Study with Me at DiscoveryU: Live Courses in Science and Christianity Launching this Month

By Melissa Cain Travis

In my twenties, I spent several years working as a research associate in the field of biotechnology. Having completed an undergraduate degree in biology but not sure what I wanted to study in graduate school, I figured that gaining professional laboratory experience was the wisest interim path. The science behind my daily work was interesting and worthwhile; I genotyped genetically engineered mice that the senior scientists in the company used for cutting-edge biomedical research. However, I must admit that the day-to-day hands-on work wasn’t all that exciting; I spent my time extracting DNA from tissue samples and running something called QPCRs—quantitative polymerase chain reactions—to determine how many copies of a particular gene were present. Once I had the genotype data, I’d send it off to another department and start the next batch. The work demanded precision of technique and data-analysis skills, but the monotony of it was often mind-numbing. So, during those long hours sitting belly-up to the lab bench, wide-ranging conversations with colleagues helped make the days more interesting.

Those interactions with people from all different cultural backgrounds taught me that, despite the fact that I’d grown up in a Christian home and attended a Christian university, I was quite ill-prepared to converse on topics related to the science and faith intersection. I felt an urgency to remedy the situation, but I didn’t know where to begin. Online research at that time was like taking shots in the dark; this was the early 2000s, and the internet was still relatively new. Amazon wasn’t anything close to the behemoth that it is today, but on April 15, 2003 (wow, twenty years ago) my search yielded a treasure that I now recognize as a catalyst for a watershed in my life: William Dembski’s 2001 book, Signs of Intelligence: Understanding Intelligent Design. At the time, I knew nothing of the history and philosophy that are foundational to the science and faith conversation, but I did at least understand the idea of evidence for a rational mind behind the natural world. I began reading everything I could get my hands on, but because I had no one to guide me, it was a mixed bag.

After several years, which included tons of reading, four moves, and two babies, I discovered a graduate program in science and religion. Through formal studies with excellent professors, all the bits and pieces finally came together into a focused, coherent picture. For the first time, I truly understood the scope and intricacy of the relationship between the natural sciences and the Christian faith. Ten years after beginning that master’s degree program, I finished my PhD. While still a doctoral student, I began teaching university courses, and today I teach graduate courses for Colorado Christian University’s Lee Strobel Center.  

During my years in higher ed, I’ve become increasingly aware of the fact that very few people have the time, the funds, or the need to pursue graduate studies in science and religion, but many need knowledge in this area—for parenting, ministry, vocational teaching, STEM workplace conversations, or personal intellectual and spiritual formation. I receive emails on a regular basis from men and women in urgent need of insight or resources, so I’ve thought a lot about what an “essentials” program for adult learners should look like. I’ve now been granted the opportunity to put this into practice through a partnership with DiscoveryU, an education initiative of Discovery Institute’s Center for Science and Culture. I’ve developed a catalog of twelve six-week courses arranged in four topical modules: Science and Christianity, Cosmos by Design, Biology by Design, and Mind by Design.

The six weeks of instruction for each course will include four Zoom sessions, weekly reading assignments, supplementary study materials, and an instructor-led discussion forum. In addition, students will be guided through the development of a polished capstone project that can be used in their respective ministry or vocational contexts. This course format will provide a level of personal mentoring, accountability, and encouragement that isn’t possible in automated, self-paced learning options. The content of these courses is best described as semi-academic: rigorous yet accessible for motivated learners. No previous formal education in the sciences, philosophy, or theology is necessary for successful completion. I think these courses would be wonderful for science and Bible/apologetics faculty at private Christian schools; perhaps they could even be used to fulfill required CEUs.  

The pilot course, Science and Christianity I: A Historical Exploration, begins on July 10th and will be the first in a three-part module. In a fascinating whirlwind tour of the historical interaction of science and the Christian faith, we will examine ancient cosmologies, early theologians’ attitudes towards natural philosophy, the complexities of the scientific revolution, the pre-Darwin heyday of natural theology, the rise of Darwinism in America, the twentieth century physics revolution, and the general shape of the current conversation. Particular attention will be given to episodes such as the so-called “Dark Ages,” the infamous Galileo Affair, and the Scopes “Monkey Trial” of 1925 for the purpose of dispelling popular myths that continue to fuel the widespread “warfare” thesis. The overarching goal of the course is to provide a foundational understanding of the historical complexities of the science and Christianity intersection and equip students to address the distorted narratives that skeptics often use to support the allegation that Christianity has been an obstacle to scientific progress since late Antiquity. 

The second course in the Science and Christianity module will pick up where the first left off. It will cover the essential philosophical issues surrounding the contemporary science and faith debate and analyze the inherent weaknesses of the materialist worldview. The third course will explore the broad spectrum of views on the best approach to the biblical creation narrative. Within an environment of intellectual hospitality and from the perspective of “mere creation,” students will learn about the different types of theistic evolution, progressive creationism, and young-earth creationism. The course will end with a short introduction to the theological issues related to the question of a historical Adam. Scientific issues pertaining to human origins will be covered in the biological design module, which will launch in early 2024.

I invite you to join me for Science and Christianity I: A Historical Exploration. Registration is now open at DiscoveryU, and early bird pricing won’t last much longer!