This year's special issue centered around the topic of origins, a controversial topic to be certain. Ever since the La Sierra issue a few years back, everyone seems to be avoiding the topic. And when mentioned at all, everyone seems to be looking over their shoulder... That's why I'm proud of The Collegian. It confronted a tough subject head-on. Professionally. Tactfully. And willing to look at both sides.
A slight majority of students still hold to the SDA belief of a six literal day creation. That doesn't surprise me. It did, however, surprise Sean Pittman and his website, Educate Truth. There, he wrote an entry that simply angered me. Not only was it full of errors (both factually and stylistically), but it was simply a careless attack without merit. WWU pictures were even used without consent.
Pittman stated:
Clearly, La Sierra University is not the only Adventist school that has been challenged by the issue of origins. While LSU may have been the most blatant in attacking and undermining the Adventist position on origins, many of our other schools (with the exception of Southern Adventist University and Southwestern Adventist University where the Adventist position on origins is still strongly upheld and promoted) seem to be heading down the same path or are at least very weak in their active support of the Church on this issue.How does he know what is taught in WWU classes? Does he know that WWU professors teach evolution? Has he polled SAU or SWAU students? Might they think similar things? As a former WWU student, I heard little talk of evolution period. Or even talk of an extended time period for creation. Anywhere on campus. By any professor. And my friends who have taken Biology courses say similar things.
The comment thread was particularly frustrating, where further attacks were unleashed without merit. Many WWU students got involved in attempt to correct, which was nice to see, but the piece is still up... If you want a frustrating read, try to make it all the way through the comment thread.
If you want a more accurate summary of the issue, try Adventist Today. Or better yet, read through the actual issue at The Collegian's website.
And to start some fire. Why does it even matter? If creation didn't happen in 6 literal days, is God any less powerful? Aren't issues like this just widening the divide within Christianity. Discussion is good. Infighting is not. Instead, shouldn't we be focusing more on Jesus and our true mission of making Him known to the world instead of infighting over issues such as origins? Just seems like one more way to anger people into leaving Christian churches...
I love this post. Seriously. As a marketer for WWU (though not currently) it was a tough challenge to state the university's stand on the origins issue without a) drawing undue attention to ourselves by sounding defensive and b) offending anyone or starting fires. WWU has nothing to hide - AT ALL - regarding this issue, but when there are so many attackers out there ready to pounce on anything they interpret as "out of line" on that front, it's like treading barefoot on broken glass to address the subject at all.
ReplyDeleteIt is much easier for the students to speak from their perspectives because college students have a freedom they don't yet understand, and which I, to be honest, envy. And probably will for years to come. I, too, am proud of the Collegian for picking out these hot button topics and hashing them out with today's REAL students, not concepts of students that may or may not have existed a few years ago...and who may or may not have actually attended the university people claim they attended.
I'm not even going to click on your link to that frustrating article because I don't want to be angry for the rest of the evening (haha!), but I can only imagine how inflammatory it is. People (especially Christians) get very aggressive when their beliefs are called into question because often, those who call them into question are attacking and accusing rather than asking with true interest.
I don't usually quote Ellen White, and I especially don't like to quote her without support from the Bible, but I will say this: She points out in some of her writings that the Church will not fall as a result of outside forces; the devil has his foot in the door at all times, and will bring the Church down from within.
This origins debate is prime example of that happening, and there are plenty of other examples, as well.
A lengthy discussion could arise from this post, and I kind of hope it does. :) But regardless, thank you for posting this and thank you, once again, for being open-minded and presenting clear thoughts.