MAI Ain "In The Good Samaritan I wanted to target people's consciences, mine included. Both the priest and the Levite have passed by a wounded fellow man. We all claim to be very busy or to have something better to do than stopping to help one in need. The pride and self-sufficiency of the priest should speak to all professing Christians who feel comfortable and secure to the point of being indifferent. I made the Levite an academic figure, with the hood of his regalia weighing heavily on his shoulders. True education should make us responsible, but in his case it had not fitted him for service. And it is the Samaritan, a member of an underprivileged and despised class—whom I fashioned with interracial features—who in the end stops, kneels, and provides generous help."
"The sculpture I did for Union College, Lincoln, Nebraska (above), depicts the three angels of Revelation 14, who have messages to proclaim to people living at the end of the world's history." "Regeneration has to do with the life force. In designing it I tried to counteract the rigidity of the science building with something curving and organic in feeling. The center form is like two cells joined and split in the growth process. The twist suggests the DNA formation. The two circles intersecting make the mandorla shape, which I use as a symbol of Christ. He is poised above the four primitive elements—air, earth, ftre, and water.
2 THESE TIMES / MARCH 1983 Cover Photograph by Dave Sherwin Parables in Stone An Interview With Alan Collins
BY HUMBERTO RASI one day during the war years an surfaces, and emotional restraint aunt took me to the Guildford shown in his work. Alan Collins is a respected Christian Cathedral in southern England. sculptor and teacher whose pieces grace The interior of that large structure For centuries Christianity and several churches, public buildings, and had not yet been completed; there sculpture were closely campuses in Great Britain and the were pigeons flying in and out of associated in the Western world, United States. Born in England in the tracery of the windows. But I but they seem to have drifted 1928, Collins graduated in 1951 from saw some sculpture by Eric Gill, quite apart. How do you relate to the Royal College of Art in London. and I remember looking at those that trend? After teaching for nine years he nicely rounded figures and Western societies have obviously devoted his full attention to sculpture. enjoying those fine shapes carved become more secularized in recent In 1965 he won the prestigious Sir in stone. times, and most artists reflect that Otto Beit Medal—awarded annually to Later I took some drawing trend. Their works no longer deal the best work in sculpture in the classes, and when, at 16, I entered directly or indirectly with religious British Commonwealth—and in 1968 art school in London, I met an subjects. Much contemporary he moved with his family to the excellent teacher who transferred sculpture is more concerned with United States, where he resumed his to me her enthusiasm for the passage of time, the eroding teaching career. Mr. Collins currently sculpture. effect of elements upon materials, teaches art at Loma Linda University the precarious balance of things, in Loma Linda, California, where he Among the different periods and the ephemeral nature of our lives. lives with his wife and the younger of schools of sculpture, which do My religious convictions have their two children. you prefer? given a different character to my I like archaic Greek sculpture for work. its restraint and austerity. Among sculptors of religious subjects, I How have your Christian beliefs How did you become interested have been much interested in influenced your art? in sculpture? those of the medieval period, both My parents became evangelicals As a child I was quite attracted in England and France. Those when I was a child, and I at 10 to drawing and painting, although were the anonymous artists who also decided to give my life to not necessarily to sculpture. Then left their imprint, for example, on Christ. There is nothing like that the magnificent Cathedral of conversion experience! From then Chartres. Aristide Maillol (France, on my life took a new direction. Humberto Rasi is editorial director of Inter- national Publications, Pacific Press Publishing 1861-1944) is the contemporary Christian principles, as expressed Association, Mountain View, California. sculptor that I most admire, for in the Bible, have served as © 1983 by Humberto Rasi. the clear composition, rounded guidelines and have provided
THESE TIMES / MARCH 1983 3 meaning. Art then becomes a holy think, however, that the seems appealing and worth calling, and although not all my temptation to worship three- developing. Both The First Advent pieces are obviously religious, they dimensional images is still very and Regeneration came that way. are at least life-enhancing and much with us, although in a I have also developed a great constructive. different way. We tend to affection for the parables of Christ. "worship" some of our material They are profound world pictures Some of your better-known possessions and some of our that have remained fresh and pieces, however, do have heroes, such as popular singers, accessible to people through the religious meaning. famous actors and actresses, centuries. As we let our minds Yes, they do. My largest piece, outstanding scientists, and so on. dwell on them, other aspects of Regeneration, is a symbolic We still face the danger of meaning come to light. In my case sculpture located at Andrews worshiping the creature or the I naturally tend to think in terms University in Berrien Springs, object instead of the Creator. of sculptural parables. Michigan. It suggests God's power as revealed in the elements and What is your purpose, then, in Are you working on any processes of nature. Previously I creating sculptures with sculptural parable now? had completed a metal sculpture, religious themes? Yes, I am working on a design The First Advent, which can be Basically, I suppose, it is to for the parable of the wheat and seen at Atlantic Union College in communicate an aspect of truth the tares of Matthew 13 