Part II continues an examination of the history of Western science, with emphasis on the relationships between science practitioners and Christian faith. In Part I, we reviewed the significant role that Christians played in the history of Western science and the seemingly obvious harmony between faith and science that existed prior to 1700. This new course traces the history of the false narrative that portrayed Christians and particularly clerics as opponents of the advance of science. We will first look at discoveries which led to late 1800s theories of organic evolution and their co-option by aggressive secularists. Next, we will pay specific attention to the promulgation of the “warfare thesis” of the relationship between science and faith and its demise at the hands of historians of science during the past century. We will include a historical vignette of the work of Calvin University scientists to relate scientific discoveries to Christian faith, extending from 1940 until now, including interactions with proponents of “young earth creationism,” sometimes known as “flood geology.” We will conclude with recent demonstrations of the remarkable fine-tuning of the universe for the existence of living, sentient beings and the potential for rapprochement again between science and faith. 

There is no required or recommended book for this course because the literature is so broad. Many resources will be listed on class handouts. Part I is not a prerequisite for this course. 

Subject: science  

Ralph Stearley taught geology and paleontology at Calvin from 1992 until 2019, and he collaborated with others in teaching the history of science. He also serves the DeVries Institute for Global Faculty Development in the area of science and faith. He has authored multiple articles and co-authored The Bible, Rocks and Time (IVP, 2008).