Letter to a southern baptist minister

Dane Kaldahl

Toby Veeder English 104

Summary Paper 1 (Letter to a Southern Baptist Minister by Edward O. Wilson)

February 3, 2011

Letter to a Southern Baptist Minister Response

Wilson begins by discussing his background when it came to religion and then his new found belief in evolution.  He then transfers his subject to the idea of how powerful religion and science are and how if those two powers were to be brought together.  It is not until later in the essay that Wilson actually discusses his actual purpose for the essay.  He tries to give the priest some common ground that he can tread on before he actually presents the idea of wildlife conservation to the priest.  Wilson discusses the importance of preserving the wildlife around us and how creature’s extinction on this earth will affect the environment in a negative way.  He believes that all creatures have their purpose and should not be just left to die out.

Wilson uses this essay to not only inform but to persuade the minister.  He uses facts first to hopefully attract the minister’s attention and also to show the common ground between them.  Then he begins to present his points about the power of religion and science and how useful the two could be if they joined forces.  Even though he takes a little bit to say it he clearly states his point when he says “If religion and science could be united on the common ground of biological conservation, the problem would soon be solved” (465).

Since this was a personal letter, the author intends for the audience to be the minister.  He is very serious with his presentation and he is very careful to not offend the priest.  Wilson is trying to gain the trust of the church by using a very serious tone so he can show just how important it is that everyone come together. 

Wildlife conservation is something that has began to grow in peoples hearts over the last few decades.  With global warming and environmental pollution it is no surprise that so many species are being wiped off the earth.  Although a lot of people are working their hardest to ensure the survival of all species there are others however that believe nature should just run its course.  I am a firm believer in saving the animals.

Over the past few decades many different species of animals have become extinct or endangered.  So many of the underlying reasons for animal extinction and endangerment is human interaction with the environment and a lot of people refuse to believe that.  From cutting down rain forests to air pollution to global warming many species of animals have been on the down side of the era of technology because they are running out of places to go. 

As members on this planet also I firmly believe that we should be trying to fix what we destroy.  Every animal on this planet has a purpose, large or small they have a purpose and they cannot fulfill their purpose if they are extinct.  Lets say for example that there is a certain bird that eats only one type of insect and the insect becomes extinct for whatever reason.  When the insects are gone then there is no more food for the birds to eat so eventually the birds die off.  Every animal that ate those birds are now without a food supply.  It is a chain reaction that could potentially cripple an entire ecosystem.

Wilson’s essay was very concise and to the point.  He used many details to present both sides of the spectrum (religion and science) and then he used his essay to try and convince the priest of the importance of saving the environment.  Personally I believe that he accomplished his goal in a sense that the priest would understand and try to help him.  Although I think he made his point he mentioned Charles Darwin in the end which I think was a big mistake on his part.  He talked about how Darwin was very religious until he discovered the thoughts behind evolution and then was not religious anymore.  Although he did not mean it in any disrespectful way I believe that this paragraph could have sent the wrong message to the priest, saying that evolution should be believed.

Works Cited

Barnet, Sylvan. Critical Thinking, Reading, and Writing A Brief Guide to Argument. 7th Edition. New York: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2008. 463-66. Print.