as a South Lancaster, Massachusetts, that would need many words to possible sculpture. Both plants symbolizing the coming of Christ apparently were very much alike into this world, a coming fraught and grew together. The wheat ear with risks and possibilities. I have is heavy with good grain, so it also executed several pieces tends to bend over and to bow its representing the three angels of head, while the tares, being a Revelation 14, which are a favorite lighter grain, stand straight up. subject of the Seventh-day I have tried to combine the two Adventist Church, of which I am a growth patterns, with the tares member. upright in the center and the wheat bowing to the sides, How do you relate your activities providing a cruciform design. as a Christian sculptor to God's Christ died for both kinds of injunction in the second Christians—the empty and proud commandment of the as well as the fruitful and humble. Decalogue: "You shall not make The Christian will then be able to for yourself a graven image . . . ; relate to this design and ask you shall not bow to them or himself, "Am I fruitful or not?" serve them" (Exodus 20:4, 5, R.S.V.)?* Alan Collins at work in his studio in What advice would you give a I believe in the validity of the Loma Linda, California. young Christian who feels Ten Commandments as divine inclined toward sculpture? guidelines for living. But you sum up. Sculptors deal with If he feels that he has been notice that the injunction against shapes, and as I present them to given this talent by God, I would making images is tied in with the people to see, I hope that their encourage him to pursue a career worshiping them. In fact, God effect will be thought-provoking or in sculpture and to develop his commissioned sculptures from uplifting. Sometimes I use abstract ability to the maximum possible. Israelite artists and endowed them forms and at other times a more To help him toward that end he with special skills to fashion them, direct approach, as in The Good should find a teacher who will as recorded in Exodus 25 and 37. Samaritan, which is on the campus show him how to draw and how But He condemned as sin the of Loma Linda University. In any to use the tools. He may have to idolatrous worship of the golden case, I want my sculptures to have find some supplemental work calf (Exodus 32). God knows that a meaning beyond themselves. because art may not provide sculpture has a certain power, a sufficient income to live. certain relevance to our lives: it How do you get ideas for your God has designed us as creative has a physical substance with sculptures? individuals, and we should use which we can identify, because we In most cases it is difficult to each opportunity to explore a new are also substantial. pinpoint the origin of an idea. Our thought, see some new aspect of I have avoided making figures minds are great reservoirs of life, draw a new design. Someday, and representations that could be impressions, images, and in the new earth, we will have construed as objects of worship. I thoughts. As I sketch on my pad God Himself as our art and design " From The Revised Standard Version of the Bible, or especially as I manipulate Teacher. What a joy that copyrighted 1946, 1952 © 1971, 1973. plasticine, a shape appears that will be! Tr THESE TIMES (ISSN 0040-6058) is a monthly (except June and July, when semimonthly) publication of the Seventh-day Adventist denomination. Price US$18.95 per year. Second-class postage paid at Hagerstown, Maryland. © 1983, Review and Herald Publishing Association (6856 Eastern Avenue NW., Washington, D.C. 20012, U.S.A.). Volume 92, No. 3, March, 1983.
4 THESE TIMES / MARCH 1983 HOW DO YOU COMPARE WITH THE HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL FACULTY? The following survey of personal health practices was recently completed by 595 members of the Harvard Medical School faculty. Mark the answers that apply to vou; then turn to page 14 and compare your answers with those of the faculty of the Harvard Medical School.
1. Do you smoke cigarettes? If so, how many a day? Yes 0 No 0 If not, are you a former cigarette smoker? Yes ❑ No 0 2. Do you use tobacco in any other form on a daily basis? Yes 0 No 0 If yes, what form? Pipe Cigar Snuff Chewing tobacco 3. Do you use a sleeping pill more than three times a week? Yes 0 No 0 4. Have you had a routine health exam during the past two years? Yes 0 No 0 5. Do you use seat belts routinely? Yes 0 No CI 6. Do you take an antibiotic when you develop an upper respiratory infection? Yes 111 No CI 7. Do you jog or do equivalent aerobic exercise for 20 minutes (or more) at least three times a week? Yes 0 No 0 8. If practicing contraception, do you (or your partner) use contraceptive pills? Yes 0 No 0 9. If female, do you routinely perform self-examination of your breasts? Yes 0 No 0 If male, do you routinely perform self-examination of your testes? Yes 0 No 0 10. Do you eat breakfast? Yes 10 No ❑ 11. Do you weigh more than ten pounds above what you'd like to weigh? Yes ❑ No ❑ 12. Do you take more than two alcoholic drinks a day? Yes 0 No CI 13. Do you restrict your consumption of red meat to three times a week or less? Yes CI No 0 14. Do you try to maintain a high bran or fiber content in your diet? Yes 01 No 10 15. Do you drink coffee? If yes, how much? Yes 0 No 0 16. Do you restrict your egg intake to three per week or fewer? Yes 0 No 0 17. Does your household use margarine (as opposed to butter)? Yes 0 No 0 18. Do you visit your dentist for a checkup at regular intervals? Yes 0 No ❑ 19. Do you floss your teeth daily? Yes 0 No 01 20. Do you take vacations during which no work is done? Yes 0 No 0 21. Do you take a daily multivitamin? Yes 0 No 0 22. Do you ever make purchases in stores devoted exclusively to health foods? Yes [1] No 0 23. Do you use vitamin C to protect against colds? Yes ❑ No CI 24. Do you take a laxative or enema if you do not have a bowel movement for two days? Yes ❑ No CI
(Answers on pages 14, 15) THESE TIMES / MARCH 1983 5 Why Some Scientists Believe in Creation
BY ARIEL A. ROTH
Questions such as "Which came first, the chicken or the egg?" still haunt evolutionists, who reject a Creator-God.
