Papers by Mike L Anderson
SAASTE Science & Technology Journal, 2008
Many religious learners have difficulty accepting the theory of evolution because it seems to the... more Many religious learners have difficulty accepting the theory of evolution because it seems to them to conflict with Creation. Since most learners profess some form of religious belief, merely presenting these learners with scientific evidence may not be enough. i Science and religion have been traditionally taught in separate classrooms. However, there has an increasing realisation that while it is important to distinguish between them, it is not pedagogically wise to separate them. ii Appropriately relating religion and evolution may help learners to receive the latter.
Perspectives on Science & Christian Faith, 1995
Books by Mike L Anderson
“I find among the poems of Schiller no mention of the caterpillar.” So wrote the poet Ogden Nash... more “I find among the poems of Schiller no mention of the caterpillar.” So wrote the poet Ogden Nash. This insect larva is not the only creature to have been disregarded. The same can be said for children, creating bigots who disregard their own children. If we can set aside our biases there is deep wisdom in the evolutionary strategy of the caterpillar and in the divine strategy of the Incarnation.
A Titanic twit? Stockton Rush piloted the Titan sub that imploded, killing all five on board. He ... more A Titanic twit? Stockton Rush piloted the Titan sub that imploded, killing all five on board. He was emphatically not an idiot, nor a breast. He was far too intelligent and too confident to be either. His kind of disposition led to the sinking of the Titanic and, as we will see, leads to the demise of many hundreds of thousands annually. What is behind it and how can we be lead out of the morass?
Uma leitura obrigatória para teólogos e cientistas, diretamente da caneta de um Filósofo da Ciênc... more Uma leitura obrigatória para teólogos e cientistas, diretamente da caneta de um Filósofo da Ciência que conhece Jesus. Muito, muito inspirador! Mike Anderson mostra convincentemente nas Escrituras quão central é a cruz e a fala "silenciosa," pois as palavras nunca podem descrever adequadamente esse ato do amor de Deus pela humanidade e Seu cosmos. Enquanto essa voz silenciosa de Deus fala tão alto, o maligno tenta habilmente descentralizar a cruz, este último é brilhantemente exposto em temas criativos. E quão libertadora é a ilustração das dimensões horizontal e vertical da cruz para compreender a relação entre ciência e teologia!" Dr. Jacob Pretorius (pastor, Gereformeerde Kerk, Linden) "Cada um de nós que procura seguir a Jesus não quer ser idólatra em nossos pensamentos, palavras ou ações. Os ídolos são sutis; caso contrário, nós os reconheceríamos e eles perderiam seu poder. A voz silenciosa da cruz nos chama a olhar para nossos pontos cegos, reexaminar nosso pensamento e manter "a principal coisa a principal." É um lembrete para nós da centralidade da cruz. Eu recomendo este livro sem reservas."
Pode parecer estranho ligar o Criador à cruz, mas Jesus é o Criador do cosmos e o Cristo crucific... more Pode parecer estranho ligar o Criador à cruz, mas Jesus é o Criador do cosmos e o Cristo crucificado é a maior auto-revelação de Deus. Este livro mostra como a sombra da cruz lança uma grande luz sobre a Criação, o Gênesis, a ciência e a evolução, permitindo que o cristão pense de fato, biblicamente sobre essas coisas sem ter que conhecer uma grande quantidade de detalhes científicos.
"Horse sense is the thing a horse has which keeps it from betting on people." So quipped the come... more "Horse sense is the thing a horse has which keeps it from betting on people." So quipped the comedian W.C. Fields. It might seem ridiculously implausible, but in some ways horses indeed have more sense than humans. In pace, horses have made us surpass our biological evolution. They very swiftly enabled our cultural evolution into civilisation. This book explores whether this means heaven on earth for us. Since horses provide the textbook case of the evolution of physical rather than mental swiftness, it may seem all the more astonishing that they have made, and continue to make humans look quite silly.
It has been said that "In the saddle is heaven on earth." Horses, left uncorrupted, do suggest something about heaven on earth and have something to offer us in the way of wisdom. While they cannot do sums, horses can figure out if you are authentic in your being. In their silent authenticity and sensitivity to the inauthentic, horses are a little bit like the Holy Spirit. Heaven is where the Spirit is, whatever the circumstances may be. He brings heaven into your heart, here on earth and forever.
