Today, we’re sharing an article that offers a perspective on the relationship between science and faith, a topic of great interest and importance to many homeschooling families. “Science from a Biblical Perspective: Bridging Faith and Discovery” is written by Jeff Miller, Ph.D., a science researcher and writer at Apologetics Press. In this piece, Dr. Miller explores how science can be viewed and taught from a biblical standpoint, discussing various scientific disciplines within a biblical framework.
God’s Ownership of Science: A Biblical Perspective
The modern naturalistic monopoly on science—I’ll admit—put a bad taste in my mouth every time I was forced to study science as a younger student in junior high and high school in public school. It was natural to equate science with evolution and other false ideas that alarmed me and challenged my beliefs.
No doubt many students shared my feelings and, over the years, it has caused many people to consider science and religion to be two separate domains that do not have anything to do with each other. “Trying to harmonize the two shouldn’t be done—and couldn’t be done even if you wanted to,” they claim.
To attempt to do so would be like, in the words of famous skeptic Michael Shermer, trying “to squeeze the round peg of science into the square hole of religion.” It would be a “logical absurdity” to do that, he said.1
The truth of the matter is that God owns science: He is actually the one Who initially instituted and defined science and now endorses, encourages—even commands—scientific study. A person must conduct science, however, from the right perspective—the biblical perspective—or his results and conclusions will often be incorrect.
The Evolution of Science Education
As most of us parents studied science in school, progressing from year to year, the classes and texts tended to be divided into general categories, like “Life Science,” “Earth Science,” or “Physical Science.” As we moved into high school, we probably took “Biology,” “Chemistry,” and “Physics,” and if we pursued science in college, perhaps “Geology,” “Astronomy,” “Genetics,” “Thermal Science,” etc.
While it can be convenient to use such distinctions as we teach science, there is a serious drawback to doing so if we fail to step back and keep in mind the “big picture”: the ultimate purposes of science from a biblical perspective. Having the right frame of mind about the God-given purposes of science will affect how we go about teaching and discussing scientific matters with our children and students.
Teaching Science from a Christian Worldview
It is important that Christian-minded parents/teachers not merely exclude un-Christian concepts while teaching (which is what many Christian schools do), but actually teach students the subjects from a Christian perspective.
One of the big draws to Classical Conversations for my wife and me was the fact that the CC program implements that perspective in how students are taught all strands from Foundations through Challenge—history, art, music, English, math, etc.
Science is no different. So, how should that look?
God’s Authority in Scientific Pursuit
First, keep in mind that if God does not want us to use time doing something, we should not do it (1 Corinthians 4:6)! He has objectives in mind for His followers, and we will give an account of how we use our time (Ephesians 5:16; Colossians 4:5). And so, we should consider whether God even wants us to teach our children science.
Whatever we do, “in word or deed,” should be authorized by God (Colossians 3:17; Acts 4:7). Do we have God’s authority to engage in and teach science to our students?
Biblical Foundations of Scientific Disciplines
Absolutely. In fact, according to the Bible, God Himself instituted the field of science.
When God created human beings on Day Six and told them to “have dominion” over the Earth and “subdue” it (Genesis 1:28; see also Psalm 8:6-8), He was commanding mankind to do something that would require extensive scientific investigation and experimentation.
When God, through His servant Paul, said in Romans 1:20 that His existence and some of His attributes could be learned from studying His creation, He was putting His stamp of approval on the scientific study of creation—”the things that are made.”
When He said in 1 Thessalonians 5:21 to “[t]est all things; hold fast what is good,” He was essentially summarizing the scientific method. By encouraging humans to study “the works of the Lord” (i.e., the things God has done, such as Creation and the Flood of Genesis 6-9), He was endorsing science (Psalm 111:2; cf. 66:5).
Scientific Fields in Scripture
- Biology and Zoology: When God instructed Adam to name the animals (Genesis 2:19).
- Physics: When He highlighted to Job the natural laws that govern the Universe (Job 38:33; cf. Jeremiah 33:25-26; Psalm 148:5-8).
- Chemistry: Numbers 19 even delineates a basic recipe for antibacterial soap.
- Geology: Emphasized in Job 12:8-10.
- Astronomy: Encouraged in Psalm 19:1 and Genesis 15:5.
Several laws of science are alluded to by implication in Scripture, including the Law of Causality (Hebrews 3:4), Law of Biogenesis (Acts 17:25; 1 Timothy 6:13; Galatians 6:7), First Law of Thermodynamics (Genesis 2:1-3; Exodus 20:11; Hebrews 4:3), and Second Law of Thermodynamics (Psalm 102:25-27).
Solomon, in his inspired wisdom, endorsed the study of biological science, encouraging the study of eagles and serpents (Proverbs 30:18-19), as well as ants, badgers, locusts, and spiders (Proverbs 30:25-28).
