Science and Scripture

As a kid growing up in a denominational church wayyyyyy out in the country and attending public school my influences for a attaining a Christian world view were rather limited. We had Sunday School and church on Sunday morning, the Bible, and the occasional Sword of the Lord. No Christian Radio; not even a Christian bookstore within a hundred miles; no college tour groups; Bible camp was unheard of. The words "Youth Pastor" were unknown.

Not to get off on a rabbit trail here, but the Bible itself was enough. That is huge.

That being said, high school posed some interesting challenges. The first was being thrown in a big mix of people with varying backgrounds. I was a quiet, conservative, quirky Bible thumper who didn't fit in too well. (Still am, only definitely not so quiet anymore.) The other thing was public education itself; the whole humanistic worldview; forced evolution and sociology, etc. Fortunately we had a few older teachers who themselves embraced truth despite what the textbooks said. Mrs. D in biology was quick to point out that evolution was a THEORY that some people chose to believe. We didn't get any of this "proven fact that you're stupid not to believe" junk.

Chemistry was where I got my wings though. Our teacher was a Methodist pastor's wife, an organized, reserved and refined woman - good traits for a pastor's wife. Also good traits for a chemistry teacher. Early in the year we covered the basics of molecular structure. Why I was the only one in the class to question the inconsistency of the laws of physics I'll never know but the hand went up and the question was asked. "Since protons are positive and electrons are negative and like charges attract, what keeps the those things apart? Why doesn't that thing just (hand motion for crunching together)?" I think that was the only time I saw Mrs. H's shell crack. She took on a bemused little smile and a twinkle in her eye as she answered, "If that happened the universe as we know it would collapse. I guess whatever's holding it together keeps that from happening."

She knew. And I knew. And we each knew that the other knew. It was God. I did not know Colossians 1:16 and17 yet, but it didn't take a degree in rocket science to see the obvious. For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

The other thing that happened that year was a casual observation about that evolution thing. If life on earth was evolving into something better, why were things getting worse? It didn't add up. I later learned that observation was based on entropy, the Second Law of Thermodynamics, what the Bible calls the "law of sin and death". Creation wasn't changing into something better, it was groaning in travail awaiting redemption.

All that was 30 years ago. I didn't need science to confirm scripture, but as a young person it was exciting that real science existed peacefully and in harmony with God's Word. A conscious choice to reject the world's science was the first of many steps of faith.

As I understand it now the creation/evolution debate taking place on a larger scale was getting into full swing. Dr Henry Morris and other believing scientists fought for the hearts and minds of young people. Debates took place on campuses. More people joined the battle. It hasn't let up and has only got more ugly. I meet people all the time who grew up as I did and had their faith shattered or corrupted by "science so falsely called" in university. I'm just so thankful that God showed me the truth early on and I had enough sense to believe it.