. . . has been posted at Crossroads: Where Faith and Inquiry Meet. For unknown reasons my post isn’t there, but it’s still a good collection. I’ll have to make sure I made it through the time related hoops.
Enjoy!
Author: henry
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ID and Theistic Evolution
Ed Brayton calls attention to the “exchange of views” between P. Z. Myers and Wesley Elsberry. As any reader of this blog will know, I’m siding with Wesley Elsberry.
But this whole debate continues to annoy me. Why is it that people have to care what someone believes about something that is not going to impact their science. Even Myers agrees, for example, that Kenneth Miller (with Levine) have written some excellent science texts. So who cares precisely what they believe when the issue is science?
Yes, when dealing with political issues, that is going to come up. Even my name, as poorly known as it is, gets brought up in church. “Henry’s a Bible teacher and he accepts evolution.” Depending on the position of the person saying it, imagine a tone either of passing a dirty secret or of triumph, as in “It’s OK then.”
The fact that I accept evolution is not in any sense a scientific reason for someone to accept the theory. But such is life in this fine world of ours. Some people accept or reject things because people that they respect accept them. In fact, much of the following of creationism exists, not because people have actually studied the issue, but because they are following the opinions of people who have the “right” theological views.
That’s not good. They should change it. But it’s a fact of life.
In the meantime, for those challenged by nuances and gradations in ideas, try this. ID advocates think God tinkers along the way in an identifiable way. Theistic evolutions expect to find the same physical things as atheistic evolutionists, but they also believe in God. There won’t be any difference in a science text written by a theistic and an atheistic evolutionist–unless they get off the subject. Kenneth Miller’s scientific writings are exhibit A.
Now in politics and theology, all bets are off. 🙂
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My Latest Book (Partly)
My new book wasn’t planned–by me, that is. Rev. Riley Richardson, pastor of Gonzalez United Methodist Church (and thus my pastor) were talking one day about books, and he said, “What I need is an extremely simple book that I can give to new members that will tell them what to do next and help guide them into discipleship.
Being a publisher, and more specifically a publisher whose publications are driven by what I perceive as educational needs in churches, I immediately suggested to Riley that he write such a book and I would publish it. But he didn’t jump right on the bandwagon until I offered to help. So on the new book you will see right below Riley’s name the phrase “with Henry Neufeld.” That means Riley got to make all the decisions, and I helped him produce it. I helped myself by incorporating material from some of our existing Participatory Study Series tracts with Riley’s approval.
For those who don’t know him, Riley is an energetic, evangelical Methodist pastor. He’s practical and down to earth. So the book isn’t really mine, despite the title to this blog post, but I had quite a bit to do with it and I’m happy to be able to offer it as a tool for pastors, church leaders, and every member who has ever wondered what to do next when someone becomes a Christian or joins the church.
The statistics are not so good for new Christians staying in the church. Discipleship and fellowship are key elements to sticking with it. Both Riley and I pray that this little book will be a help to many.
This book will not (or at least should not) teach the pastor anything new about discipleship. It’s a tool to use in ministry and in sharing with others. Activities and study questions are included so it can be used in small groups.
A couple of personal notes–first, nepotism is involved in the cover production. That beautiful cover is the work of my nephew, Jason Neufeld (contact info at jasonneufelddesign.com). Riley has designated his royalties to go to the Ukraine missions that are carried out by Pacesetters Bible School and partially supported by Gonzalez United Methodist Church.
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Elgin Hushbeck’s New Blog
Elgin Hushbeck is a friend and also business associate (I publish his books in the Consider Christianity series). He is a contributor to the Running Toward the Goal podcast.
He’s started a new blog at Townhall.com, and for better or for worse his first blog touches an issue on which we disagree, the war in Iraq, under the title Is there a War on Terror?. I’m not going to get into answering it now, as I think I’ve blogged enough on the war for the moment, but Elgin’s post is a thoughtful view from the other side of this issue.
I will comment only so far as to note that I agree that there is a substantial threat to be faced, and that complacency has set in. I simply don’t agree that even in the face of that the invasion of Iraq, at least with the stated objectives, was a good strategic choice. But that is a long discussion part of which we have already had in person.
I think many readers of this blog will enjoy Elgin’s posts in this series, some because I annoy you and Elgin won’t, others because he’ll annoy you and you’ll have to think of more arguments, all of which will be to the good.
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Brokeback Mountain for Kids
For some balance on the incident of showing Brokeback Mountain to middle schoolers, check out this post on Pursuing Holiness. I really can’t comment much since I haven’t seen the movie, but the phrase “age appropriate” (or in this case, not so much age appropriate) makes sense to me.
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The Right Type of Accountability
I’m an advocate of accountability, especially in church matters and our spiritual lives. I think it makes for wiser decision making and greater likelihood that we will carry out our goals. Accountability can come in many forms, from very formalized, such as an accountability group that meets regularly in which you question one another’s spiritual life, or simply telling friends and family what it is that you’ve determined to accomplish. The value of these types of accountability varies, of course.
The Washington Post has an article on accountability, which quotes experts to tell us a number of things about accountability that may seem like common sense, but in government at least we don’t seem to follow them. Perhaps having a few PhDs say these things will help!
This article quotes Jennifer Lerner, now moving to the Kennedy School of Government, as saying that the wrong type of accountability can produce the opposite effect to what was intended, and notes,
What she and numerous other experts have found is that particular types of accountability are needed for particular situations. Get the nuances wrong, and accountability backfires on you.
