Greetings everyone! I would
like to open this blog with an anecdote from my time at First Baptist Church
Maryville. I have been blessed enough to have spent the last year as a member
of the Christmas and Worship Choir. Around the time of our wonderful Christmas
production members of the choir could be seen at all hours of the day wandering
throughout the church either preparing for the next performance or whiling away
the hours in fellowship. And so the stage was set. There in the midst of the
women’s dressing room were two friends, Hannah and Nicole, laughing and joking.
Nicole slipped in a science reference; Hannah made a Sheldon joke. Then, Nicole
unwittingly and excitedly exclaimed, “I LOVE THE BIG BANG THEORY!”
SCREECHHHH………..(silence…..awkward
stares). Activity resumes.
Yep, that was me. It was
fairly embarrassing. Just to clarify, I was totally talking about the
television show. I am not a supporter of the scientific Big Bang Theory but I
do feel a certain parallel to the cast of this show as I frequently find myself
at a table full of physicists and engineers. I tell this story because 1) I
thought it was a classic scene of awkwardness and 2) this class is going to be
addressing these very issues of science. In church. At length. And it is going
to bring us closer to God.
I am a recent 2012 graduate
of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville with a B.S. in Biological
Sciences/Biomedical concentration and minors in Chemistry and Music. I have
played geneticist with topminnows (ask me about my senior project, “Effects of
reproductive isolation and assortative mating on two species of closely related
species of topminnows, Fundulus notatus and
Fundulus olivaceus”….it’s fascinating
I promise), fed cell cultures to study chemotherapeutic methods, and ran spider
races to study the running patterns. To say I have been immersed in science for
the last four years is an understatement. At some point I realized I was doing
way more studying for my science classes and I had pushed my Bible study to the
side. Literally. Like I had to move a couple stacks of notes and textbooks to find
the Bible laying on my desk. That was something I was definitely NOT alright
with having to admit to myself. At about the same time I was deciding to enter
a doctoral program and struggling through an evolution class titled “Darwinian
Medicine” where I had class periods denying creation and a textbook that
blatantly renounced Christianity. I needed a little less science and a lot more
God in my everyday life. Good thing I have great Christian friends to help me
through!
I met Hannah at the
Lewis and Clark Confluence Tower in the summer of 2010. When we weren’t showing
off the history of the confluence to crowds of visitors, we spent our time in
conversations of science, politics, and religion (ah, the simple things in
life). I found out about Hannah’s calling to the ministry and her time at bible
college. I’ve also got to watch her transition from a music student at SIUE
(yes, we walked the same hallway for at least a year without ever meeting) to a
music therapy student at Maryville University. Who else then would I ask to
help me unravel my confusion about evolution and religion? Thus, conversations
turned into ideas, ideas into a class, and here we are today brimming with
information and excited to talk about “Case for a Creator” along with some
other special science topics. I have seen how important it is to reach out to
students in high school and college as they are inundated with the evolutionary
mindset and help them sift through the information before they begin to give up
on the teachings of the Church. Hannah has chosen a career as a health
professional and I have chosen a career of scientific research and academics. I
will enter the cell biology doctoral program at UMKC in August to continue my
life in the scientific community. But before then, I know we are both excited
to examine the inner workings of the Universe with “Case for a Creator”. Hope
you enjoy!
Nicole
