Evangelist David Asscherick is a young-earth creationist. He was preaching a series at Loma Linda University when he encountered the reality of men who claim to be Adventists, but teach Big Bang evolution. (David Asscherick, Open Letter of 30 Apr 2009 to Jan Paulsen)"Many scholars of the church are progressive, and progressive Adventism has strong connections with Adventist higher education."
AT PLACES LIKE LA SIERRA UNIVERSITY
"Progressive Adventists are members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church who disagree with certain beliefs traditionally or commonly held by mainstream today in the church." (Progressive Adventism, Wikipedia)
57% OF ADVENTIST SCIENCE EDUCATORS: EVOLUTION OVER MILLIONS OF YEARS
Well, what kind of beliefs do they disagree with? "Young earth creationism.
Other traditional teachings may also be challenged, such as young earth creationism. In a 1994 survey of North American Division science educators, 43% of the respondents affirmed the statement "God created live organisms during 6 days less than 10,000 years ago." (Progressive Adventism, Wikipedia)IT WAS OBVIOUS
"It is a matter of incontestable fact that n
aturalistic evolution is being taught at La Sierra University." (David Asscherick, Open Letter of 30 Apr 2009 to Jan Paulsen)LA SIERRA UNIVERSITY BIOLOGY PROFESSOR AGREES
"“It’s very, very clear that what I’m skeptical of is the absolute necessity of believing that the only way a creator God could do things is by speaking them into existence a few thousand years ago".
"AH, THOSE CREATIONISTS"
“That’s where my skepticism lies.
That’s the religious philosophical basis for what I call the lunatic fringe. They do not represent the majority position in the Church, and yes I’m skeptical of that." (Gary Bradley, PhD, cited in Jack Stripling, Creating Controversy, Inside Higher Ed, 1 Sep 2009, http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2009/09/01/evolution)HIGH-RANKING LA SIERRA UNIVERSITY OFFICIAL
"Dr. Bradley is currently Professor of Biology.
He has served as the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and is a past Director of the General Education Program. Prior to his appointment as CAS Dean he served on many University and College of Arts and Sciences committees. He is also a member of the Honors Program faculty and the University Studies faculty." http://www.lasierra.edu/index.php?id=892Of course, “La Sierra University is a Seventh-day Adventist institution of higher learning.” http://www.lasierra.edu/whylsu/sda-churches.htm
SO THEIR TOP PROFESSORS DO NOT SUPPORT YOUNG-EARTH CREATIONISM
"The book Understanding Genesis: Contemporary Adventist Perspectives edited by Brian Bull, Fritz Guy and Ervin Taylor challenges the traditional beliefs." (Progressive Adventism, Wikipedia)"The central goal of the text is to convince readers of two things: (1) that the young-earth position is not supported by scientific evidence; and (2) that historically-informed hermeneutics also do not support a young-earth position." (Sean M. Cordry, Understanding Genesis: Contemporary Adventist Perspectives, Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith, Sep 2007)
And if somebody like David Asscherick has a problem with that?The La Sierra diagnosis was simple: "lunatic".
MEANWHILE, DR. GUY RECEIVES AWARDS FOR HIS CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE BIBLE STORY OF CREATION
"Fritz Guy, research professor of philosophical theology at La Sierra University and former LSU president, received the Charles Elliot Weniger Award for Excellence in recognition of his long career in ministry, theology, writing, and education for the Seventh-day Adventist church." (Larry Becker, Campus News Feature: Fritz Guy Receives Weniger Award for Excellence, La Sierra University Website, 11 Feb 2009, http://www.lasierra.edu/news/2009/feb/fritz_guy.html ) “La Sierra University is a Seventh-day Adventist institution of higher learning.” http://www.lasierra.edu/whylsu/sda-churches.html
NOT ALL THE ADVENTIST STUDENTS BELIEVED IN EVOLUTION
"Many students from La Sierra University attended those meetings, and I personally visited with many of them.
They told me what was being taught in some of their science classes. I shall never forget the looks and questions of unadorned incredulity that I witnessed among those students. I have talked to many more since. “What should I do?” “Should I say something?” “Should I just attend a non-SDA school?” “Do our leaders know about this?” “How come these people are allowed to teach at a Seventh-day Adventist University?”" (David Asscherick, Open Letter of 30 Apr 2009 to Jan Paulsen)Well, well. “Do our leaders know about about this?" Of course they do!
SENIOR ADVENTIST LEADER
PROMOTES BIG BANG EVOLUTION
"Big Bang cosmogony can, I believe, easily be harmonized with biblical faith." "As stated, I have no problem incorporating the Big Bang theory into my Adventism." (Clifford R. Goldstein, reference)
ON THIS THEOLOGICAL BASIS
After all, "You can get something more accurate out of a fortune cookie than from the Word of God".(Clifford Goldstein, reference) Elder Goldstein is a member of the Executive Committee of the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.
So now you know why evolution is taught in Adventist universities.
RELATED READING:
Clifford Goldstein explains the General Conference Theology of Big Bang Evolution
Stephen Bohr on the Protectors of Adventist Faith
Walter Veith, Reinder Bruinsma / How all this happened
Elder Goldstein's Theology in Action
