John C. Bowling is the President of Olivet Nazarene University. In the Summer of 2005, Bowling was elected General Superintendent of the Church of the Nazarene. Bowling refused the position, saying that his mission at Olivet Nazarene University was not complete. During Homecoming 2006, the kick off of Olivet Nazarene University's Centennial Year, both Dr. Bowling and Jill were awarded the honorary doctorate degrees for their years of dedication to Olivet.
Published works
Bowling has authored over sixty published articles and four books. His first book was A Way With Words (ISBN 0-8341-1802-5). His second was Grace-full Leadership (ISBN 0-8341-1775-4). His third book was Packin’ Up and Headin’ Out: Making the Most of Your College Adventure (ISBN 0-8341-1899-8), which he co-authored with his wife, Jill. His latest book was Making the Climb (ISBN 0-8341-2326-6) about his climbing Mount Kilimanjaro.
Evolution at Olivet
In 2004, Olivet biology professor Richard G. Colling wrote Random Designer,[1] a book attempting to reconcile the foundations of modern evolutionary biology with the principles of modern Christian faith. Following the publication of the book, but especially since its use in biology courses, controversy grew among Nazarene Church officials. Due to pressure from donors and board members, in September 2007 Olivet President Dr. John Bowling prohibited Colling from teaching the general biology class he had taught since 1991 and banned professors from assigning his book. According to an interview with Newsweek, the reason behind Bowling's response was to "get the bull's-eye off Colling and let the storm die down." Opposition to the book was initially led by Stephen Anthony, the Eastern Michigan District Superintendent, and Ted Lee, chairman of the Board of Trustees. Neither Anthony nor Lee have a biology or science degree, but hold honorary doctoral degrees. The Church of the Nazarene does see "knowledge acquired by science and human inquiry equal to that acquired by divine revelation," and President Bowling supported Colling in a letter to trustees when he expressed that, while the church "'believes in the Biblical account of creation' and holds that God is the sole creator, it allows latitude 'regarding the "how" of creation.'" The stance that science and religion are diametrically opposite is not suppressed by all Nazarene colleges and universities: Darrel R. Falk of Point Loma Nazarene wrore a book[2] similar in intent to that of Colling, while Karl Giberson of Eastern Nazarene, the first Nazarene scholar to publish with Oxford University Press, has written three books on the tensions between science and religion,[3] and is under contract for a fourth book titled Saving Darwin.[4] The Nazarene Manual specifically states: "The Church of the Nazarene believes in the biblical account of creation (“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth . . .”—Genesis 1:1). We oppose any godless interpretation of the origin of the universe and of humankind. However, the church accepts as valid all scientifically verifiable discoveries in geology and other natural phenomena, for we firmly believe that God is the Creator. (Articles I.1., V. 5.1, VII.) (2005)[5]
