practical applications for teaching science from a biblical perspective

1. reasons to believe and sword&spirit ministries present practical applications for teaching science from a biblical perspective mark ritter reasons to believe swordandspirit.com

2. overview • purpose • me me me • specific examples • lingo,attitudes,ideas • summary

3. our multi-purpose • it’s for these kids: • Christian kidsso they can have a more Rock-solid foundation, and… • nonChristian kidsto expose them to the overwhelming evidence of the God of the Bible

4. me me me • experience • my problems w/ scienceand the Bible • being disconnected :( • making the connection! :)

5. the God connection • God’s books = 66 in Bible +1 around us • written revelationcan’t use… sorta • general revelationcan use… a lot! • if both have same Author,teaching from either can lead one to Him

6. specific examples • anythinganthropic • goldilocks • big bang • mr flat& family • copernicus • chem/life science

7. anthropic principle • the idea that The Whole Shebang was put together for us • 100+ evidences • range from atomic to planet to solar system to universe • including life! • some examples…

8. our gravity is just enough to keep this thin layer of gases above us. • any more gravitymeans a heavier, more destructive atmosphere with more deadly gases staying here. • less gravityand we can’t hold onto oxygen and other life-support gases.

9. our atmosphere is 20% oxygen. • any less?humans aren’t here. • any more?everything burns a lot faster, and our bodies age quicker.

10. carbon dioxide in our atmosphere acts like a blanket and keeps us warm. • any less,we freeze,plants choke. • any more,we fry in arunawaygreenhouseeffect

11. the Moon has slowed us,kept us steady,given us tides,stabilized our orbit. • without it, life couldnot exist. • its whole creation storyis a thing of amazingwonder in itself

12. Venus, closer to the sun, has... • an atmosphere so heavy with carbon dioxide it’s like being under a kilometer of water • a surface temp around 900°F • a cloud cover of sulfuric acid • no water • not a shopping mall in sight

13. Mars, smaller & farther out, has almost no atmosphere, and its water reservoirs are essentially frozen, so there is no life-giving water cycle

14. Jupiter and Saturn are at theperfect distance to: • leave our sensitive orbit alone, but • protect us from nasty, earthbound comets and asteroids...

15. our sun is the perfect age, mass,brightness, and generation for life.anything else, we’re not here.

16. thefaint sun paradoxsays that through an amazingly complex list of “coincidences,” the sun increased in luminosity at the same rate the greenhouse gases were removed from our atmosphere so Earth could maintain a life-friendly constant tempfor 4 billion years

17. our sun is a “bachelor,” a single star. most stars have at least one other companion. • of course, having no star = a bad day, but… • if the sun had a buddy,our orbit would destabilizeand we would not be here.

18. our sun wasn’t born in a cluster, near other big and destructive stars like these four here in the Orion Nebula, the Trapezium Cluster.

19. this bright star in the Trapezium is clearing away planet-making material from its siblings • no planet-making material,no planets. • no planets, no TV. • no TV, no life.

20. as to the stellar explosions called supernovae: • closer to us?life is exterminated • farther?not enough local planet-building debris • more frequent?life goes away • more infrequent?no planets

21. we live on the only street in our galaxywhich allows life, about 2/3 out... • closer to the nucleus,we get supernovaed,radiated to death,and thrown out ofa stable orbitby other stars • farther,no planet-building material

22. we live in the perfect type of galaxy for life, too, - thespiral.

23. goldilocks • one can see a Goldilocks thing going on here • not too X, not too Y, juuuuust right • but other areas of science can open up opportunities, for example…

24. copernicus & family • the revolution that changed the ways of astronomy can be used to discuss philosophy and theology(e.g. myth that center of universe = good, aristotelian influence, frame of reference etc.)

25. mr flat & family • extra-dimensions can give them the Big(ger) Picture and subtly introduce the transcendence of God [demo Mr Flat]

26. big bang • the big bang implies a beginning • a beginning implies a Beginner • a discussion of the philosophical implications follows

27. chemistry connections • water: the perfect molecule • shape • all states on Earth • density of ice • amazing solvent • the perfect nucleus-electron attraction • bond angles • reliable and repeatable and predictable laws…

28. life science links • perfect design of anything in the body (any body) • perfect, instantaneous ecosystems throughout history • the beauty of the structure and function of DNA

29. critical thinking discussions • purpose of mass extinctions • end of the universe! • other intelligent life? • UFOs? • origin of life? • Cambrian explosion • purpose to lima beans?

30. free extras! • Thanksgiving Foodfor Thought • Mormon implications • no Kolob • lack of life on planets • end to universe

31. raised hand, open door • best times come when students ask,So what do you think? • presenting them with opposing interpretations of the facts often kicks this door wide open

32. suggested lingo • interpretations v facts • “design” insteadof ______

33. suggested growth • subscribe to a science journal! • read sci-bi books!

34. share ideas w/ colleagues - at school site, or on internet • some links: • reasons.org • godandscience.org • swordandspirit.com • from these you can be led to a load of other sites

35. suggested attitude • learn to: • lose the fear • passionately love the creation(there’s so much to love) • see His hand in nature • allow alternate ideas(e.g. evolution!), w/o fear, then discuss them • remember: the truth, in love • trust God

36. summary • celebrate the creation in your class through a variety of methods • you then present Him and His glory • the Holy Spirit takes care of the rest