I was five years old when I came across an ailing rat under my bed in the dormitory. In retrospec... more I was five years old when I came across an ailing rat under my bed in the dormitory. In retrospect, it had presumably been poisoned. The institution must boast sterile facilities. The urge to look after the creature overcame me. I picked it up, placed it under my tucked-in shirt and against my warm skin. Was this uncomplicated compassion, or did I do so because I needed it's dwindling warmth, as I thought it did mine? Perhaps it was an attempt to create my own substitute for a little caring family, however short-lived. Little did I realise that the rat may well have been harbouring a particular parasite that, strangely enough, could well help to explain why I was in the institution in the first place.
Imagine intelligent humans emulating a certain parasite, the cuckoo, under the influence of yet another microbial one with devastating impact on our children? From rather disparate quarters such as psychiatrists, psychologists, parasitologists, evolutionary anthropologists, philosophers and theologians there is an emerging sense that for all our intelligence and knowledge, there is something that has become prevalently off about the human psyche. I am going to call it unnatural intelligence for reasons that will become apparent. For all this intelligence, a certain ancient wisdom has been very largely lost among many. Along the way we will find that there is a connection between parasites and philosophers, brain hemispheres and boarding school, books and depression, cat ownership and unbelief, fatherlessness and faithlessness and between crows and our Loving Heavenly Father. And we will find that there are certain common threads in such a tangled web.
What if I told you that Mary Shelley’s "Frankenstein" was a critique of the supreme propaganda piece by a certain philosopher who was one of the main champions of the mindset associated with this parasitism? What if I told you that between the monster in her story and Dr. Victor Frankenstein it was the latter that had the problematic psyche in the first place? What if I told you that the parasite affecting the fracturing of the human psyche has an accomplice in one of our most beloved pets? We like to think of ourselves as being the highpoint of creation and the pinnacle of evolution (which, as we will see, is theologically and evolutionarily naive). Those with a big head may take umbrage at this, but what if I told you that a bird brain, the crow, can inspire us out of this predicament? What if I told you that considering a certain wisdom in the derided crow, it is, in some respects, created more in the image of God than humans? Now imagine a social parasite that did its thing for the sake of the host parents at the expense of itself. What a strange parasite indeed! It has happened once, as we will see, and in so doing has provided humans with inspiration and much more that goes far beyond what crows can do.
If evolution really works how come mothers have only 2 hands? It does. It has made a mother with ... more If evolution really works how come mothers have only 2 hands? It does. It has made a mother with eight arms. The octopus turns wisdom on its head. Its body is joined to its head which is joined to its limbs. There is a "foolishness" about this alien soul that exposes our "wisdom" and reveals us as the most dangerous and foolhardiest creatures. We may pride ourselves in being the pinnacle of creation, but perhaps, if we let him, God would speak to us through the lowly position and upside down nature of the octopus. The octopus has features that are superior to ours. For instance, its eye does not have a blind spot. Perhaps our minds have blind spots that are not present in the minds of octopuses. We will see that there is an apparent foolishness about the octopus that, on closer examination, exposes the "wisdom" of humans. If we are prepared to take advice from a mollusc, it can point us towards both the most dangerous organism to humans and the foolhardiest organism in the world. Prepare to be astonished! As we will see, humans cozy up to organisms that are far more dangerous than coronaviruses.
According to Jesus, the cross is God’s greatest self-revelation. Christ crucified sheds lights on... more According to Jesus, the cross is God’s greatest self-revelation. Christ crucified sheds lights on all things including idolatry. Idolatry did not merely afflict the ancients, but in insidious and numerous ways it affects us to this day in regard to such matters as the Bible, science, creation, religion, miracles and human beings. The cross both exposes idolatry and provides the cure.
What do the Red Terror and the 2008 global financial meltdown have in common? "Phoney Philosopher... more What do the Red Terror and the 2008 global financial meltdown have in common? "Phoney Philosophers" argues that it is an intellectual egotism. There is a good chance that you have never heard of Nikolay Chernyshevsky. It may seem very implausible that a mere philosopher, however phoney, who picked up no arms against no one and who wanted nothing but the best for his country-folk could be vastly more destructive than say a serial killer. Didn’t Karl Marx famously say, "The philosophers have only interpreted the world, in various ways. The point, however, is to change it"? Marx was very naive. For, Chernyshevsky, his contemporary, who was a bad novelist and even worse philosopher, did change the world. He provided the philosophical underpinning that would spawn such intellectual descendants as Lenin, Ayn Rand and Alan Greenspan and would culiminate in the Red Terror and the global financial meltdown of the 21st century. Chernyshevsky only destroyed indirectly. This is the world of phoney philosophers. This is the insidious devastation of the unwise. This book shows why and why it is that the remedy is to be found in Jesus Christ, the one whom Paul called the "wisdom of God."
