The Crossroads of Science and Faith: Astronomy Through a Christian Worldview
A Scientifically Rigorous Approach to Astronomy and Apologetics for Science and Faith Discussions
The Crossroads of Science and Faith: Astronomy Through a Christian Worldview is a textbook designed to be a resource for the Christian community (for both the home school environment and Christian schools) to teach Astronomy and to introduce students to the science and faith dialog.
Statistics show that a large number of students who claim to be Christians abandon their faith during their college years. While there may be many reasons for this sad abandonment of faith, research shows that confusion about science and faith issues play an important role in this outcome.
The motivation of the authors in writing this textbook is to change the statistics mentioned above by preparing students to engage in courteous and thoughtful dialogue with respect to science and faith issues. They also seek to equip students to defend their faith with sound reasoning and confidence while they learn about the remarkable science of astronomy.
This textbook is unique. It was written by professional Christian astronomers who are also active professionals in college and university environments. They are familiar with the challenges students face during their college years, and the ways in which their faith is tested.
The authors attempted to produce a curriculum that is scientifically rigorous. A significant number of professional Christian astronomers were involved in the chapter revisions and interviews. This curriculum is designed to help students to face a secular environment with confidence by giving them the tools to better relate and integrate what they believe with what they learn about in science.
This one year curriculum contains two parts. Part I is an introduction to the science and faith dialog while Part II focus on teaching astronomy as a scientific discipline. The textbook also encourages the search for truth in every area and promotes dialogue and integration between science and faith while also being grounded in a Christian worldview, where God is the Author, Creator, and Designer of this mind-boggling and awesome universe. The textbook includes many interviews with professional Christian astronomers that will certainly inspire and encourage students and parents alike. Their testimonies are living evidence that one can excel in a scientific career and be a committed follower of Jesus.
Table of Contents
Part I – Introduction to Science Faith Issues
Chapter 1 – Science and Worldviews — designed to help students to discern the difference between worldviews and scientific information. View Sample Exercises
Chapter 2 – Science and Faith: Two Approaches for Understanding the World — investigates the scientific method, critical thinking, the process of faith, and the search for truth from both a scientific and religious perspective. View Sample Exercises
Chapter 3 – Science and Faith: Four Interactions — presents four views of the relationship between science and faith, encouraging students towards dialogue and integration relationships. View Sample Exercises
Chapter 4 – Exposing the Conflicts: Scientists, Christians, and Human Attitudes — investigates perceived conflicts between science and faith and the attitudes that deserve to be questioned on both sides. View Sample Exercises
Chapter 5 – Tips and Tools for Sound Arguments — provides a guide for helping students make logical arguments while avoiding common logical fallacies, enabling them to defend their faith with sound reasoning. View Sample Exercises
Part II – Astronomy as a Discipline
Chapter 1 – History of Astronomy (Science & Faith Session)
Chapter 2 – The Sky: Constellations and the Motions of Objects in the Sky
Chapter 3 – Telescopes and Light
Chapter 4 – The Origin of the Solar System
Chapter 5 – The Sun
Chapter 6 – Mercury
Chapter 7 – Venus: Earth Gone Wrong
Chapter 8 – Earth
Part I – Earth: The Goldilocks Planet
Part II – Earth’s Satellite: The Moon
Part III – The Earth-Sun-Moon System
Chapter 9 – Mars: The Red Planet
Chapter 10 – Jupiter
Chapter 11 – Saturn: The Ringed World
Chapter 12 – Uranus
Chapter 13 – Neptune
Chapter 14 – Small Bodies in the Solar System
Chapter 15 – Extrasolar Planets
Chapter 16 – The Birth of Stars
Chapter 17 – The Nature and the Lives of Stars
Chapter 18 – The Death of Stars
Part I: Low to Intermediate Mass Stars
Part II: High Mass Stars
Chapter 19 – Our Galaxy: The Milky Way
Chapter 20 – Galaxies
Chapter 21 – The Large Scale Structure of the Universe
Chapter 22 – Cosmology (Science & Faith Session)
Chapter 23 – Life in the Universe (Science & Faith Session)
Chapter 24 – A Universe Fine-Tuned for Life (Science & Faith Session)
Appendices
1 – How Astronomers Know the Age of the Universe
2 – Biblical Interpretations of Genesis
3 – The Broad Spectrum of Origin Beliefs
4 – The Star of Bethlehem
5 – Why Astrology is not a Science
6 – Bible Verses about the Universe
Sample: Science and Worldviews
Sample: The Death of Stars
Endorsements
I highly recommend this book!
“The Crossroads of Science and Faith: Astronomy Through a Christian Worldview is a wonderful educational resource for home schooling and Sunday school classes. Using excellent pedagogy, this book demonstrates that the continuing scientific endeavor to better understand the universe and its underlying laws is consistent with our Christian belief in God as Creator. In the tradition of Augustine, The Crossroads of Science and Faith aims to convince the reader that God’s revelation is revealed, in a mutually consistent manner, both in the Book of Scripture and in the Book of Nature. The book offers a concise and accurate summary of our present knowledge of the universe. It is written in a style that high school students will connect with. The end-of-chapter questions are thought provoking and will inspire readers to re-evaluate their perceptions of the relationship between science and faith, and will likely deepen their understanding of God as Creator of our magnificent universe. I highly recommend this book!”
Dr. Gerald B. Cleaver, Professor of Physics at Baylor University and Head of the Early Universe Cosmology and Strings Division of Baylor’s Center for Astrophysics, Space Physics, and Engineering Research
Excellent work!
“I have not seen a better book about astronomy and Christian faith for pre-college students. Scientific, historical, and theological aspects are all very well written at just the right level to challenge students while helping them to meet the challenge. Christian families owe much gratitude to the authors for producing such an excellent work.”
Dr. Ted Davis, Distinguished Professor of the History of Science at Messiah College
Extensive and thought provoking!
“As someone who has taught astronomy in a Christian context at the college level, I am very excited about this textbook. The authors have done a remarkable job introducing students to the intersection between science and faith at a high level. The end of chapter questions and exercises for this material are extensive and thought provoking. Students using this text will also experience the science of astronomy in a rigorous way, complete with beautiful images showing the latest observations. I loved reading the personal interviews of so many Christian scientists, astronomers, and astrophysicists, many of whom I know personally and highly respect. Overall a great resource for students, parents, and teachers looking for an inspiring and trustworthy introduction to astronomy from a Christian perspective.”
Dr. Darren Craig, Associate Professor of Physics and Department Chair at Wheaton College
The Crossroads of Science and Faith: Astronomy Through a Christian Worldview
High School Astronomy Textbook
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