Nancy Randolph Pearcey is the Francis A. Schaeffer Scholar at the World Journalism Institute, where she teaches a worldview course based on the study guide edition of Total Truth: Liberating Christianity from Its Cultural Captivity (www.totaltruthbook.com). In 2005, Total Truth won the ECPA Gold Medallion Award in the Christianity & Society category, in addition to an Award of Merit in the Christianity Today book awards.
A former agnostic, Pearcey studied violin in Heidelberg, Germany, in the early 1970s and then traveled to Switzerland to study Christian worldview under Francis Schaeffer at L'Abri Fellowship. After graduating from Iowa State University with a Distributed Studies degree (philosophy, German, music), she earned a master's degree in Biblical Studies from Covenant Theological Seminary in St. Louis, then pursued further graduate work in the history of philosophy at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto (with emphases on ancient and Reformational philosophy).
Pearcey is currently a senior fellow at the Discovery Institute, where the focus of her work is on the cultural and philosophical implications of the evolution controversy. A frequent public lecturer, Pearcey has spoken to actors and screenwriters in Hollywood; students and faculty at universities such as Dartmouth, Stanford, USC, and Princeton; scientists at national labs such as Sandia and Los Alamos; staffers at Congress and the White House; and various activist and church groups around the country, including the Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C. She has appeared on NPR, and a lecture based on Total Truth was broadcast by C-SPAN.
Pearcey began writing in 1977 for the nationally distributed Bible-Science Newsletter, where for 13 years she wrote pioneering in-depth monthly articles on issues related to science and Christian worldview. In 1991 she became the founding editor of "BreakPoint," a national daily radio commentary program, and continued as the program's executive editor for nearly nine years, heading up a team of writers. Under her leadership, the program grew into an influential organ for teaching a Christian worldview perspective on current events, with an estimated weekly audience of five million. She was also policy director and senior fellow of the Wilberforce Forum, and for five years coauthored a monthly column in Christianity Today.
Pearcey has served as a visiting scholar at Biola University's Torrey Honors Institute, managing editor of the science journal Origins & Design, an editorial board member for Salem Communications Network, and a commentator on Public Square Radio. Her articles have appeared in numerous journals and magazines, including the Washington Times, Human Events, First Things, Books & Culture, World, Pro Rege, Human Life Review, American Enterprise, The World & I, Homeschool Enrichment, Christianity Today, and the Regent University Law Review.
Pearcey has authored or contributed to several works, including The Soul of Science, which treats the history of science and Christianity, and the bestselling, award-winning How Now Shall We Live?She was invited to contribute the Foreword in The Right Questions, as well as chapters in Mere Creation, Of Pandas and People, Pro-Life Feminism, Genetic Ethics, Signs of Intelligence, Reading God's World, Uncommon Dissent, and a Phillip Johnson Festschrift titled Darwin's Nemesis.
Pearcey resides in Northern Virginia, where she and her husband are homeschooling the second of their two sons. She can be contacted at npearcey@worldji.com
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Nancy Pearcey
| The Pearcey Report - News and Selected Articles |
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Total Truth: Liberating
Christianity from Its Cultural Captivity |
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The Right Questions
Foreword by Nancy Pearcey |
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The Soul of Science
Nancy Pearcey
Charles Thaxton |
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How Now Shall We Live?
Charles Colson
Nancy Pearcey |
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Mere Creation
Science, Faith, and Intelligent Design
William Dembski, Editor |
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Uncommon Dissent
Intellectuals Who
Find Darwinism Unconvincing
William Dembski, Editor |
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Signs of Intelligence
Understanding Intelligent Design |
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Reading God's World
The Scientific Vocation |
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Articles
- The
Creation Myth of Modern Political Philosophy
Presented at the Sixth Annual Kuyper lecture; Sponsored by the Center
for Public Justice, 2000. Naturalistic creation myths were around long
before Charles Darwin. Read this eye-opening presentation, "The Creation
Myth of Modern Political Philosophy," for a revealing account of how
naturalism had already been made into the basis of political thought.
File Date: 08.22.01
- Phillip
Johnson was Right
For a special edition of World magazine (Feb. 24, 2001, Volume
16, Number 7), Nancy Pearcey was asked to predict how America would
look after a century of legalized abortion. "For this special issue
we'd like you to put yourself in the position of a person writing in
2073, on the 100th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade," the editors
wrote. "You are free to be optimistic, pessimistic, or in-between.'" Pearcey chose to be optimistic and to project the ethical consequences
if ID won the day in science. File Date: 3.15.01
- Why
Judges Make the Law: The Roots and Remedy of Judicial Imperialism
The 2000 presidential election raised a profound question:
Should judges interpret existing law or make new law? Most people don't
realize that law schools have long taught that judges actually make
new law, based on their own vision of good social policy. This activist
view of the courts finds its philosophical justification in the application
of Darwinism to legal philosophy. Learn more in this major essay published
in Human Events, December 1, 2000. File Date: 3.01.01.
