Russell L. Mixter
Encyclopedia
Russell L. Mixter was an American scientist, noted for leading the American Scientific Affiliation
(ASA) away from anti-evolutionism, and for his advocacy of progressive creationism
.
in 1928 with a major in literature and a minor in biology. He thereafter gained an M.S. in zoology from Michigan State College, and a Ph.D. in anatomy from the University of Illinois School of Medicine in Chicago, shortly after returning to Wheaton to teach. He has been professor of zoology there since 1945, and was chairman of the Science Division from 1950 to 1961.
Wheaton College awards the Mixter Award for junior or senior Biology majors in his honor, in recognition of his "significant role in the development of biology at Wheaton College".
After a brief flirtation with flood geology
, Mixter advocated the viewpoint that he called progressive creationism
for the rest of his life. Along with Wheaton compatriot J. Frank Cassel, he led the ASA away from antievolutionism, bringing evangelicals into harmony with modern biology, whilst stopping short of an outright endorsement of theistic evolution
.
American Scientific Affiliation
The American Scientific Affiliation is a Christian religious organization of scientists and people in science-related disciplines. The stated purpose is "to investigate any area relating Christian faith and science." The organization publishes a journal, Perspectives of Science and Christian Faith...
(ASA) away from anti-evolutionism, and for his advocacy of progressive creationism
Progressive creationism
Progressive creationism is the religious belief that God created new forms of life gradually, over a period of hundreds of millions of years. As a form of Old Earth creationism, it accepts mainstream geological and cosmological estimates for the age of the Earth, but posits that the new "kinds" of...
.
Academic career
Mixter graduated from Wheaton College, IllinoisWheaton College (Illinois)
Wheaton College is a private, evangelical Protestant liberal arts college in Wheaton, Illinois, a suburb west of Chicago in the United States...
in 1928 with a major in literature and a minor in biology. He thereafter gained an M.S. in zoology from Michigan State College, and a Ph.D. in anatomy from the University of Illinois School of Medicine in Chicago, shortly after returning to Wheaton to teach. He has been professor of zoology there since 1945, and was chairman of the Science Division from 1950 to 1961.
Wheaton College awards the Mixter Award for junior or senior Biology majors in his honor, in recognition of his "significant role in the development of biology at Wheaton College".
American Scientific Affiliation and creationism
Mixter joined the ASA in 1943, served as its president from 1951–54, and the editor of its journal from 1965–1968.After a brief flirtation with flood geology
Flood geology
Flood geology is the interpretation of the geological history of the Earth in terms of the global flood described in Genesis 6–9. Similar views played a part in the early development of the science of geology, even after the Biblical chronology had been rejected by geologists in favour of an...
, Mixter advocated the viewpoint that he called progressive creationism
Progressive creationism
Progressive creationism is the religious belief that God created new forms of life gradually, over a period of hundreds of millions of years. As a form of Old Earth creationism, it accepts mainstream geological and cosmological estimates for the age of the Earth, but posits that the new "kinds" of...
for the rest of his life. Along with Wheaton compatriot J. Frank Cassel, he led the ASA away from antievolutionism, bringing evangelicals into harmony with modern biology, whilst stopping short of an outright endorsement of theistic evolution
Theistic evolution
Theistic evolution or evolutionary creation is a concept that asserts that classical religious teachings about God are compatible with the modern scientific understanding about biological evolution...
.
Personal information
His parents were Floyd B. Mixter, a salesman, and Florence (Barlow) Mixter. He married Emilie Claus (died August 2, 1998) on June 27, 1931, and they had four children: Wilbur, Joan (Mrs. Jerry Sweers), Ruth, Priscilla (Mrs. Gordon Gault).External links
- Obituary, ASA