Comment on Perspectives from alleged LSU students by Nathan Nickel.
Hi,
I have been following this debate for a while and with this touch on “PhDs” professors and the like I wanted to finally step in.
I am a PhD candidate studying health at a non-Adventist institution. Further for my field it is considered the best programme in the country. I only say that to those who feel that PhDs and securing a “reputable” education is important and adds credibility to the one speaking.
I have many friends who have earned PhDs in biology, chemistry, physics, biochemistry, etc… who went to institutions like MIT, UCLA, Harvard, Stanford, the list goes on. Many of them after all their studies have become convinced of creation as opposed to convinced of evolution. I say this only to highlight that it is entirely possible for one to earn a PhD from a secular non-adventist institution, do WELL at that institution and still come out believing in a 7 day literal creation.
So to those participating in this discussion, please consider that it is possible to earn a PhD and still believe in creation, to earn a PhD and have your views CHANGED to believe in creation, to have your PhD work reinforce one’s believe in creation.
That being said, it is equally important that a university teach its students evolution (not as being the truth but as being a theory that is out there). It is important for university trained students to be taught to THINK critically. That is what a university does. It looks really bad for our church when its members are unable to answer INTELLIGENTLY the questions and challeneges posed by the secular world specifically regarding creation. There are many non-adventists and non-christians who are very very tied to a scientific / modern view of the world still (as opposed to a post-modern view). (Nothing is ever accomplished from a theological debate or from a debate of creation vs. evolution. One does not win souls for Christ by entering into that type of debate.) Let our students be taught the apparent strengths (I say apparent strengths because there does appear to be evidence for evolution that a Christian should acknowledge) and weaknesses of evolution AND creation. Let our students be able to go out into the world and interact with non-chrisitans and show they have been trained and educated. Let them be able to speak INTELLIGENTLY with their non christian counterparts. Let them be familiar with all the evidence that supports evolution. Let them acknowledge that yes this evidence taken alone does appear to support evolution. But then let them be able to continue and say but here is this evidence that contradicts evolution. Here is this evidence that supports creation. Here is this evidence that supports a world flood. Let our students be able to speak and converse with those who believe in evolution cite the evidence of evolution acknowledge its evidence but then also speak about why it doesn’t work. Too often my non christian friends earning PhDs feel that creationists come across as ignorant, unintelligent, and not having thought through all the evidence. This turns many educated individuals off to Christianity. Paul says be all things to all people. He spoke with the greeks intelligently about their faith and their gods. Let our students be able to do the same thing intelligently.
We do not want our students to come out of Adventist education ignorant of all the strengths and evidence supporting evolution because they will be poor witnesses for our Lord. Let them be trained in ALL the strengths, evidence, etc.. of evolution (especially if they are getting a B.S.). But then let them also be trained in ALL the evidence and strength in creation let them be able to present it intelligently and let them be shown to be well-educated highly trained scientists who still believe in Creation.
