Hannah Eagleson - Science and Faith: Student Questions Explored

I first fell in love with science as a child while looking at the moon, stars, and planets through my dads telescope in our backyard in the Pacific Northwest. Since then, Ive continued to pursue science professionally as an aerospace researcher, corporate astronaut, and college professor. I also serve as executive director of the American Scientific Affiliation, a professional society for Christians in the sciences. Im delighted that you are gathering with others to study and discuss faith and science issues! This is a necessary endeavor for those of us with inquisitive and analytical minds who seek to reconcile Christianitys claims of truth with the evidence from science. Id like to share some words of encouragement with those who are using this study guide.

I urge you to genuinely contemplate the ways faith and science can productively inform each other. In my own experience, I find great fulfillment in working as both a science professional and educator. These roles afford me opportunities to learn more as I encounter the vastness, beauty, and intricate synergies of creation. If you find yourself drawn to the sciences, I pray that this study will be an opportunity for you to further explore that calling.

Alternatively, perhaps you are a believer interested in learning more about faith and science, and in that case Im glad that youre participating in this conversation as well. In a time and place where science provides so much of both the intellectual and physical infrastructure of our everyday experience, its important that Christians in all vocations grow in their understanding of how science and Christian faith engage each other.

Perhaps youre not sure what you think about Christianity, but youre interested in learning about what faith and science have to say to one another. Welcome! I hope this study will be a chance for you to marvel at the wondrous workings of nature, to hear from thoughtful believers, and to grow in your own exploration of the questions raised by both science and faith.

If you are a small group leader, perhaps at a church or in a college or university setting, thank you for leading this study. So many of the most important discoveries we make about our beliefs take place in conversation. I hope leading a study group through this guide will be a rich and joyful experience for you.

Coming full circle from looking through my dads telescope as a kid, one of my favorite things to do with my students is to go outside on a clear, starry night and gaze at the heavens. Inspired by the beauty of the night sky, the vast expanse of the universe, and the sheer numbers of galaxies, stars, and possible other worlds, someone inevitably wonders out loud about lifes big questions: Where did all this come from? Is there anyone else out there? Why are we here? All these questions are great starting points for deep discussions of both science and faith.

Whatever your background or interest in science and faith issues, by taking time to meet and discuss them, you are embarking on a great adventure to learn from the wisdom of faith and the experimentation of science. I wish you all the best in this important endeavor.

LESLIE WICKMAN

Leslie (Rocket Girl) Wickman is an internationally respected research scientist, engineering consultant, author, and speaker. For more than a decade, she was an engineer for Lockheed Martin Missiles and Space, where she worked on NASAs Hubble Space Telescope and International Space Station programs, receiving commendations from NASA for her contributions and being designated as Lockheeds Corporate Astronaut (hence the nickname Rocket Girl). She now divides her time between serving as the Executive Director of the ASA and as a professor of engineering at California Baptist University. She also works as a research scientist on technical and policy aspects of national aerospace and defense issues. She holds a masters degree in aeronautical and astronautical engineering and a doctorate in human factors and biomechanics, both from Stanford University.