In particular candidates in either party may be drawn to the left (Democrats) or the right (Republicans) by the voters who will get them nominated, and then feel accountable to those voters once elected. Thus they may do things that please that constituency, to whom they are accountable, rather than what they actually believe is right.
Accountability may also make the decision maker favor things that are easier to explain, even when those things are not necessarily better. The article cites medical decisions, in which a physician may choose the course of action that would be easiest to explain in a lawsuit, for example, over what he or she truly believes is the best choice. From my own experience with the medical profession I suspect this would result in favoring a traditional, well-established course of action over something newer but potentially more effective.
Of course it should be no surprise that accountability that kicks in before and during the decision is more effective than accountability that kicks in afterwards. We needed a good deal of research to figure that one out! But it is something we don’t always notice. Once a decision has been made, we’re more likely to spend our time justifying what we have done than in reflecting on what we may have done wrong. Questioning often simply hardens our stance on that matter as we get defensive.
To relate this directly to church, consider the conflict between a forward looking ministry team and a hard-headed finance committee. We have the faith versus sight debate in full swing, with the ministry folks assuring the finance folks that they are following God’s leading and that God will provide for their need, and the finance folks pointing to the budget. Where is wisdom? I think each being accountable to the other is a good thing. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer.
But that kind of decision is not limited to the church. In a business you would have a similar conflict between the creative folks and financial officer. Is this product worth investing in? Do we have the money to produce it? All the while the creative people are pointing out how sales will quickly bring in the necessary support. Or something like that . . .
Accountability is good, but needs to be combined with the courage of our convictions and the humility to reconsider of favored ideas.
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Roles and Relationships Add, Not Subtract
I just got back from a Mothers Day service at my church. The pastor, a good friend, commented both to me before the service and during the sermon itself about those who can be hurt because for one reason or not they are not mothers. Often hurtful comments are made by well-intentioned people. I know how easy it is to make a comment that hurts when one is only intending to be friendly.
But I see a community problem, or perhaps a problem of our whole society, in the way we view roles and relationships. It often seems to me that we view ourselves as having a certain capacity for relationships, so that any new relationship is likely to subtract from an older one. Similarly with our roles in life, we seem to think that if we honor one role, we dishonor another, or at least diminish its honor. But why must it be that way?
Let me speak from my own experience. I do not have an “biological” children. I married late in life to a wonderful woman who has three wonderful children. People asked both of us numerous times whether we were satisfied with not having any more children. That would, they hastened to remind me, mean that I would never have any “children of my own.”
Well, I guess I’m thankful for their concern for my happiness, but I do have children of my own, and now several grandchildren. They are my own because I claim them, because I love them, and to the best of my ability I’m there for them. I don’t have any overwhelming need to produce more children so that I can make some better claim to them.
Once I had stepchildren, there came some complaints about the word “step.” Some people wondered if I didn’t want my stepchildren to call me “dad” and not “step-dad” or “Henry.” Well, to put it bluntly, I’m proud of the role of stepfather, and it doesn’t bother me at all to be reminded of it. The stepfather role in no way needs to diminish the role of dad, either. My children are all very musical. Their father was an exceptionally talented musician, talented in sports, and a good man. You can believe me since I’m talking about my wife’s ex. I don’t think I’m motivated to flattery.
I knew with the children that I would not be taking his place, even if I had wanted to. A few minutes after he passed away, I had a conversation with James and he told me, “I guess it’s all up to you now.” That separate stepfather relationship was something special in itself. It wasn’t diminished by James’ love for his father, nor was his relationship with his father diminished by having a relationship with me.
I can never share John’s dreams in baseball in the same way as his father did. I learned baseball watching John. His father helped teach him to play. I came in late in the game. Whatever John wants or does is fine with me. His father lived the dream of seeing his son in the major leagues. But the relationship between stepfather and stepson has its own special quality that can even survive my rather basic questions about baseball. Janet does call me “dad” now, but that doesn’t make our relationship better or worse. It is just what works for us. I love to hear her voice when she calls, no matter what the reason.
I don’t think they can be any more “mine” than they are, and I respect their love for and memory of their father. No relationship needs to subtract from any other.
Looking back on my own life, one of my elementary teachers, who taught me for several years in a small two-room school had a tremendous influence on my life, and I know on the lives of many others. She never married, and so was not “technically” a mother. But her role had its own special quality and its own special influence.
My mother and my wife, while both having biological children, also tend to build up roles of friendship and mentoring with many others. Those roles and relationships do not diminish the relationship with their “natural” children. They add.
So today I do celebrate mothers in the traditional sense. But my celebration for the day does not diminish my appreciate for all those other women and the roles they play in peoples’ lives at home or at work.
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Candidates on Technology Issues
Here is a good article that barely touches on the technological issues which could impact and be impacted by federal government policy over the next 4-8 years. It’s something that we need to think about, no matter what side of each issue we’re on.
And just to remind us of the great need for education, there’s this comment (2nd on the list):
. . . That is an example of the same idiotic thinking that gave rise to the stupid solar car race. Ever notice that they pace that race with a bicycle? Why not just ride bicycles? . . .
. . . which goes to show us that some people have no idea how technology is developed. Early bicycles required some development too, not to mention cars.