Is it ethical to fire a christian scholar for endorsing evolution?

[Child Like Faith]

I can't post links yet so google "Religious Scholar Resigned for Endorsing Evolution"

Basically, the old testament scholar Bruce K. Waltke was fired from Forida's Reformed Theology School after the school found out he was in a Biologos video endorsing the compatibility of evolution and christianity.

For those that do not know what Biologos means (not advertising or anything) but the site was started by the christian guy Dr. Francis Collins (head of the Humane Genome Project) as well as other christians scientist, philosophers, etc to help bridge science(particularly evolution) and Christianity.

I am a christian and I believe in evolution as well. I DO NOT believe Jesus was a made up fictional/allegorical character, I'm theologically conservative(Jesus is the truth, Can't go to heaven through Buddha, there is a heaven and hell after death, etc) and I believe Jesus died on the cross AND rose.


Do you think its ethical to fire a bible scholar because he exercised the idea that evolution and Christianity are compatible? Should this something we should concern ourselves with?

 

[freezerman2000]

It depends on the school's policy...If the professor went against policy, then no, it is NOT unethical.
What would be unethical would be,if there was NO policy against what he did and he was forced out for doing so.

 

[Child Like Faith]

The school said there was no discussion of darwinian evolution allowed in class BUT the video he made was something he did outside of school.


This is from one of the articles

Reformed Theological Seminary Orlando (which actually is located in Oviedo) announced this week that renowned scholar Bruce Waltke has resigned from his position as Professor of Old Testament.
He formerly taught winter and early spring classes at the school.
Waltke’s resignation comes just days after he issued a "clarification" of some remarks he made in a Biologos Foundation video about conservative Protestants needing to begin accepting biological evolution (the remarks were pegged to a paper he wrote). In his original marks, Waltke said the church was in danger of slipping into cultlike status if it did not do a better job of engaging the scientific world and coming to grips with widely accepted scientific principles such as evolution.
In subsequent discussions with BioLogos, Waltke said RTS Seminary had asked him to have the video taken down.
The BioLogos Foundation seeks to find common ground between Christianity and scientific discoveries about life and its origins.
Reformed Theological Seminary is an evangelical Protestant Christian seminary with campuses in five cities. The seminary emphasizes the belief that the Bible is historically accurate and without error.

 

[Dark_Lite]

Do you think its ethical to fire a bible scholar because he exercised the idea that evolution and Christianity are compatible?

No. Furthermore, it's unethical for schools to blockade the teaching of science like this. What this guy said in his BioLogos video, without considering the "clarifications," is correct.

 

[freezerman2000]

If he did the video on his own time, then the school should not have canned him, as long as the policy does not forbid it...I smell a lawsuit coming on!

 

[revanneosl]

Here's a link to the story.

 

[Verticordious]

This is the problem with public education, parents don't get to decide. If we had private education we wouldn't have this problem. With private education schools can hire whatever teachers they wanted, schools could teacher whatever subjects they wanted, and parents could send their kids to whatever school they wanted. No need to argue about what should be taught, if you don't like it then go to another school that does teach what you want your kids to learn. That's not even considering the benefits to consumers that private business provide that governments run things can't.

 

[solarwave]

This is the problem with public education, parents don't get to decide. If we had private education we wouldn't have this problem. With private education schools can hire whatever teachers they wanted, schools could teacher whatever subjects they wanted, and parents could send their kids to whatever school they wanted. No need to argue about what should be taught, if you don't like it then go to another school that does teach what you want your kids to learn. That's not even considering the benefits to consumers that private business provide that governments run things can't.

Sounds like a terrible idea to me. Parents shouldn't get to decide because alot of parents don't know what they are talking about. Some might, but I don't assume much intellectual understanding to the average person. If the childs has their church and school chosen by their parents then the child has even less chance to think for themselves.

 

[hedrick]

Do you think its ethical to fire a bible scholar because he exercised the idea that evolution and Christianity are compatible? Should this something we should concern ourselves with?

