Subject: AAAS - AAAS News Release

From: David Harris <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 27 Dec 2006 00:39:38 +0000

A AAAS resource I stumbled on:

http://www.aaas.org/news/releases/2006/0809evolution.shtml

   	News Archives

New AAAS Book Explores Evolution and Christianity’s Diverse Responses

Cover photo of the new book "The Evolution Dialogues"
Cover photo of the new book
"The Evolution Dialogues"

In an unusual undertaking for a science society, AAAS has produced a new 
book that discusses evolution and the rich diversity of Christian 
responses to the theory along with the quest for common ground on what 
has become a contentious issue in many school districts across the nation.

The book, “The Evolution Dialogues,” was written with the input of both 
scientists and theologians. Meant specifically for use in Christian 
adult education programs, it offers a concise description of the natural 
world, as explained by evolution, and the Christian response, both in 
Charles Darwin’s time and in contemporary America. It has a glossary of 
terms from both science and religion, with “bacteria” and “Biblical 
infallibility” defined on the same page.

As an introduction to each chapter, the book features a narrative about 
the personal dilemma of a fictional college student, Angela Rawlett, as 
she struggles to reconcile her traditionalist Christian upbringing with 
her keen interest in biology.

Her story is rooted in reality, according to Connie Bertka, director of 
the AAAS’s Dialogue on Science, Ethics and Religion program, which 
produced the book. Students from traditional Christian backgrounds 
sometimes approach biology professors with concerns that the study of 
evolution will conflict with their religious beliefs. “Biology 101 
teachers can cite cases like this,” Bertka said.

At a time when several leading scientists have written personal accounts 
of their own faith in both God and the scientific method, the new AAAS 
book offers a thoughtful look at science and Christianity. It mentions 
their shared values, including a commitment to truthfulness.

While concerns about evolution are not limited to Christian 
denominations or to the United States, the debate has been the most 
intense within segments of the American Christian community almost from 
the moment Darwin published his theory in 1859. Bertka said the book 
grew out of discussions at AAAS starting in 2000 as the Intelligent 
Design movement began to make some headway. The movement, championed by 
the Seattle-based Discovery Institute, maintains there is empirical 
evidence in nature for the existence of an intelligent agent beyond nature.

Scientists and some representatives of mainline religious denominations 
were concerned that Intelligent Design would be sold as an integration 
of science and religion, enticing even some members of mainstream 
religious communities to question evolution. Previously, school 
curriculum battles over evolution had been driven largely by young-Earth 
creationists whose literal interpretation of the Bible holds that our 
world is no more than 10,000 years old.

At the time, mainline denominations such as the Lutheran World 
Federation, the Episcopal Church USA and the United Methodist Church had 
been somewhat disengaged from the earlier battles over creationism and 
evolution. But the debate over Intelligent Design raised the stakes, 
posing threats to the quality of instruction in public school science 
classrooms and to the constitutional division between church and state.

After consultations with representatives of scientific and Christian 
religious communities, AAAS decided to produce a book that could be used 
by religious educators and others seeking a concise description of the 
science of evolution and a respectful discussion of the cultural and 
religious responses to it.

As the book’s prologue notes, “there are deep misunderstandings about 
what biological evolution is, what science itself is, and what views 
people of faith, especially Christians, have applied to their 
interpretations of the science. With this volume, AAAS seeks to correct 
some of those misunderstandings.”

In addition to its potential use in religious adult education programs, 
the new book also should have value in other educational settings such 
as history of science classes, seminaries and community libraries.

The book, written by Catherine Baker and edited by James B. Miller, 
tells why evolution is not a hypothetical idea but rather is the 
essential framework for modern biology. It discusses new observations 
that have led to revisions in the theory since the time of Charles 
Darwin, including new views on why the giraffe’s neck is long. But it 
emphasizes the underlying principles of evolution that continue to stand 
the test of time: all species, living and extinct, are related to each 
other and the forms of life that populate the Earth have changed over 
time and continue to change.

An array of distinguished reviewers, contacted by AAAS, found the book 
to be a useful, balanced treatment of the issues. Randy Isaac, a 
physicist and executive director of the American Scientific Affiliation, 
said Baker “has done an excellent job in writing at a level such that a 
broad audience would benefit from the book. Her research is well done 
and I felt she went to great lengths to be fair in every detail. I think 
the book will contribute significantly to the ongoing discussions.” The 
American Scientific Affiliation describes itself is an organization of 
Christians in science who “share a common fidelity to the Word of God 
and a commitment to integrity in the practice of science.”

Jack Haught, a Georgetown University theologian, said the book “will 
prove to be very helpful to teachers and students of biology, especially 
where questions might arise about the scientific status of Darwin’s 
theory and the religious implications of evolution.” Haught said the 
book “exhibits not only prudence and judiciousness, but also an erudite 
understanding of the distinct modes of understanding characteristic of 
science and religion. A major benefit of this project is that it 
demonstrates how a religious understanding of the world need not be 
looked upon as an alternative to evolutionary science and vice-versa.”

Rodger Bybee, executive director of the nonprofit Biological Sciences 
Curriculum Study, said the book “will be an excellent, positive 
contribution to a contemporary understanding of evolution and religion.”

Copies of “The Evolution Dialogues” may be obtained from the AAAS 
Distribution Center, P.O. Box 521, Annapolis Junction, MD 20701. 
Telephone orders (VISA and MasterCard only) may be made at 800-222-7809 
between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. The price is $9.95 ($7.95 for AAAS 
members) plus postage and handling ($2 domestic, $4 international). For 
shipments to the District of Columbia, add 5.75 % sales tax; for 
California, add applicable sales tax; for Canada, add the GST. Ten or 
more copies: $5.00 each.

A study guide for the book is being prepared and will be available here.

Earl Lane

09 August 2006