American Scientific Affiliation

The American Scientific Affiliation is a fellowship of individuals working in science-related fields who share a common goal of fidelity to both Christian faith and scientific integrity. A five-member council in Chicago, founded the ASA in 1941. Since then, it has grown more than 1,600 members. Membership is open to anyone with a bachelor’s degree or greater in science, though the ASA also welcomes philosophers and theologians. All members must attest to the fellowship’s statement of faith, which affirms the authority of Scripture in matters of faith and conduct, the Triune God, the intelligibility of the universe, and the responsibility as stewards of creation to use science and technology to better the world. The ASA also supports about 200 fellows, or nominated members who have distinguished themselves in the field of science-and-religion and who serve a spokespeople and leaders for the ASA.

The ASA’s stated mission is to “integrate, communicate, and facilitate properly researched science and biblical theology in service to the Church and the scientific community.” Such integration, it maintains, is not only possible but also necessary to truly understand the nature of God and of creation. There for, the ASA promotes study of God’s “dual revelation” — nature and the Bible — which reveals the inherent harmony of science and religion. The ASA is also dedicated to informing churches and society in general about how to use the results of scientific discovery and technology while maintaining the integrity of God’s creation. The ASA does not take an official position on issues where it believes “honest disagreement between Christians” arises, which includes the theory of evolution, as its members share diverse viewpoints on the topic, including the BioLogos viewpoint.

Since 1949, the ASA has published a quarterly journal titled, Perspectives on Science & Christian Faith, which includes articles, book reviews and letters related to the science-and-religion dialogue. The ASA’s Web site also includes a wealth of articles on a wide array of science-and-religion topics. Since 1946, the ASA has hosted an annual meeting for its members focused on a specific theme including caring for God’s creation and Christian pioneers in science.