of evolution. The subject matter is appropriate for philosophy.
"Theistic evolution is the concept that God sparked the beginning of the universe billions of years ago and left the rest to wholly natural processes." This concept is probably not true, but it is at least reasonable enough to be defended by rational people. In contrast, the idea that the universe is 6,000 years old is absolutely insane. Shame on anyone who teaches this nonsense.
"Theistic evolution is the concept that God sparked the beginning of the universe billions of years ago and left the rest to wholly natural processes."
This is not quite correct. The concept, as stated, is Deistic Evolution. Theistic Evolution believes that God guided the "natural" processes.
Most Adventists will admit that if "Macro-Evolution" can be proven to be true then they would have no choice but to accept it. Adventists, many of them, do not believe the "science" debate has been settled in favor of a common ancestry evolution.
The Adventist church has not done well in facing down such controversial in house matters. They follow what most corporations do: circle the wagons and go quiet. For the Review to report La Sierra's troubles is a breath of fresh air.
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