If "two are better than one," then many brains will be better than none, right? It is going to se... more If "two are better than one," then many brains will be better than none, right? It is going to seem bizarre and this is not going to go down well with the intellectually proud, but scientists are discovering that microbes without brains can make decisions that are wiser than those made by humans. If finding wisdom in extremely stupid creatures seems odd, bear in mind that locusts do not have much of a brain and yet the Bible mentions them as illustrations of extreme wisdom. Perhaps wisdom is quite different to intelligence as evolutionary psychologists are saying. Used wisely, intelligence is a great blessing from God, but used foolishly, as we will see, it is a terrible curse. These microbes are simple creatures without a brain and with big problems. Their environment is replete with risks. Yet they are able to thrive by assessing and responding appropriately and proportionately. How microbes cope strategically with threats is a wonder of nature. As we unfold how they do it, we will discover what they have that predisposes them to wisdom. We will also discover why it is that humans have a predisposition to poor judgement. We tend to over-react to lesser overt threats such as snakes and under-react to more insidious ones. Many would venture that a blatantly malevolent Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin or Mao Tse-tung were the most dangerous individuals of the 20th century. However, we will see that this distinction needs to go to another who is regarded as a hero but who has caused death and suffering on an even more massive scale. He was an extremely intelligent and educated man, but a foolishly reckless one. It is, however, superficial to make him the monstrous culprit behind all the devastation because he himself is the product of insidious forces. His all-consuming faith was not in Christ, but in very toxic ideas that started to gain ground centuries earlier. We will trace those ideas and why it is that they had such terrible consequences. What we need most crucially is wisdom. We can learn wisdom from microbes, but with our knowledge and intelligence comes the imperative for a special wisdom from the Master. Taking risks is serious even for earthly matters. How much more so for spiritual matters? We will see that knowing the Master himself is the surest path to deep wisdom and abundant and eternal life.
Is intelligent design a stupendous scientific discovery with significant theological implications... more Is intelligent design a stupendous scientific discovery with significant theological implications? Or is it pseudo-theology, pseudo-science and a passing fad? Intelligent design is evaluated biblically, scientifically, and especially on the basis of the cross because the cross is central to properly understanding the Creator.
What would Jesus think about evolution? Although he said nothing about the subject specifically, ... more What would Jesus think about evolution? Although he said nothing about the subject specifically, it is possible to be deeply and positively influenced by the Person, life, resurrection and especially the death of Christ while investigating the facts about evolution. This book shows how.
What would Jesus think about drugs, dinosaurs, superheroes, guns, Christmas trees, fairies or gam... more What would Jesus think about drugs, dinosaurs, superheroes, guns, Christmas trees, fairies or gaming? Although he said nothing about these things specifically, it is possible to be deeply and positively influenced by the Person, life, resurrection and especially the death of Christ while investigating the facts. This book shows how.
The world is replete with humbugs. Jesus Christ said, "Consider the ravens: They do not sow or re... more The world is replete with humbugs. Jesus Christ said, "Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them." Perhaps there is wisdom to be found in thinking not only about birds, but also about bugs, not only about cherubs, but also about con-artists. Perhaps it can help us to distinguish deceivers from the genuine, avoid deception and trust sensibly.
You have to move home in just a few days. There are a dozen places to choose from and you have si... more You have to move home in just a few days. There are a dozen places to choose from and you have six criteria to consider. Bees have evolved a strategy for solving problems that are just too complex to crack individually. God used similar strategies with Jesus on the cross. Could we learn from God and bees in dealing with complex problems such as climate change? This book shows that we can and how.
It may seem odd linking the Creator with the cross, but Jesus is the Creator of the cosmos and Ch... more It may seem odd linking the Creator with the cross, but Jesus is the Creator of the cosmos and Christ crucified is God's greatest self-revelation. This book shows how the shadow of the cross casts a great light on Creation, Genesis, science and evolution enabling the Christian to think truly biblically about these things, in principle, without having to know a great deal of scientific detail.
