Stewardship of the environment is a peripheral subject in Adventist thinking. The aim of this paper is to; 1. Point out some impediments that have contributed to Adventist's lack of high level of awareness and commitment to environmental care; 2. Give reasons why Adventist should view themselves as key players in matters of the environment. 3. Examine three working relationships between humans and the environment.
The integration of Bible and science is an uphill work that requires careful reading of both the Bible and of scientific data. Because no other natural science has traveled so great a distance down an anti-biblical road, no other science requires this corrective procedure more than biology.
The complex and vitally essential ecology and biodiversity we find in nature today, at the top of the structural hierarchy of nature, suggest that many interacting organisms would have been required right from the beginning. Only a short-term creation would provide such ecosystem requirements.
If the stranglehold of naturalism can be weakened enough for open discussion of the philosophical issues, the resulting open-minded discussion of design vs. chance will be very beneficial to science. There is a great need of this openness in science. Science should be an open-ended search for truth, rather than a closed system that will not consider certain ideas.
The severe ecological crisis in which we live has been identified as a crisis of the present society values. The aim of this essay is to discuss the historical roots of the modern ecological crisis and its consequences in terms of paradigms that base Environmental Education actions.
This section focuses on South American fossil vertebrates, excluding marine fish. Extinct families will be emphasized here, as living families were considered in Part 1.
Ecology, or environmental science, is multidisciplinary. As such, it allows ecology to be integrated with other disciplines. It also allows us to tie it to faith.
Many families of vertebrates appear to have reached South America from the north, as would be expected as they dispersed from the ark after the worldwide flood. These include all the widespread families. Many other families are restricted to South America. Their biogeographical history is unknown.
This brief monograph was written to champion the views of a minority in the scientific community. This minority holds that it is possible to accept this ancient report of Earth's creation at face value — and still be a true scientist. But the main purpose is to go a step further. It will be argued that a close examination of life can lead observers to the logical conclusion that life itself is an actual evidence for creation. Published in Origins v. 25, n. 1.
What are genes? What role do they play in the function of organisms?
As a scientist, I frequently find myself taking a polemic stance in defense of creationism. In doing this, I easily lose sight nature as a revealer of its Creator. It is a pleasant change to contemplate my field of scientific interest, looking for insight about the Creator.
It must be emphasized that Chemistry, like any other area of scientific knowledge, is neither good nor bad, but like everything else that was marred by the entrance of sin, man's ability to manipulate his environment has led to misuse. Instead of giving in to technicism, where technology sets the agenda for life on planet Earth, the ethics of the Bible should be the basis on which we make decisions on the value of life and on the conduct of life.
Ancient fossil reefs are considered to be a challenge to the biblical concept of creation. But do these fossil reefs really negate the biblical account of beginnings? Published in Origins v. 21, n. 2.
We need to develop ways to foster consciousness about the environment and a willingness to participate as good stewards of creation.
Ecofeminism enlivens and challenges Adventist spirituality to embody justice and empower others; challenge dualism and recenter humanity within creation and God's presence.
Pseudogenes are DNA sequences that resemble functional genes but seem to have no purpose. The presence of similar eta globin pseudogenes in humans and chimps has been used as an argument for common ancestry of the two species.
The fact that animals need plants poses a problem for the evolutionary model, since the record of past life sometimes reveals non-viable ecosystems. Published in Origins v. 21, n. 1.
The philosophical context in which biology is presented can make an important difference in its meaning for the student. The philosophical worldview of the biblical Christian is quite different from that of the non-Christian; thus, the biology teacher may have a profound influence on the development of worldview by the student.
This paper proposes that mutation and natural selection can produce biological change, but are not sufficient to explain the origins of biodiversity and complexity. Instead, the authors argue that genetic complexity is the result of intelligent design, and was at a maximum when life on Earth first came into being. Published in Origins v. 20, n. 2.
Survival on earth seems bleak as the environmental crisis worsens. Amidst the destruction, how should Adventists respond to the environmental crisis? Creation and incarnation dominate Christian understandings of ecology. However, I think that a third theological theme, the Resurrection, best illuminates the relationship of Christianity to the environment.
