by David A. Vosburg
Ellen, a sophomore taking my chemistry course, was standing at my office door. “Professor Vosburg,” she said, “I saw your blog posts on science and Christianity. Can we talk about them?” That began a series of conversations with Ellen about faith, and then one of Ellen’s friends started meeting with her to guide her in looking more closely at the Bible. Seven months later, Ellen accepted Jesus.
Sam was also a college sophomore, and he attended a lecture I gave on science and Christianity. He was shocked to learn that scientists could be Christians and that some of them were actually people he knew! He was already committed to becoming a scientist, but once he realized that scientists could embrace faith and follow Jesus, he reconsidered his atheism. After several talks with me, Sam joined a dorm Bible study for seekers. A year later, he became a Christian and was baptized on Easter Sunday.
Both Ellen and Sam thought that a person couldn’t believe in Jesus and science at the same time. When they heard otherwise, they wanted to see what the Bible really said, to explore ideas with peers, and to see what options were open to them.
Exploring and understanding the relationship between faith and science is very important—and not just for prospective scientists. Ellen and Sam thought Christianity and science were incompatible because that was the impression they got from Christians around them. Equally at fault were non-Christians who insisted that God and science don’t mix.
How can Christians and non-Christians engage with faith and science productively? We must have honest and open dialogue, take both the Bible and science seriously, and convey respect for others—even when we disagree with their views. I hope Jesus, Beginnings, and Science will catalyze good and healthy conversations for believers and for seekers.
[Excerpted from Jesus, Beginnings, and Science: A Guide for Group Conversation, by David A. Vosburg and Kate Vosburg.]