PERSPECTIVES on Science and Christian Faith JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SCIENTIFIC AFFILIATION In This Issue … Galileo and Global Warming: Parallels between the Geocentrism Debate and Current Evangelical Skepticism about Anthropogenic Climate Change Did God Guide Our Evolution? Rethinking Abiogenesis: Part 1, Continuity of Life through Time Accelerated Nuclear Decay in the Light of New Experimental Data “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom.” Psalm 111:10 VOLUME 72, NUMBER 1 MARCH 2020 (US ISSN 0892-2675) (CPM #40927506) Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith Manuscript Guidelines © 2020 by the American Scientific Affiliation The pages of Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith (PSCF) are open Editor-in-Chief to original, unpublished contributions that interact with science and Christian James C. Peterson (Roanoke College and faith in a manner consistent with scientific and theological integrity. 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For those who wish to Science and Christian Faith, 218 Boston St, Ste 208, request permission for other kinds of copying or reprinting, kindly write to Topsfield, MA 01983-2210. the Managing Editor. Editorial Listening Together James C. Peterson ith the title Perspectives on Science and Chris- People often confuse the authority of scripture tian Faith, this academic journal takes into with the authority of how they in particular read it. Waccount that, from the beginning, churches Inerrant scripture does not guarantee that readers have carried forward the Hebrew scriptures (the are always inerrant. One person’s plain meaning Old Testament), and added texts that were con- of a text, may not be the plain meaning evident to nected to the apostles and that were recognized by someone else. A heartbreaking example of such an all the churches as anointed by God for instruction error can be seen in the following excerpt from an and reproof.1 These additional writings were eventu- exegetical sermon in 1860. The preacher E. N. Elliott ally bound together as the New Testament. The texts proclaimed that Genesis 9:25 teaches that God estab- embody the interest and language of their human lished slavery through Noah’s curse on Ham for all authors, and tradition says that, by God’s grace, they people of African descent.3 are trustworthy in all that they affirm. Some Chris- May it not be said in truth, that God decreed this tians describe this scripture with the specific term institution (slavery) before it existed; and has he “inerrant,” being without error. The guarantee of not connected its existence with prophetic tokens being without error has been described as important of special favor, to those who should be slave own- so that the reader does not have to pick and choose ers or masters? He is the same God now, that he what is true. All that they teach is true. was when he gave these views of his moral charac- ter to the world.4 The most widely cited statement of inerrancy was drafted in October of 1978 and is called “The Chicago Was Elliott right that Genesis 9:25 teaches that people Statement on Biblical Inerrancy.” The writers of the of African descent should be slaves three thousand declaration wanted to be quite clear that what they years later in South Carolina? To reach this conclu- saw in the Bible as without error, is what the Bible sion, he had to read into the text much that was not affirms—not what first comes to mind to someone in the text: reading it in Chicago two thousand years later. There 1. That Ham’s actions could be punished in all his are things that a modern reader might expect the text descendants for future generations forever. to mean that are not what the text is actually saying. 2. That Noah had the authority to pronounce this punishment of enslavement for all of Canaan’s One might read that God sends his rain on the just descendants. and the unjust,2 and think that the text is teach- 3. That Canaan’s descendants were all black ing that God afflicts the just and the unjust. “Don’t Africans.