About Enhancing Science and Engineering Programs to Equip and Inspire Missionaries to Technical Communities
Type: Conference Paper
Tags: Christian Engineering
Abstract
Enhancements to science and engineering curricula are being considered in light of theologically-significant scientific discoveries, as well as the applicability of the field of engineering to the formulation of a coherent cosmology and worldview. In addition to the inclusion of these ideas in existing science and engineering courses, a new "Science and Faith" course is currently being developed in an effort to better equip and inspire science and engineering graduates to serve as "everyday"missionaries in their chosen fields. This new course will focus on the knowledge and skills necessary for graduates to engage in fruitful dialogue with seekers from high-tech and highly-educated societies. Students will receive training in science-related apologetics, including the attitude and behavior of the Christian apologist. They will gain an understanding of the importance of God‘s general revelation, and how recent developments in science and engineering might contribute to the veracity of a Christian worldview. The latest developments regarding design evidence, creation/evolution, and natural theology will be discussed and evaluated. Various Christian positions on the relationship between science and scripture will be investigated. An extended design argument, based on evidence from many fields of knowledge and forming a cumulative case for the Christian worldview, will also be discussed and evaluated. Given that complex design is largely the domain of the engineer, it is recognized that engineers have an important role to play in the current science/theology dialogue. The Apostle Paul‘s assertion that God‘s invisible qualities can be known, ―being understood from what has been made‖ (Rom 1:20), may refer to knowledge obtained through a kind of reverse-engineering of the cosmos. Indeed, the systems engineering mindset has proven to be extremely useful in complex fields such as microbiology. A compelling argument can be made that the universe is so readily and profitably reverse-engineered, that it must have been engineered in the first place. The idea that many features of the universe strongly suggest (through a consilience of evidence) that the entire cosmos is an engineered system will be thoroughly investigated, including possible purposes for such a system. The concepts of constrained optimization and engineering tradeoffs will also be introduced to assist in wrestling with the problem of evil from the Christian worldview. It is hoped that as a result of this effort, students will graduate full of ready answers (1 Peter 3:15), and inspired to live a life of purpose and mission for the glory of God.