Deborah Haarsma

Haarsma studied at the Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota where she completed her undergraduate work in physics and music.{{Cite web |title=Astronomer Deborah Haarsma '91 Named CAS Alumna of the Year {{!}} Bethel University |url=https://www.bethel.edu/news/articles/2022/october/deborah-haarsma |access-date=2024-04-29 |website=www.bethel.edu |language=en-US}} Haarsma then pursued her doctoral studies in astrophysics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) where she got her PhD.

Haarsma joined the faculty of Calvin University, where she served as a professor and chair of the physics and astronomy departments. In 2013, she became president of The BioLogos Foundation.

Haarsma advocates for scientific literacy and harmony between science and religion.[https://bigthink.com/the-well/astrophysics-christian/ I am an astrophysicist. I am also a Christian.] She has voiced support for the acceptance of the scientific consensus and what the consensus agrees with such as the age of Earth being about 4.5 billion years old, age of universe being about 13.8 billion years old,[https://www.regentinterface.com/resource/christ-and-the-cosmos-the-universe-seen-through-the-eyes-of-biblical-faith/ Christ and the Cosmos: The Universe Seen through the Eyes of Biblical Faith] and the theory of evolution.[https://www.apu.edu/clas/posts/21472/ CRIS Hosts Lecture about Evolution, Origins and Creation] Haarsma promotes theistic evolution.{{Cite web |title=What is Evolutionary Creation? |url=https://biologos.org/common-questions/what-is-evolutionary-creation |access-date=2024-04-29 |website=BioLogos |language=en}}

Haarsma strongly supported outbreak restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. She strongly promoted COVID vaccine and was involved in debunking COVID-19 misinformation.[https://www.huffpost.com/entry/christian-statement-covid-19-biologos_n_5f3ebd0fc5b6763e5dc07d9f Christian Leaders Call On Fellow Believers To Take Science Seriously During The Pandemic] She also alongside other members of BioLogos published the statement A Christian Statement on Science for Pandemic Times which was signed by more than 2500 people including Philip Yancey, N.T. Wright, David French, and Walter Kim.{{Cite web |title=Statement |url=https://biologos.org/statement |access-date=2024-04-30 |website=BioLogos |language=en}}[https://religionnews.com/2020/08/19/2500-evangelicals-sign-statement-warning-dont-ignore-clear-scientific-evidence/ 2,500 evangelicals sign pandemic statement warning: Don't ignore science ]

She has defended theistic evolutionism against both atheists and theists who argue it to be incompatible with science and theology respectively.{{Cite web |title=What is Evolutionary Creation? |url=https://biologos.org/common-questions/what-is-evolutionary-creation |access-date=2024-04-30 |website=BioLogos |language=en}} She sharply criticized the book Theistic Evolution: A Scientific, Philosophical, and Theological Critique published by Crossway and written by members related to the Discovery Institute.{{Cite web |title=A Flawed Mirror: A Response to the Book "Theistic Evolution" |url=https://biologos.org/articles/a-flawed-mirror-a-response-to-the-book-theistic-evolution |access-date=2024-04-30 |website=BioLogos |language=en}}{{Cite book |last1=Moreland |first1=James Porter |url=https://www.crossway.org/books/theistic-evolution-case/ |title=Theistic Evolution |last2=Meyer |first2=Stephen C. |last3=Shaw |first3=Christopher |last4=Gauger |first4=Ann K. |last5=Grudem |first5=Wayne A. |date=2017-11-30 |publisher=Crossway |isbn=978-1-4335-5286-1 |language=en}} In an article on BioLogos criticizing the book, she strongly criticized the Intelligent Design movement and its goals. Haarsma stated that she "indeed" believed in something that is technically an "Intelligent Designer".{{Cite journal |last=Haarsma |first=Deborah |date=2018 |title=A Flawed Mirror: A Response to the Book "Theistic Evolution" |url=https://biologos.org/articles/a-flawed-mirror-a-response-to-the-book-theistic-evolution |journal=The BioLogos Foundation |quote=Let me be clear that all of us at BioLogos fully and ardently affirm that the universe is designed. The wonders we encounter, from massive galaxy clusters to tiny viruses, continually amaze us and move our hearts and minds to ponder the Designer of it all. For us, design is seen just as much in God’s governance of natural processes as in God’s supernatural action. Science expands our amazement of how God works and increases our worship. Whether or not science has an explanation for a phenomenon in the natural world, through the eyes of faith we see God’s creative power and providential care.}} However, she believed that the "designer" "designs" through the natural processes of evolution and is the first cause of it, while evolution is only secondary to the "designer". She stated that she believes that evolution occurs by natural selection (and other things included in Neo-Darwinism), but considers God's providence to be an additional factor.{{Cite journal |last=Haarsma |first=Deborah |date=2018 |title=A Flawed Mirror: A Response to the Book "Theistic Evolution" |url=https://biologos.org/articles/a-flawed-mirror-a-response-to-the-book-theistic-evolution |journal=The BioLogos Foundation |quote=God typically sustains the world using faithful, consistent processes that humans describe as ‘natural laws.’}} She believes that evolution occurs by chance and God is the one who set or determined these chances.{{Cite journal |last=Haarsma |first=Deborah |date=2018 |title=A Flawed Mirror: A Response to the Book "Theistic Evolution" |url=https://biologos.org/articles/a-flawed-mirror-a-response-to-the-book-theistic-evolution |journal=The BioLogos Foundation |quote=Science expands our amazement of how God works and increases our worship.}}

