{"id":1160,"date":"2018-04-03T15:00:46","date_gmt":"2018-04-03T20:00:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blogs.mlc-wels.edu\/wels-educator\/?p=1160"},"modified":"2018-03-21T09:24:40","modified_gmt":"2018-03-21T14:24:40","slug":"creation-apologetics-in-the-science-classroom","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.mlc-wels.edu\/wels-educator\/2018\/04\/03\/creation-apologetics-in-the-science-classroom\/","title":{"rendered":"Creation Apologetics in the Science Classroom"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>Written by Jenny Retzlaff<\/em><\/p>\n<p>I love teaching physics! I love sharing the incredible order in God\u2019s creation, the laws that govern the universe, and the amazing discoveries and innovations that come from the study of this gift. I absolutely love it! However, there was one topic that left me more anxious than excited: creation apologetics.<!--more--><\/p>\n<p>When the opportunity to take <em>Creation Apologetics 101 <\/em>presented itself, I saw an opportunity to grow in my knowledge to better equip my students. It changed my perspective on teaching creation apologetics and helped calm my fears. Here are three of the many ways in which it changed my outlook.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The Use of Reason<\/strong><br \/>\nBecause I did not want to exalt my reason above the absolute truths found in God\u2019s Word, I was hesitant to discuss the use of reason in creation apologetics.<\/p>\n<p>Mark Bergemann in <em>The Narrow Lutheran Middle Road for Creation<\/em> describes the narrow road Christians must follow when using reason. On either side of this narrow road are two ditches:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Ditch #1 sees arguments from reason as able to create faith in a biblical creation. This ditch dangerously leaves out the work of the Holy Spirit. It is by faith alone our students believe in God\u2019s creation.<\/li>\n<li>Ditch #2 avoids all use of arguments from reason in defending biblical creation. This ditch leaves our students without the opportunity to use reason to create seeds of doubt or to create a point of contact with evolutionists. Our students also miss the opportunity to use reason to more deeply understand the truths of creation.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Before this class, I was in Ditch #2. Studying how Jesus used reason to quiet the attacks of the Pharisees gave me confidence that reason need not be avoided. Jesus justified healing a man\u2019s shriveled hand on the Sabbath using reason (Matthew 12:9-14). He justified casting demons out of a woman on the Sabbath using reason (Luke 13:15-16).<\/p>\n<p>Of course, our perfect Savior always used reason appropriately. I will caution my students to use reason with careful discretion. Reason is never to be used as a means to sustain or create faith. Reason can, however, be used to connect what we see in the world with what we learn as absolute truth in God\u2019s Word. Reason can be a useful tool for our students in silencing unbelievers, providing a point of contact, or planting a seed of doubt. Since diversity exists amongst evolutionary teaching, reason can also be useful in discerning the proper strategy to discuss the topic.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The Importance of Properly Defining Science and Evolution in Terms of Science<br \/>\n<\/strong>One of the benefits of this class is that it made me more intentional in teaching how bias can lead scientists to false conclusions. I want my students to analyze the viewpoint (bias) of evolution, with its corresponding assumptions and false conclusions, so they can recognize when this bias presents itself outside of the examples I share.<\/p>\n<p>While I understand an evolutionist\u2019s bias leads to false conclusions, I feel it is important for my students to understand evolution is scientific. Evolutionary scientists collect data, evaluate data, and draw conclusions. The problem lies in the bias: believing there is no god or placing creation on the same timeline as the evolution of things today. With either of these biases, millions of years are needed to carry out the process of evolution. Evolutionists are using their own logical reasoning to make their conclusion match their assumptions without true evidence. Throughout the school year, I will look for opportunities to point out the obvious and subtle ways in which this bias skews the evolutionist\u2019s conclusions.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Dangers of Believing Evolution<br \/>\n<\/strong>I feel I have done my students a disservice in the past by just talking about evolution as a denial of creation, which threatens our faith. This may sound well and good until one delves deeper. It is critical to identify the evolutionist\u2019s foundation of the origin of man and the universe: no god. No god leads to denying law and gospel. Denying law and gospel means no need for a Savior. One cannot deny god and find salvation in Jesus as their Savior.<\/p>\n<p>Ultimately, I want my students to see that addressing evolution starts with addressing a person\u2019s faith. Without faith, an evolutionist will never truly believe in a biblical creation. Teaching creation apologetics is not about winning the creation vs. evolution argument but providing an opportunity to share the gospel and allow the Holy Spirit to change hearts for eternal salvation.<\/p>\n<p><em>Jenny Retzlaff (DMLC \u201994) is serving as a physics and engineering teacher at Fox Valley LHS.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>References<br \/>\n<\/strong>Bergemann, M. (2016, Summer). The Narrow Middle Road for Creation. <em>Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly. <\/em>113(3), 163-174.<\/p>\n<p>Bergemann, M. (2017, Fall). Assumption of Evolutionists. <em>LSI Journal<\/em>. 31(4), 7-16.<\/p>\n<p>Reuschel, T. M. (2016, Fall). God or No God? Creation or Evolution? <em>LSI Journal.<\/em> 30(4), 6-24.<\/p>\n<p>Steven, R. W. (2016, Winter). Code Systems Evidence a Creator and Declare the Glory of God. <em>LSI Journal. <\/em>30(1), 7-12.<\/p>\n<div class=\"sharedaddy sd-sharing-enabled\"><div class=\"robots-nocontent sd-block sd-social sd-social-icon-text sd-sharing\"><h3 class=\"sd-title\">Share this:<\/h3><div class=\"sd-content\"><ul><li class=\"share-facebook\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" data-shared=\"sharing-facebook-1160\" class=\"share-facebook sd-button share-icon\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.mlc-wels.edu\/wels-educator\/2018\/04\/03\/creation-apologetics-in-the-science-classroom\/?share=facebook\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Click to share on Facebook\"><span>Facebook<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"share-twitter\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" data-shared=\"sharing-twitter-1160\" class=\"share-twitter sd-button share-icon\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.mlc-wels.edu\/wels-educator\/2018\/04\/03\/creation-apologetics-in-the-science-classroom\/?share=twitter\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Click to share on Twitter\"><span>Twitter<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"share-print\"><a rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\" data-shared=\"\" class=\"share-print sd-button share-icon\" href=\"https:\/\/blogs.mlc-wels.edu\/wels-educator\/2018\/04\/03\/creation-apologetics-in-the-science-classroom\/\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Click to print\"><span>Print<\/span><\/a><\/li><li class=\"share-end\"><\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Written by Jenny Retzlaff I love teaching physics! I love sharing the incredible order in God\u2019s creation, the laws that govern the universe, and the amazing discoveries and innovations that come from the study of this gift. 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