The escalating conflict between ICR and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) concerns many educators, and should concern them all. Remember, ICR's accreditation is not at issue. Rather, ICR is only seeking to relocate its graduate school from California to Texas. Instead of approving ICR's application to grant degrees in Texas, the state agency has evidently taken the authority unto itself to deny any science school that holds a view outside the political or scientific mainstream.
Like Marxist or fascist practice, this approach mandates that there be no challenge to current "politically correct" thought, and ensures the continuance of any error within that thought system. By legislative delegation, the THECB is only charged with granting schools "approval to operate" based on rigorously defined, objective criteria dealing with such issues as students' rights, accuracy in advertising, and financial stability. It has not been commissioned to monitor ideological perspective or academic speech.
The THECB has acknowledged that ICR's faculty credentials are acceptable, and that it meets their standards as defined, but has denied ICR its lawful right to operate in Texas based primarily on their scientific consultants' skewed definition that equates science with "naturalism." The board maintains that since ICR believes in God and the Bible, we can't be true scientists and don't teach real science. It says we deceive the public, and denies us under "truth in advertising."
As often noted in these pages, ICR conducts its science within the perspective of natural law. It does not rely on supernatural action as it relates to present processes, but insists that those present processes are totally incapable of achieving the origins events of the unobserved past. Natural law proceeds in the opposite direction. It can maintain, but not originate, life or the basic types of life. Something else is needed. Scripture tells us of supernatural creative processes operating in the past, and this concept fits scientific observations quite well. We see this as a superior scientific perspective, and we hold it for both scientific and religious reasons.
THECB members are appointed by the governor, who is elected by the people. Federal court justices are appointed by the president, who in turn is elected by the people. The upcoming November elections will have much impact on appointments to federal courts and the Supreme Court. As a tax-exempt organization, ICR cannot recommend particular candidates, but we can and do encourage our readers to vote and vote thoughtfully. A candidate will usually have only a short tenure in office, but judicial appointments can last a generation or more, and can set trends which impact the home as well as schools. Much is at stake.
As president of a Christian organization, let me encourage our readership to "vote Kingdom votes." Select those candidates who best reflect biblical perspectives, who hold Christian views on life and liberty. Choose leaders who will not hamper the church from fulfilling its mandates of evangelism and ministry. Select godly leaders who will in turn select jurists of like mind. God does not promise that our votes can usher in a kingdom of righteousness, but let us use our God-given rights wisely, as accountable stewards.
* Dr. Morris is President of the Institute for Creation Research.
Cite this article: Morris, J. 2008. Kingdom Votes. Acts & Facts. 37 (10): 3.
