Can Christian Schools Teach the Bible and Science?

Many influential U.S. educators and politicians of the early 21st century claim that it is not appropriate for churches to offer academic education, or for Christians to have influence on the curriculum of educational institutions. These claims are based on the assumption that religion and science / education have nothing in common, and should be kept totally separate. A surprising number of professing Christians have accepted that claim without even first examining its validity. Can Christianity and Science Coexist It is certainly undeniable that modern “science” and scriptural Christianity often seem to be at odds. That, though, is not the point. In fact it can be demonstrated that in many separate cases, the inspired scriptures actually stated scientific facts thousands of years before the discoveries which proved them to be “scientific”. Paths of the Seas For example, the psalmist wrote, in Psalm 8:8 of “the paths of the seas”. It is only in the past few hundred years that we have begun to realize that there actually are such “paths” – yet there is now no doubt that they exist. The Gulf Stream is a well known example of such a “path”. It’s a very stable and predictable flow – really a sort of invisible river – which transports plankton and the creatures which consume it, and has a crucial moderating effect on the climate and weather patterns of large portions of our planet. Springs of the Sea The earliest book of the Old Testament, written long before Moses compiled the Pentateuch, is the Old Testament Book of Job. In Job 38:16 (KJV), God asks Job, “Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea?” For thousands of years, men have assumed that this was a purely rhetorical question – yet today, we know that they are real, and in fact, modern science spends many thousands of dollars studying the various “springs of the sea”. In spite of the existence and the documented antiquity of this clearly prescient scripture, most of those who proclaim themselves “scientists” seem to ignore the fact that God’s Word actually revealed the existence of those springs – long before “educated intellectuals” ever suspected their existence. Good Science and Good Faith Align In fact, scriptures are filled with statements which were long considered to be ridiculous evidences that there was nothing scientific about scripture – yet which have since been proven to be compatible with (now) recognized scientific findings. In all fairness, we must acknowledge that there have been outspoken Christians who have taken great pride in their ignorance and lack of education. Such an attitude has no doubt lent support to the credibility of those who criticize our faith. We should be aware that there is a substantial pool of highly educated Christians who believe God’s Word, and who are doing high quality, scientific research. Rather than taking pride in ignorance, Christians should diligently seek out quality education in Christian schools which take the scriptures seriously. Seek a Good Christian Education In fact, the Church (meaning all faithful Christians, collectively – not one denomination) should recognize and accept our responsibility to support Christian Education. Christian families should seek to enroll children in schools which unashamedly believe and teach God’s Word as Truth. . Churches should seek to assist those families which are unable to meet the cost of such education on their own. We should encourage our young people to seek out Christian institutions of higher education, as well. At all stages of schooling a good education should include the fundamentals of the subject being taught as well as the Word of God.