During her presidency at BioLogos, Haarsma commented on the Bill Nye–Ken Ham debate,{{cite web |date=February 5, 2014 |title=Ham on Nye: Our Take |url=http://biologos.org/articles/ham-on-nye-our-take |accessdate=May 3, 2014 |publisher=The Biologos Foundation |quote=Emily Ruppel, Deborah Haarsma, Jim Stump, John Walton, Dennis Venema, and Ted Davis.}} which had been criticized for giving attention to Answers in Genesis (an organization that promotes young Earth creationism) and for fueling the creation-evolution controversy.{{cite news |last=Chowdhury |first=Sudeshna |date=February 3, 2014 |title=Bill Nye vs. Ken Ham: Should Scientists Bother Debating Creationists? |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-357509370.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140611135149/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-357509370.html |archive-date=June 11, 2014 |magazine=The Christian Science Monitor}} Haarsma and other members of BioLogos said "We expect that we'll agree with most of what Bill Nye will say about the science of evolution. Fossils, genetics, and other disciplines give compelling evidence that all life on earth is related and developed over a very long time through natural processes. But we're also brothers and sisters in Christ with Ken Ham. We believe that Jesus is the Son of God, that he died for our sins and rose from the dead, and that the Bible is the authoritative word of God."{{cite web |last=Haarsma |first=Deborah |date=January 15, 2014 |title=Ken Ham vs. Bill Nye |url=http://biologos.org/blog/ken-ham-vs-bill-nye |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140503032746/http://biologos.org/blog/ken-ham-vs-bill-nye |archive-date=May 3, 2014 |accessdate=May 3, 2014 |publisher=The BioLogos Foundation}} She, alongside others, also stated "that one of the lasting effects of this debate will be to further alienate Christianity from science in the public consciousness."

Haarsma is a Christian. She believes in theistic evolution which she prefers to call "evolutionary creationism". She believes that God interacts with and sustains the world and has rejected accusations of deism.{{Cite journal |last=Haarsma |first=Deborah |date=2018 |title=A Flawed Mirror: A Response to the Book "Theistic Evolution" |url=https://biologos.org/articles/a-flawed-mirror-a-response-to-the-book-theistic-evolution |journal=The BioLogos Foundation |quote=No one at BioLogos would describe God’s action that way! This definition is basically deism, with God’s only action as creating matter at the start and no mention of God’s role in that natural behavior of matter.}} Haarsma believes in miracles. She has rejected accusations of "philosophical naturalism", stating that she only supports "methodological naturalism".

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Category:Living people

Category:Theistic evolutionists

Category:1969 births

Category:American astrophysicists

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Category:Bethel University (Minnesota) alumni

Category:Massachusetts Institute of Technology alumni

Category:Members of The BioLogos Foundation