Academic Connections, International

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Café Cook 11


These resources were compiled for this edition of Connections Review: Issue #11, Summer 2015.


Café Cook is a place where you can peruse a variety of links that we think are relevant to Christian faculty.  So grab a cup of coffee or a latte and browse what we have to offer this issue.

precipitate a race war through this diabolic act.  Of the almost immediate forgiveness offered by the relatives and friends of the deceased because of their desire to follow Christ.  Of the questions it has raised, for instance, what cultural factors played a role in the life of the perpetrator that inspired such an outrageous and dastardly deed.  And is there anything that can learn or change that will diminish such evil intentions and actions in the future?  There are theological issues and questions, in excelsis, embedded everywhere in this “situation.”


    More recently there has have been recent calls by some (not necessarily Christians) not to forgive what was done.  


Here’s some links to peruse regarding this last episode:

     •     New York Times: Why I Can’t Forgive Dylan Roof

     •     The Toast: You’re Not off the Hook: The White Myth of Black Forgiveness

     •     The Guardian: Black Churches Taught Us to Forgive White People. We learned to Shame Ourselves

     •     Christianity Today: Stop Explaining Away Black Christian Forgiveness

Part 2

     Breakthrough on the Origin of Life?

     •     Quanta: A New Physics Theory of Life

     •     Ozy: Jeremy England, The Man Who May One-Up Darwin

     •     Salon: God is on the Ropes: The Brilliant New Science that Has Creationists & the Christian Right Terrified

     •     IBT: God ‘Put on the Ropes’ by theory that life emerged out of thermodynamic necessity

     •     Wintery Knight: Has MIT Physicist Jeremy England Solved the Origin of Life Problem?

     •     Trigger Warnings: Paul Rosenberg Wrestles with God, God on Ropes

     •     Uncommon Descent: Creationists Terrified Again?


Part 3


Problems with Research Ethics

     •     New York Times: Study Using Gay Canvassers Erred in Methods, Not Results, Author Says

     •     Inside Higher Education: Data Are Always the Smoking Gun


Part 4


Sidebar on Science and Method

     •     New York Times: A Crisis at the Edge of Physics

     •     The Christian Post: Mark Noll, The History of Science and Christianity

     •     YouTube Video: Alvin Plantinga: Science and Religion - Where the Conflict Really Lies

     •     ACI Faith and Scholarship: Introduction to Faith and Scholarship & Its Projects on our Sites


Part 5

Upcoming (non ACI) Conferences of Possible Interest:

     •     Evangelical Philosophical Society & Evangelical Theological Society Conference Nov. 17-19, 2015  

Part 1

    Most of us are cognizant of the more recent series of events that has brought into sharp focus race relations in the United States.  Trying to set aside one’s political point of view--deemed a fool’s errand by some--what are Christian scholars to think about what is going on?  Can we get beyond the liberal or conservative political narratives (typically depending on who you watch or read), an agenda that both drives its coverage and drives our interpretation of events?  Do we need to?

     Of course our inner scholar will demand that it will take time to carefully document what has actually happened and for the wheels of justice to turn as they will; and it will take time reflectively digest and put into context and perspective these mind numbing events and the further events they will likely precipitate    It’s likely you have heard or have read of this most recent outrage du jour...of how the alleged (and admitted) white slayer of 9 African American Christians was warmly welcomed to an AME church prayer meeting that he showed up for.  And that after sitting with them for an hour he announced his racist intentions and he opened fire!  Of how he confessed his intention to