Yes.

Please try to separate your assessment of whether it's right to enforce standards with your judgement of whether the standards make sense.

Seminaries by their very nature are often communities committed to a specific theological approach. It is perfectly ethical for them to enforce their standards, even if (as in this case) the standards are wrong.

 

[Ishraqiyun]

Next they will fire people for believing 1+1 = 2 because they have a theological problem with it.

 

[dayhiker]

Ya, I agree the school can have him not teach for they are there to teach a specific view of scripture.
Personally, I have a problem with macro evolution, not micro evolution tho. That said I'd prefer to attend a school that taught a variety of views so I'd be educated about the topic not just a one sided party view.

 

[brightmorningstar]

Well didnt the had of the Human Genome project start believing in God because of it? If evolution is the process of God at work all one is doing is saying God set the process of evolving life kingdoms into action. But it means the mecanhism of evolution is God, the supernatural, the supernatural explains the evidence. No, this is not imo opinion a reason to fire him.

 

[Traveller and Wiley]

I can't post links yet so google "Religious Scholar Resigned for Endorsing Evolution"

Basically, the old testament scholar Bruce K. Waltke was fired from Forida's Reformed Theology School after the school found out he was in a Biologos video endorsing the compatibility of evolution and christianity.

Do you think its ethical to fire a bible scholar because he exercised the idea that evolution and Christianity are compatible? Should this something we should concern ourselves with?

Yes. Because he would not repent or correct his teaching, the school had a responsibility to fire him, as he did not hold to Biblical teaching on this issue.

Now, that having been said, in all fairness to Waltke, I think the real question should be, is it ethical to fire Waltke (although, technically, Waltke resigned, I think it's fair to say he would have been fired if he did not) for his heretical views regarding the creation account, while embracing Steve Brown, who holds heretical views on justification and the nature of God.

 

[Traveller and Wiley]

Sounds like a terrible idea to me. Parents shouldn't get to decide because alot of parents don't know what they are talking about.

But the government does?

 

[brightmorningstar]

Exactly. This is the problem with the relativist based secular liberalism influencing governments.

 

[Traveller and Wiley]

Exactly. This is the problem with the relativist based secular liberalism influencing governments.

Parents are the primary educators. Schools, be they private schools or government schools, are only to assist the parents. If parents choose to abdicate their role as educators, then that's their perogative, but that doesn't mean the government has the authority to take over.

This is one reason I love homeschooling so much.

But that's getting off the topic so I'll save that for another thread.

 

[brightmorningstar]

Yes I think in the end parents can and do teach their children anyway, especially on issues where they disagree with the school.

 

[revanneosl]

This is the problem with public education, parents don't get to decide. If we had private education we wouldn't have this problem. With private education schools can hire whatever teachers they wanted, schools could teacher whatever subjects they wanted, and parents could send their kids to whatever school they wanted. No need to argue about what should be taught, if you don't like it then go to another school that does teach what you want your kids to learn. That's not even considering the benefits to consumers that private business provide that governments run things can't.

This story is not even vaguely about public education. It is about a privately owned & run Theological Seminary.

 

[Verticordious]

This story is not even vaguely about public education. It is about a privately owned & run Theological Seminary.

So then they're a private organization making their own business decisions. What's the problem?

 

[solarwave]

But the government does?

I would hope those in government would be better educated than the average person. If they don't theu shouldn't be in government. Also well as this they have access to advise from experts.

Parents are the primary educators. Schools, be they private schools or government schools, are only to assist the parents. If parents choose to abdicate their role as educators, then that's their perogative, but that doesn't mean the government has the authority to take over.

This is one reason I love homeschooling so much.

But that's getting off the topic so I'll save that for another thread.

In my opinion homeschooling takes from children a proper education and socialisation. Children should be allowed to make their own decisions and no have to follow the path of their parents. Of couse parents should be able to influence, but not be the deciding factor in all choices.