How Christians Should Teach Science

How should Christians Teach Science?

For many years many Christian organizations have sought to document scientific evidence to support the Bible. In fact, we are so convinced of our science that we usually interpret what it says about earth-history with science rather than grammar. Of course, the Bible was written before the scientific way of thinking was even invented, so the authors could never have intended a scientific meaning.

Twenty-six hundred years ago, four young Jewish hostages were forcibly sent to Babylon for an education. Babylon was then the greatest center of mathematics and astronomical learning in the world. Yet Daniel and his friends deliberately chose not to compromise, even in the matter of Moses’ dietary laws. For this reason, God gave them wisdom above their pagan teachers. Today, the great tower of knowledge is no longer the ziggurat of Esagila, but the world’s science. Uncompromising obedience to the Scriptures, even in the minor issues, is still the key to wisdom.

II Peter 3:3 - 4 tells us that the arche, the first principle, is the first thing to know. A first principle is an elementary assumption that is the basis of a way of thinking about physical reality. The Christian science teacher should begin at the beginning: the elementary assumption. Perhaps one could spend a few minutes describing the ancient way of thinking and how their earth-history was about catastrophes and continuous changes to the earth and even to the length of life. This can be supported with biblical references that agree with that ancient way of thinking. Then the teacher can show how the pagan Greek philosophers struggled for centuries trying to find something that did not change on which to anchor a system of science. Since they could not find anything physical that did not change, Aristotle wrote that we must just ASSUME that the nature of matter is unchanging. The teacher can use the Greek word diamenei from the II Peter text to explain the modern first principle. It is the elementary assumption that “all things remain the same in being (that the essence of matter is unchanging) and relationship (that matter does not age).”

The teacher can explain a first principle like this:

It is an assumption, a supposition that is assumed to be true.
It is fundamental - the first assumption - the simplest one - the starting point.
Its object is to understand the physical universe.
It is the foundation for an entire way of thinking.
You must have one before you can causatively interpret physical evidence.
It is historical - you can trace through history where it came from.
It is the most difficult idea to think about - Aristotle - who invented ours - said this.
It cannot be proved, but is the basis of all subsequent proofs - again Aristotle.
When the New Testament was written, school children actively debated first principles, because the various philosophers had proposed different ones.
In our day it is taught subtly. Most people are not even aware of our first principle, although they use it continually, since it is accepted as self-evident.
A first principle can be tested, but not with the system of thinking that is built upon it.

The teacher can then jump ahead fifteen-hundred years to Western Europe and show how the Catholic philosophers combined the pagan Aristotle’s first principle with the Bible. The teacher can simply state that history shows that our first principle did not come from the Bible. The Western intellectuals, who founded our science, built it upon the elementary assumption proposed by the pagan Aristotle. The teacher can explain that most Christians are taught that science had Christian beginnings. Although the founders were Christians, the foundation they built upon was invented by Aristotle. Since in this class we seek to honor the Bible, we will use biblical principles as the basis of our understanding of the physical universe.

The teacher could pass out a short handout containing a simple exegesis of several verses that contradict science’s first principle. The lesson might conclude with an explanation that it is possible to adjust a system of knowledge so that it is very practical, even though it is not based on valid assumptions.

The teacher can then progress to the definitions of physics by emphasizing that it is impossible to precisely define the attributes of matter without using Aristotle’s Conjecture that it does not change. Time, mass and energy are never found in a substratum by themselves. No experiment can isolate “time” from the motion of matter or light. Scientific definitions of time are speculative, because they start with the assumption that matter is unchanging and confirm this idea circularly. This circle is doubly speculative because they also circle back and use this idea to define the basic system of measurement by which they show that these things are constant. With their system, even if matter were to decay as a relationship, they could not detect it locally. Yet the light from every distant atom is shifted. This light certainly agrees with a literal interpretation of Romans 8:19 - 22 where Paul uses the Greek word “phthora.” This word was used by Plato for the corruption of matter itself. He also twice uses Greek together-words to illustrate this universal decay. The teacher could explain that no experiment has ever found an independent thing called “energy” since matter or light can only be more or less energetic than some other material thing. However, when energy is used mathematically, as though it is an independent entity, it can be useful for short term results. When time, mass and energy are assumed to be semi-independent, they take on a symbolic existence, as mathematical entities. These become very powerful tools for practical scientific and mathematical results.

The teacher can show how the little first principle that Peter predicted is used in everyday science. The student might learn the impossibility of measuring sub atomic things without using the first principle to mathematically calculate things that cannot even be measured without the assumption. They could discuss the impossibility of comparing most past measurements with present ones without the use of this elementary assumption. The fact that angles are an exception to this can be used by advanced students to compare the angular measurements of the ancient astronomers with our own. In a high school class, these comparisons could be used to show the evidence that casts serious doubt on the scientific first principle. The student should easily see the impossibility of measuring the distance to the galaxies without using this assumption. The student can be taught that measurements are real, but that neither measurements nor mathematics can establish a system of truth, if the first principle is not true.

