Is there a conflict between science and Christianity?
What does a God-centered view of science look like?
How are Christians to view and steward science and creation for the glory of God?
Modern science was born out of a worldview that intelligently embraced a God-centered interpretation of reality. It was widely held that God gave two harmonious volumes of self-disclosure to humanity. Those made in the image of God were responsible to study both volumes. The first is none other than God’s words—the sacred Scriptures. Volume two is God’s works in creation. This conference seeks to help Christians rediscover a God-centered perspective of creation and science. It is a call for a right view of VOLUME2, stewarding the study of creation for the glory of God and the joy of His creatures.
What is a Christian to believe about creation? Is there a conflict between science and Christianity? Is the Bible reliable in matters of science? Is evolution compatible with a biblical worldview? Do the arguments for Intelligent Design (I.D.) serve as biblical apologetics? What does the Bible say about creation? How are Christians to view and steward science and creation for the glory of God? What does a God-centered view of science look like? These and many more questions will be addressed at the conference.
Age: While all ages are invited, the content presented will be most beneficial for young adults and older.
Content: Most creation conferences deal primarily with evidential apologetics. VOLUME2 offers a God-centered perspective on creation, touching on matters of worldview and the philosophy and history of science. As such, this conference is particularly intended to offer biblical guidance to a highly debated topic.
Included with each registration is a substantial workbook covering all of the sessions in the conference plus additional material. Bibliographic information as well as other suggested resources will also be included and communicated at the conference.
In this foundational session, we will look at the nature of scientific evidence and the nature of human reasoning. The starting point of any interpretation is critical. Presuppositions are the most determinative factors in the process of interpretation. Scientific claims often rely more upon the scientist’s worldview than the scientist’s world.
Christians must not be afraid of science, but rather steward it as the powerful means that it is to glorify God. In two sessions, we will cover the definition, history, methodology, limitations, and purpose of science. Distinctions will be carefully made between philosophy, history, and empiricism. Explanations, examples, and illustrations will be given to aid in gaining a better understanding and perspective of science. The methodologies of empirical science were developed specifically as the means for us to study God's creation.
Charles Darwin’s defining contribution to the theory of evolution was that “he was the first to offer a naturalistic mechanism that was conceivable to produce biological change over long periods of time—this mechanism became known as natural selection.” In this session we will see what Darwin himself said about this mechanism and his theory of evolution. We will also consider the principles, examples, and discoveries concerning the empirical demonstration of this mechanism.
This session will look into several non-biological scientific disciplines in an effort to better understand the bigger picture of creation. Physics, thermodynamics, geoscience, and others will be included. The bigger picture inevitably begs the bigger questions. In this session we will review some of the foundational principles of creation from a God-centered perspective.
Psalm 19:1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.” Creation exists to make much of God, not creation. In this session, we will look to the Word of God to speak on the matter of God’s creation and God’s purposes in creating. We are stewards of both volumes of God’s revelation, and both exist to bring Him praise and bless His people.
In this special session, we will consider a rising irony on the landscape of human endeavor, namely biomimicry. It represents a new frontier that effectively bridges the disciplines of biology and human engineering. There are massive implications for this wonderful new area of scientific exploration. The creation is worthy of being copied because the Creator is worthy of being praised. Again, science rightly exercised testifies to the glory and majesty not merely of the creation, but much more the Creator.