practical applications for teaching science from a biblical perspective ( or patsfbp!)

1. reasons to believe and sword&spirit ministries present practical applications for teaching science from a biblical perspective(or patsfbp!) mark ritter reasons to believe swordandspirit.com

2. overview • purpose • me me me • specific examples • lingo,attitudes,ideas • summary

3. multi-purpose building it’s for these kids: • Christian kidsso they can have a more Rock-solid foundation and not fear science, and… • nonChristian kidsto expose them to the overwhelming evidence of the God of the Bible • = win/win situation

4. me me me • experience • beingdisconnected :( • making the connection! :)

5. the God connection • God’s books = 66 in Bible +1 around us • written revelationcan’t use… sorta • general revelationcan use… a lot! • if both have same Author,teaching from either can lead one to Him

6. specific examples • anything anthropic • goldilocks • big bang • mr flat • copernicus • chem/bio • elementary

7. anthropic principle • the idea that The Whole Shebang was put together for us • 100+ evidences • range from atomic to planet to solar system to universe • including life! • some examples…

8. the ultrathin outer layer of our planet - the crust - is just the perfect thickness…

9. any thicker, it doesn’t move, and we end up with no continents, just oceans • any thinner, we have continuous destructive earthquakes and volcanic activity

10. our mass is just enough to keep this thin layer of gases above us • any more mass ( more gravity)means a heavier, more destructive atmosphere with more deadly gases staying here • less mass (less gravity)and we can’t hold onto oxygen and other life-support gases

11. our atmosphere is 20% oxygen • any less?humans aren’t here • any more?everything burns alot faster, and ourbodies age quicker

12. the thin invisible ozone layer keeps us alive by absorbing nasty radiation from space • less ozoneand we roast in uv lightfrom the sun • any moreand we don’t getenough of the sun’slife-giving energythrough to thesurface

13. carbon dioxide in our atmosphere acts like a blanket and keeps us warm • any less,we freeze,plants choke • any more,we fry in arunawaygreenhouseeffect

14. lightning strikes once a second on this planet • more often?too many fires • less often?not enoughnitrogen wouldget “fixed”into a formusefulfor life

15. the Moon has slowed us,kept us steady,given us tides,stabilized our orbit • without it, life couldnot exist • its whole creation storyis a thing of amazingwonder in itself…

16. creation of the moon • very early on, a Mars-sized planet struck “Earth1” at exactly the right angle and velocity to shear off our crust, strip off our heavy atmosphere, give us a thicker core and more radioactive material, and provide us with a life-sustaining Moon

17. Venus, closer to the sun, has... • an atmosphere so heavy with carbon dioxide it’s like being under akilometer of water • a surface temp around 900°F • a cloud cover of sulfuric acid • no water • not a shopping mall in sight

18. Mars, smaller & farther out, has almost no atmosphere or plate tectonics, and its water reservoirs are essentially frozen, so there is no life-giving water cycle

19. Jupiter and Saturnare at theperfect distance to: • leave our sensitive orbit alone, but • protect us from nasty, earthbound comets and asteroids

20. our sun is the perfectage,mass,brightness,& generationfor life anything else, we’re not here

21. the faint sun paradox says that through an amazingly complex list of “coincidences,” the sun increased in luminosity at the same rate the greenhouse gases were removed from our atmosphere so Earth could maintain a life-friendly constant tempfor 4 billion years

22. our sun is a bachelor, a single star - most stars have at least one other companion. • of course, having no star means a bad day, but… • if the sun had a buddy,our orbit would destabilizeand we would not be here

23. our sun wasn’t born in a cluster, near other big and destructive stars like these four here in the Orion Nebula, the Trapezium Cluster

24. this bright star in the Trapezium is clearing away planet-making material from its siblings • no planet-making material,no planets. • no planets, no TV. • no TV, no life.

25. as to the stellar explosions called supernovae • closer to us?life is exterminated • farther?not enough local planet-building debris • more frequent?life goes away • more infrequent?no planets

26. we live on the only street in our galaxywhich allows life, about 2/3 out... • closer to the nucleus,we get supernovaed,radiated to death,and thrown out ofa stable orbitby other stars • farther,no planet-building material

27. we live in the perfect type of galaxy for life, too, - the spiral.

28. goldilocks • one can see a Goldilocks thing going on here • not too X, not too Y, juuuuust right • but other areas of science can open up opportunities…

29. copernicus & family • the revolution that changed the ways of astronomy can be used to discuss philosophy & theology(e.g. myth that center of universe = good, aristotelian influence, frame of reference, “the Bible is all wrong,” etc.)

30. big bang • the big bang implies a beginning • a beginning implies a Beginner • a discussion of the philosophical implications follows

31. mr flat & family • extra-dimensions can give them the Big(ger) Picture and subtly introduce the transcendence of God [demo Mr Flat]

32. chemistry connections • water: the perfect molecule • shape • all states exist on Earth • density of ice • amazing solvent • the perfect nucleus-electron attraction • bond angles • reliable and repeatable and predictable laws…

33. life science links • perfect design of anything in the body (any body) • perfect, instantaneous ecosystems throughout history • the beauty of the structure and function of DNA

34. critical thinking discussions • purpose of mass extinctions • end of the universe! • other intelligent life? • UFOs? • origin of life? • Cambrian explosion • purpose to lima beans?

35. elementary, my dear! • one can emphasize things at the elementary level as well! • the attributes of dinosaurs(Design-o-saur) • the water cycle • seasons…

36. elementary, my dear! • body systems • the lives of plants • astronomy (duh!) • they may not make the God connection now but your excitement and insight will have a great positive effect

37. free extras! • Thanksgiving Foodfor Thought • Mormon implications • no Kolob • lack of life on planets • end to universe!

38. raised hand, open door • best times come when students ask,So what do you think? • presenting themwith opposing interpretations of the facts (!) often kicks this door wide open

39. suggested lingo • clearly distinguish interpretationsand facts • use “designed” or “created” or “changed through time” insteadof ______ • try to avoid calling evolutionists “hell-bound scumsuckers”

40. suggested growth • subscribe to a science journal! • read sci-bi books! • listen to radio programs • listen to your MOM!

41. suggested growth • share ideas and insight w/ colleagues - at school site, or on internet • some links: • reasons.org • godandscience.org • swordandspirit.com • from these you can be led to a load of other sites

42. suggested attitude • learn to: • lose the fear • passionately love the creation(there’s so much to love) • look for His hand in nature • allow alternate ideas(e.g. evolution!), w/o fear,then discuss them • remember: the truth, in love • trust God

43. summary • celebrate all parts of the creation in your class through a variety of methods • you then passively present Him and His glory • the Holy Spirit takes care of the rest