How to Think About Evolution and Scripture

Hal C. Reed, Ph.D. has had 37 years of experience as a professor of Biology at Oral Roberts University, teaching a wide variety of courses including Environmental Science, Introductory Biology, Developmental Biology, Medical Parasitology, Conservation Biology, Insect Ecology, and Biology Research courses. Dr. Reed received his B.S. in Biology from Oral Roberts University, Tulsa, OK, a M.S. in Entomology from Texas A&M University, and a Ph.D. in Entomology from Washington State University.   He served as the chair of the ORU Biology Department for 16 years (1996-2012) and now functions as the pre-health professions advisor.  He has been awarded the Outstanding Faculty of the Biology and Chemistry department twice (2005-6; 2016-17).

His research interests are in social wasp biology, insect chemical ecology, conservation biology, medical parasitology, and wetland and stream water quality assessment.  This work has led to such diverse publications as biological control using wasp parasitoids, assessing wetlands using vegetation surveys, pheromone communication in social wasps, and the role of host fruit and pheromones in attracting pest fruit flies. He has authored or co-authored 40 publications in peer-reviewed journals, four extension bulletins, and five book chapters. He recently completed the 3^rd edition of his book chapter:  Ants, Bees and Wasps (Hymenoptera) for the Medical and Veterinary Entomology textbook (2019-Academic Press).  Other professional endeavors include two research sabbaticals at USDA/ARS labs (Florida and Washington State) where he investigated insect chemical ecology, co-directed a Nature Conservancy grant (1993-1998) where he studied the vegetation of mitigated wetlands in Oklahoma, and was principal investigator of the project "Trapping social wasps in the Galapagos Islands and Neotropics" (funded by the National Geographic Society in 2000-01).   As adjunct professor in the Entomology and Plant Pathology Department at Oklahoma State University, he has given seminars on his social wasp research, and taught classes in Biological Control and Insect Morphology.  He has presented 15 seminars at major universities and 36 presentations at scientific meetings.  His research efforts have been recognized by receiving the ORU Scholar of the Year award twice (1986-87; 1992-1993).   

Teaching at ORU has provided the opportunity to integrate his faith and science with his love of Creation in a Christian university. Indeed, he regularly challenges his students in science and faith issues such as creation-evolution and Biblical environmental stewardship. Dr. Reed considers the Biblical mandate to care for the Creation more critically important than knowing the specifics of how God create this amazing world. This perspective has led him to teaching Conservation Biology and other courses at the Au Sable Institute of Environmental Studies (http://ausable.org/) during the summers of 1993-2007.

L. Duane Thurman was born in a sod house and raised on a livestock farm in central Nebraska. After completing the 10th grade in Lower Lodi School and graduating from Callaway High School, Callaway, Nebraska, he attended the University of Nebraska in Lincoln Nebraska. During his six semester, he withdrew from the University of Nebraska and enlisted in the U. S. Air Force in 1953, graduated from the Army Language School, and served as a Russian Language specialist for over two years overseas in a front line USAFSS special intelligence unit. In 1957, he was honorably discharged from the U. S. Air Force, married B. Joan Patterson, and resumed studies at the University of Nebraska. Duane earned a B.S. in Agricultural Education in 1959 and an M. S. in Agronomy in 1961 (grassland management) before earning a Ph.D. in Botany (plant ecology) at the University of California at Berkeley, California, in 1965.

Duane started his 33 year career teaching biology in evangelical Christian colleges and universities at Southern California College (now Vanguard University) in Costa Mesa, California. He taught the next 31 years at Oral Roberts University, Tulsa, Oklahoma, until his retirement in 1998. Besides teaching several different biology courses, he taught courses in nutrition, scientific terminology, and his favorite - How to Think Clearly. In all courses, Duane emphasized the importance of distinguishing truths from half-truths and prejudiced opinions while gathering all possible information from credible sources of all sides of controversial issues before forming a conclusion.

During his 31 years at Oral Roberts University, Duane was Chairman of the Natural Sciences (1969-1973), served as Health Professions Advisor 21 years, and consultant to three ecological impact studies and one Media Institute. He was active in professional organizations, and held office in the Oklahoma Academy of Science, and Oklahoma Association for Undergraduate Education in Biology (President, Newsletter editor). Duane also delivered 14 papers in scientific meetings, and was author or co-author of 38 scientific papers, book reviews, and books. InterVarsity Press published his book, How to Think About Evolution and other Bible-Science Controversies, which was used in courses at many Christian colleges for 13 years.