Appreciation of Science Can Strengthen Christian Walk

Stanko Petrov

Does science disprove God? Does the Bible disprove science? For hundreds of years there are people who have claimed that science and religion are at war. Some people, however, say they are both a search after truth and will eventually come to the same conclusion.
According to the Bible, the earth was created in seven days, but science says that the world is a product of millions of years of evolution. Some people are trying to enlarge the divide. One example is Dr. Richard Dawkins of Oxford University who has made millions on the book, The God Delusion. Others are trying to reconcile the two and say that we can learn about God by looking at science. Others—like me—just want to honestly investigate the evidence.

While taking a science course at Vanguard, I have realized that science does not contradict God’s existence—it even seems to support it. The entire universe is governed by laws that are full of mathematical precision. Glimpses of the elegance of the anatomy and physiology of the human body during Dr. Cecil Miller’s Cell Biology and Physiology have made me think there may be a Creator behind it all. They sure do not look like the result of a random process. Dawkins said biology is the study of things that look designed, but are not. I wonder how he knows.
The diversity of organisms and adaptive life seen in Dr. Randy Dovel’s ecology class makes me question the evolutionary claims of people like Dawkins. The spring break trip that took students camping around the California coast provided glimpses into the elegance of how organisms and their environment interact—a direct indication of a Designer.
Many Christian students perhaps worry about taking science classes because they might find that God is disproven. As an agnostic, who leans towards Christianity, I have two things to say: if a science class can disprove your faith, how strong is it? Faith should not be based on things of this world, like science, but on revelation and experience. Secondly, if you have never been exposed to science, how do you know that it is a threat? Science not only fails to disprove God but also makes many doubters, like me, think that maybe there is a god.
Coming to Vanguard from a state college, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the Biology Department is highly regarded and excellent in what they do. However, I was disappointed to find that many students do not seem to want to know about biology. My rabbi told me that the best form of worshiping God is studying His creation. I see the fear or ignorance of science as the rejection of a gift or treasure we all have.
Grab hold of the gift of science and take a science course next semester to help you further appreciate the world you have been given.

Undergrads Examine Remedies Through Plant Cell Life

Hannah Petrak, Editor in Chief

Undergraduate scientific research is rare, let alone the beneficial studies of herbal medicinal properties conducted by our very own peers. Tara Sirvent, Associate Professor of Biochemistry, is conducting important phyto-medicinal research with the collaboration of four undergraduate students in Natural Sciences labs. Seniors Zechariah Franks and Christopher Taylor and junior Sean Stiles receive credit for their work and sophomore Megan Long works through a Federal Work Study.
Each student works with a specific medicinal plant.  For example, two students are working with the plant St. John’s wort.  Franks is discovering which gene is responsible for synthesizing the ingredient hypericin, which possesses antifungal and antiviral properties. Taylor is analyzing the relationship between the apparent accumulation of heavy metals in the plant to see if they have a strong influence on the production of hypericin.
This research is new and exigent because while it is known that St. John’s wort accumulates these metals, little is known about the relationship between the metals and hypericin.  This natural product is being considered as a potential minor crop for farmers.
“It is important to learn what we can about its biology,” Sirvent said.
Sirvent along with six other faculty members from varying disciplines have created RESCUE— a temporary committee dedicated to galvanizing more undergraduate research on campus.  By request of the committee, Vanguard has become an institutional member of the Conference of Undergraduate Research.  These professors recognize the benefit and importance of allowing students hands-on learning through independence and critical, creative thinking.
The students can also write publications on the new discoveries and present papers at conferences.  The small student body offers the advantage of a more interactive and collaborative environment.  Professors at larger school are sometimes known for their disregard for undergraduates’ potential for novel ideas.
“I allow students to contribute to the process intellectually,” Sirvent said. “The research is not only good for individual students, but for Vanguard as a whole.  The presence of undergraduate research brings respect from the scientific community.”