See Scott Aniol’s review of a presentation [pdf only] by Sam Dawson for more on culture and the Christian perspective towards it. This is excellent. We need to get a better grasp of what culture is and how Christians should relate to it.
by on 10.15.08
history and philosophy of science
A pair of interesting articles showed up recently in the Scientist magazine web-site (free registration required). The two articles speak to the need for education in the history and philosophy of science. The arguments presented (and the biases revealed) make for interesting reading.
The first article is What makes science “science”? By James Williams, subtitled ‘Trainee teachers don’t have a clue, and most scientists probably don’t either. That’s bad news.’
The second article is Why the philosophy of science matters By Richard Gallagher, ‘The central tenets of science enhance communication and our influence on society’.
Here are some concerns Williams highlights in his article:
As a science educator, I train science graduates to become science teachers. Over the past two years I’ve surveyed their understanding of key terminology and my findings reveal a serious problem. Graduates, from a range of science disciplines and from a variety of universities in Britain and around the world, have a poor grasp of the meaning of simple terms and are unable to provide appropriate definitions of key scientific terminology. So how can these hopeful young trainees possibly teach science to children so that they become scientifically literate? How will school-kids learn to distinguish the questions and problems that science can answer from those that science cannot and, more importantly, the difference between science and pseudoscience?
What kind of ignorance is Williams talking about?
The results show a lack of understanding of what scientific theories and laws are. And the nature of a ‘fact’ in science was not commonly understood … Some of the graduates implicitly or explicitly equated theories with hypotheses
Gallagher makes this observation concerning Williams’ findings:
Williams’ findings demand a thorough assessment of what’s being taught to science students. If, as seems likely, university science departments are churning out technically sophisticated but intellectually stunted drones that don’t understand the underpinnings of science, then urgent reforms to the curriculum are required because such people aren’t really scientists at all.
Those students who go on to grad school will presumably be exposed to aspects of the philosophy of science, if only through engaging in research. But this is not so for the group that Williams is working with, trainee teachers.
He goes on to say this:
Williams’ calls for a core course in the history and philosophy of science to be taught to all science undergraduates strikes a chord. I’d add that a further course on the philosophy of biology should be required of students in the life and medical sciences.
And calls scientists to “get back to our guiding philosophy”.
Why are they so concerned? Well consider these lines from each man:
by on 10.3.08
calvinistic secret society? UPDATE: nope
I got three hits on my blog today from a discussion forum called “Spurgeon Underground“.
One of them is from Anniston, Alabama, who viewed, according to Sitemeter, my main page, my about page, and then went over to my church site. This visitor spent 3:31 on oxgoad.
Another, briefer visit was from Mobile, Alabama, just a quick hit and gone.
The first visit was from the UK, 1:56, with an “out-click” on my link to the Pulpit Magazine article concerning Piper, Driscoll, and harsh language.
This group is a private forum for members only. From their about page:
The Spurgeon Underground Fellowship is a small group of like-minded, committed Christians who strongly hold to the doctrine of sola scriptura. We believe that the Bible is our sole authority for all doctrine and practice. We do not reject biblical commentaries and other writings by committed believers, but we hold them accountable to the “whole counsel of God” as found in the Scriptures. Because we believe in the doctrine of salvation as taught by the Scripture, we are also strongly committed to what is commonly called the Doctrines of Grace or Reformed Theology.
This group was created for fellowship, prayer, and interaction for those who hold these doctrines. These doctrines are not politically correct, nor are they readily accepted in the majority of the Christian churches in our day. This fellowship is a haven in the midst of a stormy sea. As such, membership is by invitation only and only extended to like-minded, like-spirited men. If you would like to know more about the fellowship, you can read our fellowship guildelines posted below in Adobe Acrobat format. You may also email the Forum Administrator.
What gives with this? Why the secrecy, fellows? How does clandestine spirituality promote the body of Christ?
And why the mis-spelling of “guidelines”? It occurs twice on the about page, both in the comment above and in the link to the “guildelines” document. Is this just an accident or is it somehow a subliminal play on the word “guild”?
Count me mystified.
UPDATE: One of the members of this group enlightens me in the comments. I meant my comments to be taken lightly after a rather tense week, so I hope our brethren who are involved in this group aren’t offended. I wish them all well in their various ministries. By the way, you might want to check out their group blog, linked in the comments below.
by on 9.16.08
positive article on A Beka from Jamaica
I ran across a write-up from the Jamaica Observer speaking of the virtues of the A Beka School Curriculum.
We have used the A Beka Video curriculum in our home for fifteen years (I think I have the number right!). We have been very pleased with it. The article speaks highly of many aspects of the curriculum while noting the controversy (from the secular point of view) of its view on science and history.