urrounded by the inspiring universe and life, including man, the seventeenth century, when atmosphere of the just come about without intelligent many believed that life forms arose SRockefeller Chapel at the design? fully developed, spontaneously, all University of Chicago, the scholars This question has come into by themselves. Even formulas bowed reverently and listened to a sharper focus recently because of were available for petition addressed to God. Only a the public concern and resulting "manufacturing" living forms. Van few minutes later the featured court cases about teaching Helmont, for instance, proposed speaker of the hour, Sir Julian Creation along with evolution in that all one had to do to make Huxley, declared that the public schools. This issue has mice was to place some old rags, evolutionary man could no longer brought to public awareness the wheat, and cheese in a dark take refuge in the arms of a fact that a number of scientists corner, and mice would be divinized father figure he himself believe in Creation. generated! had created. Space does not permit This formula still intrigues Huxley (1887-1975), an English elaboration of the various models people today, but the explanations biologist, educator, philosopher, of Creation or theistic types of differ. Since then, the more and author, also stated that the evolution that involve the activities rigorous work of the French earth was not created; it evolved, of a God. Suffice it to say that microbiologist Louis Pasteur and as did human beings with their some scientists believe in a God others has amply demonstrated mind, brain, soul, and body, and who is the Creator of the that life does not arise by itself. so did religion. functioning universe. We will Only life begets life. Our This paradoxical incident, which consider some of the basic reasons precautions of sterilization for took place in 1959 during a for this belief by some protection against infectious five-day Darwin Centennial scientists—reasons that reflect the diseases and food spoilage stem Celebration, well illustrates the analytical training of the scientist. from this fact. quandary many have regarding Modern biology has the question of origins. Is there a The origin of life. Perhaps the demonstrated that life is more God who is Creator, or did the most serious question a scientist complex than believed earlier and has to face as he considers that the possibility of its arising Ariel Roth is director, Geoscience Research whether there is a Creator is the spontaneously by itself on earth Institute, Loma Linda, California. © 1983 by question of the origin of life. This seems more remote than ever. Ariel A. Roth. question was not so important in Many scientists are not convinced,
6 THESE TIMES / MARCH 1983 as some others claim, that the junkyard. Some scientists conclude (inspiration) and out (expiration), highly sophisticated equipment that these improbabilities make the probably unaware that this simple and manipulations used to create spontaneous origin of life process illustrates why some some complex molecules and essentially impossible. Others say scientists believe in Creation. The modify others in impressive that it is at best highly improbable, respiratory cycle involves the genetic engineering experiments but still possible. integrated function of a number of have very much to do with the What bothers some is that in different parts, each of which way life originated on earth in the dealing with this question a would be useless without the first place. double standard for science is other. Sophisticated manipulation by often used. Scientists, and The cycle can begin by the intelligent beings reflects more biologists in particular, are trained initiation of inspiration when the what one would expect from not to accept improbable events as sensory stretch receptors in the Creation by intelligent design than true. Unless conclusions can be lungs send a low-frequency spontaneous generation, which demonstrated to occur 19 out of 20 impulse by way of a specific nerve requires that all this occurs or even 99 out of 100 times, cell to the solitary nucleus. The without either complex laboratory normal scientific rigor demands impulse then travels by way of equipment or a trained scientist that these be rejected. another nerve cell to the directing the procedures. inspiratory center also at the base A number of scientists have Some scientists find it difficult to of the brain, which then by way of studied the question of life arising use one set of rigorous restraints another nerve pathway sends by itself, and very impressive as part of their standard for impulses to the diaphragm or figures showing how very scientific truth while having to use muscles between the ribs, causing improbable this could be have a very undefined standard for air to be drawn into the lungs. been obtained, based on our trying to explain the origin of life At the end of inspiration the knowledge of physics, chemistry, by highly improbable evolutionary stretch receptors in the lungs send and mathematics. The noted processes. This is especially a high frequency impulse to the astronomer Sir Fred Hoyle recently significant when other alternatives, brain, which in turn inhibits the compared an example of this such as Creation, offer a solution inspiratory muscles so normal particular improbability to the to the dilemma. expiration takes place. Each part chance of a tornado assembling a As you read these lines, you involved in this cycle is useless Boeing 747 by sweeping through a unconsciously breathe in without the others, and all need to