- Michael
Kinsley Out on a Limb: Stem-Cell Rationale Recalls Ideas of Debunked
Scientist
Syndicated columnist Michael Kinsley tries to use an out-dated
evolutionary theory to support embryonic stem-cell research, and is
roundly trounced in this article by Nancy Pearcey, which was published
in Human Events. File Date: 9.22.00.
- Our "Tailor-made" Universe: New Scientific Study Begs the Philosophical
Question, "Who's the tailor?"
Cosmology is at a surprising crossroads. The evidence for
design in the physical universe is so strong that cosmologists today
openly discuss philosophical questions, as Nancy Pearcey shows in this
September 2, 2000 World article. File Date: 9.22.00.
- Scopes
in Reverse
In the flurry of events commemorating the 75th anniversary
of the Scopes Trial, a striking irony was overlooked: Whereas in 1925
the teaching of evolution was banned from the classroom, today the teaching
of anything but evolution is effectively banned from the classroom. This commentary from the July 24, 2000 Washington Times is an
eloquent plea for academic freedom. File Date: 8.02.00.
- Copying
the Human Script
The race to decipher the code of life has ended--in a
tie between two research groups. Now that the human genome project has
succeeded, what does it imply for our understanding of life and its
origin? Find out in this article by Nancy Pearcey, published in World magazine, Vol. 15, No. 27, July 8, 2000. File Date: 7.13.00.
- Creation
Mythology : Defenders of Darwinism resort to suppressing data and teaching
outright falsehoods.
Science is supposed to be self-correcting, but in some
places educators are so nervous about any criticism of Neo-Darwinism
that they are prohibiting teachers from informing students about recent
corrections to the theory. This June 24, 2000 article from World magazine tells the story of two teachers who were penalized for their
attempts to teach students the latest developments in evolutionary theory.
File Date: 6.22.00.
- We're
Not in Kansas Anymore:
Why secular scientists and media can't
admit that Darwinism might be wrong.
What's the best way for public schools to handle the
evolution issue? In this cover article for Christianity Today,
May 22, 2000, Pearcey analyzes what we learn from the Kansas controversy
and shows how the concept of intelligent design has become the "big
tent" for Christians and others concerned about the assumption of naturalistic
philosophy in science and across the curriculum. File Date: 6.06.00.
- Why
Darwinism Matters -
Washington DC Policy Briefing May 10, 2000
It has become virtually a cottage industry today to apply Darwinism
to every area of life, from morality to educational methodology to the
law. Pearcey traces the effects of "applied Darwinism" in this paper,
which was delivered at a congressional hearing on Capitol Hill on May
10, 2000. File Date: 7.31.00.
- The
Birds and the Bees: Pop Culture's Evolutionary Message
Darwinism has been applied to every area of life, and
has even filtered down to popular culture. What message are young people
picking up today from pop music and books? And what can parents do to
teach an alternative? For the answer, read this World Magazine
article from April 22, 2000. File Date: 5.16.00.
- Darwin's
Dirty Secret
One of the hottest topics among evolutionary biologists
today is what evolution means for morality. This is precisely the question
asked by a new field called "evolutionary psychology" (a newer version
of what used to be called "sociobiology")--and it turns out that the
implications for morality are sometimes nothing less than shocking.
In this March 13, 2000 World Magazine article Pearcey discusses
what one proponent of evolutionary psychology says about the evolution
of rape. File Date: 3.20.00.
- The
Missing Link that Wasn't
Darwinism has been beset in recent years by several reversals
in key evidence supporting the theory. The most embarrassing was the "dinobird" that turned out to be a hoax. This article published in the
March 10, 2000 issue of Human Events examines the hoax and reviews
other surprising reversals. File Date: 3.20.00.
- Century
of Cruelty: Making Sense or Our Era
For making sense of any of the modern ideologies, nothing
works better than identifying its view of creation. One's view of ultimate
origins shapes the rest of one's thinking, as Nancy Pearcey shows in
this catalog of worldviews, published in Boundless (December
1999 ) and based on her book How Now Shall We Live? (coauthored
by Chuck Colson). File Date: 9.22.00.
- The
Sky is Not Falling: Did Kansas Ban Evolution?
Fall 1999. Ever since the Board of Education
voted to exclude evolution from state guidelines, handwringing articles
have decried the "gutting" of education by "enemies of
science." In this article from Jubilee magazine, Pearcey
clarifies the Kansas School Board decision. File Date: 9.30.99.
- Design
and the Discriminating Public
In this August 1999 article from Touchstone Magazine, Pearcey
discussess the appeal of design theory for the general public and explains
why the public wants good material about origins. File Date: 10.14.99.
- "You
Guys Lost" Is Design a Closed Issue?
Design theorists are sometimes criticized for flogging
a dead horse, resurrecting a debate that was settled in the 19th century
by Darwin. But was debate really settled? This article from Mere
Creation looks at the historical record and finds that Darwin and
his colleagues accepted his theory less because it was scientifically
persuasive than because it was philosophically attractive. File Date:
11.10.99.