Jesus encouraged various scientific disciplines through His teachings:
- Botany: Lilies of the field (Matthew 6:28), seeds (Matthew 13:1-9,24-30), trees and vines (Matthew 7:16-20), and grass (Matthew 6:30).
- Ornithology: Birds of the air (Matthew 6:26).
- Entomology: Moths (Matthew 6:19-20).
- Zoology: Sheep, dogs, and swine (Luke 15:3-7; Matthew 7:6).
In God’s sermon to Job in chapters 38-41, He chose to humble Job and instruct him by giving him, not a Bible lesson, but a science lesson covering geology, cosmology, astronomy, physics, oceanography, nomology, optics, meteorology, and biology, including zoology, ornithology, entomology, herpetology, botany, and marine biology.
Similarly, in Psalm 104 the psalmist used beautiful figurative language to present a science lesson covering astronomy, meteorology, geology, physics, oceanography, and biology, including mammalogy, ornithology, botany, and marine biology.
Bottom line: God founded, endorsed, and even commanded science. As a parent/science teacher, you are a key factor in ensuring that God’s desire (that we engage in science2) is carried out—and that it is carried out with the right perspective and purpose in mind.
Redefining Science: A Biblical Approach
What is science? There are probably as many definitions as there are scientific subjects (since humans determine word definitions), but a basic definition would be, “the acquisition of knowledge through study of the natural world/Universe.”
Naturalists argue that science seeks to determine natural explanations for those things we observe in nature. Such a diminished perspective, however, was not how science has been viewed throughout history,3 because it neglects the definitive evidence for God,4 is irrational, and even self-contradictory.5
Instead, science seeks to acquire explanations—whether natural or supernatural—for those things we observe in nature.
The Divine Purpose of Scientific Inquiry
The ultimate purposes of science are more important to Christian science teachers, since at least three of those are, first and foremost, defined by God, not man. The purpose of science is to gain knowledge (Proverbs 8:10) from observations of the natural realm (i.e., “the things that are made”—Romans 1:20) that will help humans to:
- subdue and have dominion over the Earth (Genesis 1:28; 9:2) so that they can live a good life (Ecclesiastes 2:24) in service to God (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14), helping others (Ecclesiastes 3:12; Galatians 6:10; 1 Timothy 6:186);
- learn about God—His existence and nature (Romans 1:20; Hebrews 11:6; Psalm 19:1)—by studying the things He has done (Psalm 111:2; Romans 1:20); and
- defend the truth against those who would seek to discredit it (1 Peter 3:15; Jude 3).
The Foundation: Creation and Flood Science
Logically, therefore, Creation and Flood Science should be the foundations upon which a student’s study of science is built, since they are the two greatest physical works God has authored throughout Earth history.
Although few scientists think about their mission in such terms, most science disciplines today are focused more on the first purpose above (at least, a portion of it): subduing and having dominion over the Earth in order to live a good life.
The second and third extremely important purposes are, sadly, often completely neglected, even in our Christian schools. Our parents and science teachers are charged with the critically important task of making sure our students/children can defend the truth and know and do not forget about the great works of the Lord as exhibited through physical evidence in the Universe (like the Flood—Genesis 9:12-17).
Yet, oftentimes, we fall down on the job, allowing the world—our children/students—to forget (2 Peter 3:3-9).
Psalm 111:2—”The works of the Lord are great, studied by all who have pleasure in them.”
2 Peter 3:5-9—”For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”
Are you ready to teach your students science the way God intended?
Want to learn more? Check out Apologetics Press’s recommended products, high school credit short course, and free resources for Classical Conversations families.
Footnotes
- Michael Shermer (2007), Why Darwin Matters: The Case Against Intelligent Design (New York: Henry Holt), Kindle edition, p. 162.
- Note: while conducting science (i.e., the study of “the things that are made”) is necessary to fulfill God’s expectations, there are certainly different levels/depths of scientific study in which a person could engage. Virtually every person engages in science in various ways, even if doing so is often an unconscious decision and at a very basic level. We are not suggesting that God expects every person to become a full-time, credentialed scientist.
- For examples of famous scientists, considered the “fathers” of various scientific disciplines, who were biblical creationists, see Jeff Miller (2012), “‘You Creationists Are Not Qualified to Discuss Such Matters!'” Reason & Revelation, 32[12]:141-143, December, https://apologeticspress.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/1212.pdf.
- Dave Miller, ed. (2017), Does God Exist? (Montgomery, AL: Apologetics Press).
- Jeff Miller (2017), Science vs. Evolution (Montgomery, AL: Apologetics Press), 2nd edition.
- See also James 4:17 and Mark 10:45.
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