The teacher can then progress to the laws. Again the assumption is always the first thing to discuss. For example, we cannot define an acceleration without first holding time as an independent entity that is invariable in a practical sense. We cannot measure an invariable force of gravity without assuming the other properties of matter are also invariable. This is a good place for the teacher to reread Romans 8:19 - 22 about how everything in creation is decaying. The teacher can show the meanings of the Greek words that give a double emphasis on orderliness and togetherness in this corruption of matter. For those who have always associated this verse with the Second Law, the emphasis on orderly submission and togetherness can be contrasted with the disorder and uncoordinated randomness of the Second Law.

By discussing the assumption about matter, which is the historical basis of scientific reasoning, students are encouraged to carefully consider the consequences of assumptions on experimental measurements and mathematics. The student should be given practice problems, but they will be able to separate the practical from the speculative parts of scientific reasoning. The student should soon realize that scientists could never have invented their mathematical system without reliance on the first principle. It should become apparent that if the first principle that Peter predicted is false, our scientific laws could not be used for understanding the distant past.

By separating the first principle from the data, the student should see the SIMPLE evidence that substantiates biblical creation. Astronomy and geology will not remain unchanged if the assumption is kept in mind when examining scientific claims. They might even get some good laughs over the invisible things that scientists invent in order to protect their dogma. By clearly laying out the historical assumption, and encouraging students to think about assumptions, they should be able to do practical mathematics and experiments, without allowing the first assumption to control their thinking.

Teaching science this way is negative, although it can still be used for practical things.
This agrees with Solomon who said even under the sun, in the solar system, knowledge (causal tense) is impossible (Ecclesiastes 8:17).
Once students focus on the first principle, they should see that only the simplest, most reliable, evidence supports biblical earth-history. It is the mathematical, symbolic system that fails, once the modern first principle is discounted.
The students should notice how examining and testing the first principle frees the mind so we can think clearly and accept literally what the Bible says about geology and astronomy.

The Apostle Paul warned that the elementary ideas, the stoicheon of philosophy, capture us like military prisoners (Colossians 2:8). These elementary assumptions are the milk of our system of scientific education. It is almost unheard of for adults to change their world-view. However, the Apostle Paul mentions that when he was a child, he also was held in bondage to the elementary principles, the stoicheon of the kosmos, the orderly system (Galatians 4:3). Strabo, the Roman geographer, visited Tarsus at about the time when Paul was in school. He wrote that Tarsus’ schools were more advanced than those of Athens and Alexandria. Yet the Apostle Paul was certainly freed from this bondage. He later wrote that he had knowledge in all things. The truth set Paul free! Jesus said that YOU SHALL KNOW THE TRUTH AND THE TRUTH SHALL MAKE YOU FREE.

How can adult Christians free themselves from the clutches of the little assumption that Peter predicted would be the first principle of the last days?

The Bereans were noble-minded because they examined the scriptures daily to see if these things were so. Diligently look for the truth in the Bible.
Ask God for wisdom, but do not be double-minded. Do not expect God to give you wisdom while at the same time you are trying to interpret it with the first principle we got from the Greeks. Do not waver between two systems. The standard for interpreting the Bible should always be its historical, grammatical meaning. We should never tailor it to fit our science.
Test the assumption. Remember that an elementary assumption cannot be tested with the system of science that is built upon it. Yet this assumption can be tested with simple evidence.

I predict that you diligently seek wisdom in God’s word you will see that the simple, visible evidence supports biblical earth-history. You should notice that the scientific system is speculative, based on an untested assumption, that the Bible predicted and contradicted.

I predict you will see how wise God is. He is not a deceiver but He TAKES the wise of this world with their own wisdom. He does this so that simple faith in Jesus will triumph over the world’s wisdom. The victory of faith over scientific reasoning will be overwhelming.

Young minds can more easily examine a first assumption, because they have not habitually used it for years as the basis of reasoning. Every year thousands of Christian young people go off to secular colleges where they are exposed to militant scientism. The professors relentlessly hammer at the Bible, with claims that they measured this or that and the Bible could not possibly be true. Many Christian young people are left with serious doubts. Some, who do not have real faith, rebel against the Scriptures. Give our students a chance by arming them with a simple exegesis of the scripture that exposes the modern first principle. Give them the tools necessary to separate the first assumption from the plethora of data.

Perhaps some of these youths will follow Daniel - becoming uncompromisingly obedient to the Scriptures, even on the minor issues. Perhaps then, when our obedience is complete, we will be able to do what the Bible predicts in II Corinthians 10:3-6, defeat the speculations against the knowledge of Him. All we have to do is use the Bible to expose and contradict the first principle of the modern era. This is radically different from fighting with our own versions of science. The world often mocks our Bible because they find contradictions in our versions of science. They will have no foundation from which to fight a war of ideas if we expose their first principle. Our Bible is a mighty weapon that can bring down the great fortress of reasoning raised up against the knowledge of Him. Dear Christian brother and sister, think about it. Peter says it is the first thing to know.

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