- Opening
the "Big Tent" in Science: The New Design Movement
In this March 1997 World magazine article, Pearcey
gives a brief discussion of the design movement, how it got started,
and where it's headed. (Originally titled "The Evolution Backlash")
File Date: 10.14.99.
- DNA:
The Message in the Molecule
The exciting thing about the design movement is that
it isn't merely a revival of the old arguments for design; instead,
it takes into account the newest scientific research. In this June 1996 First Things article, Pearcey gives a succinct explanation of
a novel argument for design from the structure of DNA, drawing on the
insights of information theory. File Date: 5.11.00.
- Darwin
Endangered
From Crisis Online, "Letters to the Editor",
January 1996. Nancy Pearcey responds to a November 1995 CO article,
with a commentary about the reasons behind emotional nature of the creation/evolution
controversy. File Date: 10.26.99.
- Is
Love Enough? Recreating the Economic Base of the Family
Design is not merely a scientific question. The reason
origins questions excite such visceral responses is that they have profound
moral and social implications. This January 1990 article gives a fascinating
insight into the history of women's role within the family, and shows
how Darwinism influenced early feminism. File Date: 11.10.99.
Public Square Radio
Public Square is an Internet talk program provided by
Salem Communications, consisting of 60-second daily commentaries addressing
current and critical issues, authored by members of Salem's editorial
board: David Aikman, Michael Medved, Hugh Hewitt, Phillip Johnson, Terry
Eastland, Albert Mohler, and Nancy R. Pearcey. For more information,
and to hear recent broadcasts, go to www.publicsquareradio.com.
Reviews
- A
New Foundation for Positive Cultural Change: Science and God in the
Public Square
In his latest book, The Wedge of Truth, Phil Johnson
offers an intriguing new perspective on how the evolution controversy
shapes today's "culture war"--and suggests the best intellectual strategy
for fighting it. For more, read this in-depth review by Nancy Pearcey,
published in Human Events, September 15, 2000. File Date: 9.23.00.
Reviews from Books
& Culture
Reviews/Misc. From First
Things Journal
- Naturalism
on Trial
Review of Phillip Johnson's Reason in the Balance: The Case Against
Naturalism in Science, Law, and Education. First Things, February
1996. File Date: 10.14.99
- Briefly
Noted: First Things December 1996
Reviews of Margaret Wertheim's Pythagoras' Trousers: God, Physics,
and the Gender Wars. First Things December 1996. File Date: 10.14.99
- Briefly
Noted: First Things June/July 1997
Reviews of Willem Drees' Religion, Science, and Naturalism and
Jeffrey C. Sobosan's The Turn of the Millennium: An Agenda for Christian
Religion in an Age of Science. First Things June/July 1997.
File Date: 10.14.99
- Briefly
Noted: First Things January 1998
Review of Phillip Johnson's Defeating Darwinism by Opening Minds. First Things January 1998. File Date: 10.14.99.
- Briefly
Noted: First Things May 1998
Review of Howard L. Kaye's The Social Meaning of Modern Biology:
From Social Darwinism to Sociobiology. First Things May 1998.
File Date: 10.14.99.
- Briefly
Noted: First Things June/July 1998
Review of Adrian Desmond's Huxley: From Devil's Disciple to Evolution's
High Priest. First Things June/July 1998, File date: 10.14.99.
- The
Fading of Positivist Belief
Correspondence to First Things November 1995.
File Date: 10.14.99.
- A
Darwinian Left: Politics, Evolution, and Cooperation
Peter Singer, the notorious Princeton professor, used to be against
evolutionary psychology. Now he's for it, and wants all of us to become
Darwinists in regard to human behavior. Find out why he changed his
mind in this review, published in First Things October 2000.
File Date: 6.22.01
Reviews from World Magazine
- Wedge
Issues - An Intelligent Discussion with Intelligent Design's Designer
The person who has done most to revive and refine criticisms
of Darwinian evolution in recent years is easily Phillip Johnson. His
book, The Wedge of Truth, explains why evolution is having a
destructive effect in ethics, philosophy, and even the humanities. This
interview with Nancy Pearcey gives a brief and readable introduction
to the book's themes. File Date: 8.02.00.
Biographical / Miscellaneous
- Overcoming
the Scandal of the Christian Mind
From First Things, February 2000. Review by J.
Budziszewski of the book, How Now Shall We
Live? (Tyndale, 1999), coauthored with Chuck Colson. File Date:
6.23.00
- What
Went Wrong - And How to Fix It
Human Events review of Nancy Pearcey and Charles Colson's
book How Now Shall We Live? File Date: 2.03.00.
- Human
Events Spotlight
From Human Events, October 1999. Profile of Nancy
Pearcey with comments about her book, How Now Shall We Live? (Tyndale, 1999), coauthored with Chuck Colson. File Date: 10.26.99.
- Facts
and Values at Odds
Exerpts from interview with Nancy Pearcey. Published
in the Washington Times September 23, 2004. File Date: 9.29.04.
Reviews of the Book Total Truth
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