While some criticize fundamentalism for not publishing enough books, it seems to me that fundamentalism has had a much more practical and down-to-earth ministering orientation. As a result, what we have written is curricula, not theologica. Should we say that these efforts were wasted, and beneath us?
Thank God for A Beka Book and BJU Press. These have been vital ministries for our times. May God bless them and grant them continued success.
by on 9.10.08
is the bloom off the rose?
In the fundamentalist blogging world, enthusiasm for the medium appears to be flagging. I follow over a dozen fundamentalist blogs. Most of them are being very sporadically updated these days.
We’ll give our friend Greg, an excuse, but he’s the only one we’ll let off the hook. Chris A. also posts regularly, as do the fellows at TheoSource and Brian at Exegesis and Theology. And the intrepid Scott Aniol. But where is Jon & Champ, Frank, even PaleoBen, with whom I am wont to tangle? Even the vaunted SI, the 800 lb gorilla of the fundamentalist blogosphere seems to be falling off in the volume of its discussion. When most [hyperbole!!] of the current conversations are in-house between the admins and moderators, it does seem that the former furious interest has waned.
One can think of several reasons why this might be so.
by on 9.2.08
the other side scares me
I offered earlier a somewhat underwhelmed view of the Republican ticket. But what of the other side?
The other side scares me:
When I read the Bible, I do so with the belief that it is not a static (stable) text but the Living Word and that I must be continually open to new revelations.(Barack Obama, Audacity of Hope, p. 224)
There’s more, read about it at Lighthouse Trails.
by on 9.2.08
it’s a good question
A letter writer to my newspaper, The National Post, asks this question about the Republican vice-presidential nominee:
Re: The Culture Wars Continue, Father Raymond J. de Souza, Aug. 30. Father Raymond J. de Souza’s subtle endorsement of Sarah Palin is interesting. How can a woman be second in charge of the most influential country on Earth and not able to be ordained in his Church?
Just asking. Eric Madden, Collingwood, Ont.
Raymond de Souza is a Roman Catholic priest who has a regular column in the Post. A column I rarely look at and almost never finish, by the way.
But the letter writer asks a good question, one for which Independent Baptists and other fundamentalist Christians should have a good, biblical answer.
by on 8.22.08
so its Biden
My favorite Dem!
Obama’s VP pick makes it very interesting for our family. A few years ago we were in Washington, DC. We had arrived too late in the day to get a ticket for a Senate gallery visit, so we were just touristing around outside the capital, taking pictures, etc. My wife spotted Biden about thirty yards away and waited for him to turn towards us to snap a picture. He grinned and came over to talk to us, which of course thrilled us all. Here was a guy we had seen on TV just chatting us up!
by on 8.20.08
interesting
Franklin Graham unhappy with movie about father
An article discusses an upcoming movie about Billy Graham. It has this interesting paragraph concerning Franklin Graham’s biggest objection to the movie:
A scene Franklin Graham found more “troublesome,” DeMoss said, was one he categorized as embellished. In it, Bob Jones Sr., then-president of fundamentalist Bob Jones College, tells young Billy Graham, a student who has questioned some of the school’s strict views, that he will never amount to anything. In the scene, darkness partly obscures the ranting Jones.
DeMoss said Franklin Graham felt that the scene “completely misrepresented Bob Jones” and has written a letter to Bob Jones III, now president of Bob Jones University, assuring him that “we didn’t collaborate on the film.”
UPDATE: Christianity Today weighs in with their own article.
by on 8.11.08
a little eclectica
I am in the midst of rebuilding my lawn after having a new $eptic $y$tem installed, so I am too busy for blogging. But let me note a few things of interest to me lately…
Nasa is Taking Shots at the Moon
There are places on the Moon where the sun hasn’t shined for millions of years [sic]. Dark polar craters too deep for sunlight to penetrate are luna incognita, the realm of the unknown, and in their inky depths, researchers believe, may lie a treasure of great value.
NASA is about to light one up.
For Church History Buffs
- Christianity Today’s Liveblog provices a list of favorite Church history sites. Two I knew about, but three are new and look promising.
So, what do you think of Video Games?
- The Canadian Christianity site has an article that raises some concerns about the addiction of many to gaming. A real concern, I think, but a typically too weak response in our child-centered era. (I think every branch of conservative Christianity is too weak on this, including Fundamentalism.)
And last, for now…
What gives with this Muslim-Christian conference?
- And did the Christians involved give away too much in the process? And what should a prominent Minnesota Baptist pastor say to another prominent Minnesota Baptist pastor this time? [Probably he should say more than he will say, I reckon.]
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