Faculty at Samford University (a well-respected Baptist school here in Birmingham) are protesting the school’s invitation to John Lennox, an Oxford University mathematician who speaks about Intelligent Design.
A resolution introduced in the College of Arts and Sciences’ faculty senate describes intelligent design as a political movement, not science. The resolution, by Samford geography professor Max Baber, questions whether Samford should involve itself in a movement that seeks to inject religion into science education in the public schools.
“In accordance with the spirit and letter of Samford’s foundation statements,” Baber’s resolution reads, “we affirm that church and state should remain separate. We therefore protest the president’s decision to involve Samford in a political movement that stands in direct opposition to that principle.”
Tom Corts, the University’s president, was surprised by the opposition.
Intelligent design is an issue in the news, and while the school’s science department teaches evolution as a basic scientific fact, that doesn’t rule out the involvement of an intelligent designer, Corts said. On the other hand, Corts said he wasn’t aware of a serious scientific theory that attempts to describe God’s intervention in creation of life.
“I don’t know anyone who presents it as science,” Corts said. Whatever the case, discussion of the idea shouldn’t be shut down, he said. “This is a university and you are supposed to talk about ideas.”
I’ve been privileged to be associated in a very small way with Dr. Corts, who is a strong proponent of constitutional reform and tax reform in Alabama. He has managed to walk the fine line of maintaining Samford’s academic reputation and keeping good relations with the state Baptist Convention. I actually agree with him here that academics shouldn’t fear discussion of ideas, but I also understand the professors’ fear that the school will become associated with junk science.
The scariest part of this article is buried toward the end. Dr. Corts is getting ready to retire, and there are a couple of people on the school’s Board of Trustees who make me cringe.
Corts has been involved with civic issues such as the reform of the Alabama Constitution and of the state’s regressive tax structure. Other Baptist schools, including Mercer University and Shorter College in Georgia and Baylor University in Texas, have endured nasty contests for control between independent administrations and state Baptist conventions.
Recently, Jerry A. Newby, president and chairman of the board of Alfa Insurance Corp., has been added to Samford’s board of trustees. Alfa traditionally has opposed tax reform.
Re-elected as a trustee and taking a prominent role in the search for a new Samford president was the Rev. Jay Wolf, pastor of First Baptist Church in Montgomery. Wolf has been a supporter of ousted Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore and of legislative proposals to ban gay marriage.
Corts said there is nothing to worry about. Samford is not vulnerable to takeover by one faction or another. It respects differing points of view.
“This institution is built to last. This institution is not for sale,” Corts said. “I don’t think anyone needs to worry about that.”
I hope to God he’s right.
“I don’t know anyone who presents it as science,” Corts said. Whatever the case, discussion of the idea shouldn’t be shut down, he said. “This is a university and you are supposed to talk about ideas.”
The question here with just a speaker for Intelligent Design, ID is being presented as the ONLY alternative to evolution. Which isn’t true.
Let us remember that there are multiple theories of Intelligent Design. I and many others around the world are of the strong belief that the universe was created by a Flying Spaghetti Monster. It was He who created all that we see and all that we feel. We feel strongly that the overwhelming scientific evidence pointing towards evolutionary processes is nothing but a coincidence, put in place by HIM.
Go here to learn more about FSM http://www.venganza.org/index.htm
Purdue’s The Exponent: Here there be dragons. “The Flying Spaghetti Monster: An invisible and undetectable being made of spaghetti and meatballs, the Flying Spaghetti Monster claims to be the true creator of the universe and life on Earth; all evidence of evolution or other origins of life, his followers, the Pastafarians, say, are tricks to throw off the unbeliever. The FSM’s hobbies include flying through the universe, touching things with his noodly appendage and pissing off proponents of intelligent design creation theories. He could be defeated by common sense or acceptance of basic scientific principles, if only either of those things existed.”
“I hope to God he’s right. “
So do I!
You have a great blog, I have lurked here before, and I think left a messege or two. You asked over at agitprop. Here is the scoop – Stacy has a blog- Cafe Politico ( Blogger) and she posted an article about the morning after pill, and I had sent it to her, thinking that as women /nurses we could start a nice dialogue about this whole issue- because it is much bigger than the media is playing it. So sure enough a troll arrives, and ruins the discussion…..and yeah, he was really toying with her and playing mind games- and it just really pissed me off- There is alot of this crap going on …and it is too much. ( Also come over to http://watergatesummer.blogspot.com/, I have a post called Play Nice In Blogland if you are a Woman, that has more on this issue…)
I think I prefer the theory of Incompetent Design, myself.