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Papers by Mike L Anderson
Books by Mike L Anderson
It has been said that "In the saddle is heaven on earth." Horses, left uncorrupted, do suggest something about heaven on earth and have something to offer us in the way of wisdom. While they cannot do sums, horses can figure out if you are authentic in your being. In their silent authenticity and sensitivity to the inauthentic, horses are a little bit like the Holy Spirit. Heaven is where the Spirit is, whatever the circumstances may be. He brings heaven into your heart, here on earth and forever.
Imagine intelligent humans emulating a certain parasite, the cuckoo, under the influence of yet another microbial one with devastating impact on our children? From rather disparate quarters such as psychiatrists, psychologists, parasitologists, evolutionary anthropologists, philosophers and theologians there is an emerging sense that for all our intelligence and knowledge, there is something that has become prevalently off about the human psyche. I am going to call it unnatural intelligence for reasons that will become apparent. For all this intelligence, a certain ancient wisdom has been very largely lost among many. Along the way we will find that there is a connection between parasites and philosophers, brain hemispheres and boarding school, books and depression, cat ownership and unbelief, fatherlessness and faithlessness and between crows and our Loving Heavenly Father. And we will find that there are certain common threads in such a tangled web.
What if I told you that Mary Shelley’s "Frankenstein" was a critique of the supreme propaganda piece by a certain philosopher who was one of the main champions of the mindset associated with this parasitism? What if I told you that between the monster in her story and Dr. Victor Frankenstein it was the latter that had the problematic psyche in the first place? What if I told you that the parasite affecting the fracturing of the human psyche has an accomplice in one of our most beloved pets? We like to think of ourselves as being the highpoint of creation and the pinnacle of evolution (which, as we will see, is theologically and evolutionarily naive). Those with a big head may take umbrage at this, but what if I told you that a bird brain, the crow, can inspire us out of this predicament? What if I told you that considering a certain wisdom in the derided crow, it is, in some respects, created more in the image of God than humans? Now imagine a social parasite that did its thing for the sake of the host parents at the expense of itself. What a strange parasite indeed! It has happened once, as we will see, and in so doing has provided humans with inspiration and much more that goes far beyond what crows can do.
It has been said that "In the saddle is heaven on earth." Horses, left uncorrupted, do suggest something about heaven on earth and have something to offer us in the way of wisdom. While they cannot do sums, horses can figure out if you are authentic in your being. In their silent authenticity and sensitivity to the inauthentic, horses are a little bit like the Holy Spirit. Heaven is where the Spirit is, whatever the circumstances may be. He brings heaven into your heart, here on earth and forever.
Imagine intelligent humans emulating a certain parasite, the cuckoo, under the influence of yet another microbial one with devastating impact on our children? From rather disparate quarters such as psychiatrists, psychologists, parasitologists, evolutionary anthropologists, philosophers and theologians there is an emerging sense that for all our intelligence and knowledge, there is something that has become prevalently off about the human psyche. I am going to call it unnatural intelligence for reasons that will become apparent. For all this intelligence, a certain ancient wisdom has been very largely lost among many. Along the way we will find that there is a connection between parasites and philosophers, brain hemispheres and boarding school, books and depression, cat ownership and unbelief, fatherlessness and faithlessness and between crows and our Loving Heavenly Father. And we will find that there are certain common threads in such a tangled web.
What if I told you that Mary Shelley’s "Frankenstein" was a critique of the supreme propaganda piece by a certain philosopher who was one of the main champions of the mindset associated with this parasitism? What if I told you that between the monster in her story and Dr. Victor Frankenstein it was the latter that had the problematic psyche in the first place? What if I told you that the parasite affecting the fracturing of the human psyche has an accomplice in one of our most beloved pets? We like to think of ourselves as being the highpoint of creation and the pinnacle of evolution (which, as we will see, is theologically and evolutionarily naive). Those with a big head may take umbrage at this, but what if I told you that a bird brain, the crow, can inspire us out of this predicament? What if I told you that considering a certain wisdom in the derided crow, it is, in some respects, created more in the image of God than humans? Now imagine a social parasite that did its thing for the sake of the host parents at the expense of itself. What a strange parasite indeed! It has happened once, as we will see, and in so doing has provided humans with inspiration and much more that goes far beyond what crows can do.