With excellent timing the Smithsonian magazine in its April 2005 issue (pp.
52-61) has an article by Steve Kemper on the Scopes trial. This is the 80th
anniversary of the "Monkey Trial," perhaps appropriately marked by the
pending "Academic Rights" legislation and the recent lively discussion here
on Raven.

The article features Kurt Wise, Bryan College professor of science and
author of Faith, Form, and Time (2002). Wise says "catastrophic"
explanation supports the creation of the world by God 6,000 year ago. For
example, the Grand Canyon might have taken three weeks to form.
It took me nearly two weeks last summer just to raft this awe-inspiring
creation, so I am impressed.

Wise is quoted: "Scripture trumps interpretations of physical data." Since
he is Harvard-educated, this view must be true. Oddly, he studied under
Stephen J. Gould, the most famous neo-Darwinist...so much for faculty
indoctrination!

Should the equal time for competing views legislation be passed by
Nashville, perhaps our departments of science, geology, physics, and so on
should consider adoption of Wise's book in their course readings -- or
would Genesis suffice? Court battles and more legislation will sort this
out: welcome to the academy.

Hope you had a happy Easter,

Richard