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By Ed Gerritsen, April 2010
Collection Overview
Abstract
Professor of physics at Calvin College. The collection includes critiques, book reviews, advertisements, articles, prepared statements, reactions, correspondence, a lecture, and an interview. It details the controversy regarding Van Till's book, The Fourth Day.
Biographical Note
Howard J. Van Till was born on 28 Nov 1938 in Modesto, California. Van Till attended Calvin College and graduated with a BS in 1960. He furthered his education at Michigan State University, where he earned his PhD in physics in 1965. As he was doing post-doctoral research at the University of California at Riverside he was also teaching at the University of Redlands. His area of focus was in solid-state physics.
In 1967 his alma mater, Calvin College, asked him to join the faculty of the physics department. Van Till accepted the position, and he would remain with the college for the next thirty years. He began his career at Calvin teaching Astronomy 110. Eventually Van Till switched his focus of solid-state physics to astrophysics. He even went on sabbatical leave for a year to the University of Texas-Austin and the McDonnell Observatory in 1974.
Besides being a gifted educator and lecturer, Van Till was also a talented writer. He has written a great number of publications in professional journals such as Journal of the American Scientific Affiliation as well as religious periodicals like the Banner. However, in 1986 Van Till faced controversy regarding his first book, The Fourth Day. Soon after the book was released some members of the Christian Reformed Church community strongly criticized Van Till's work and even questioned the validity of his faith. For four years Van Till was investigated by the college regarding his eligibility to teach. Despite the investigation, Van Till continued to work at Calvin College until his retirement in the late nineties. Standing by Van Till's side throughout the ups and down was his wife Betty and their four children-Steven, Roger, Nancy, and Mary Beth.
Van Till is one of the founding members of the International Society for Science and Religion. He has been a member of professional societies such as the American Astronomical Society and American Scientific Affiliation. Van Till continues to speak and write on issues of science and religion. More recently, Van Till has expressed his journey from Calvinism to free thought, and even gave a presentation to the Freethought Association of West Michigan in 2006.
Box and Folder Listing
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- Box 9
- Folder 1: Papers and related material for Theology and Science Consultation, Center for Theological Inquiry --- Jun. 1995
- Folder 2: Lectures to various church groups --- 1980s
- Folder 3: Lecture, “Natural Effects of the Fall: A Perspective From Physical Science,” Joint Seminar on Science and Religion --- Mar. 1980
- Folder 4: Lectures for Astronomy 110 Course: “The Purpose of Natural Science” and “Natural Science and Christian Faith: Friends or Rivals?” --- 1981
- Folder 5: Lecture, “Objects and Projections: A Metaphor to Illustrate Complementary or an Alternate to Eitherorsmanship” at a meeting --- Aug. 1982
- Folder 6: Lectures for January 1983 speaking tour and related material --- undated
- Folder 7: Lecture, “The Cosmos: Nature or Creation" --- 1993
- Folder 8: Lecture, “Is Cosmic History Evolutionary in Character?” CCCS Seminar --- Oct. 1984, Mar. 1985
- Folder 9: Lecture, “What Shall We Do With Big-Bang Cosmology?” Calvin Fall Conference --- Sept. 1986
- Folder 10: Lecture, “Scientific World Pictures Within the Bounds of a Christian Worldview,” Dordt College --- Sept. 1988
- Folder 11: Lecture, “Cotton Mather, Joe McCarthy, Leo Peters and the Hunt for Witches,” January Series, James Bratt --- 1989
- Folder 12: Lectures, “The Twin Pillars of Christian Scholarship,” A. Plantinga, Henry Stob Lectures --- 1989
- Folder 13: Templeton/ASA Foundation Lecture, “Is Special Creation a Heresy?” Yale University --- 1992
- Folder 14: Templeton Lecture, “Evolutionary Science and the Forgotten Doctrine of Creation’s Functional Integrity" --- 1992
- Folder 15: Lecture, “Evolutionary Science and the Forgotten Doctrine of Creation’s Functional Integrity,” Templeton Lecture Series --- 1992
- Folder 16: Lecture, “Anti-Evolution as a Reaction to Scientism,” AAAS --- 1993
- Folder 17: Lecture, “Anti-Evolution as a Reaction to Scientism,” AAAS --- 1993 Conference
- Folder 18: Four Lectures for the CTNS Templeton Workshop on “Theology and Natural Science" --- 1994
- Folder 19: Staley Lecture, “Science and Christian Belief: Allies or Adversaries?” --- 1995
- Folder 20: Lecture, “Did God Know We Were Coming?” Luther College --- Sept. 1998
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