Attendees were exhorted to go beyond pat answers, or shrugging of the shoulders, and just generally accepting the status quo. We were being challenged to reach for more, and to trust God for more.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://biologos.org/blogs/chris-stump-equipping-educators/biologos-travels-to-the-san-diego-national-youth-workers-convention
Hi Chris,
As you say, your goal wasn’t to convince the audience of any particular viewpoint, but rather to broaden the faith-science dialogue. In that case, it might have been fruitful to speak along side someone with an alternative viewpoint from your own such as a scientist from the Discovery Institute for example.
Youth in the public schools are already compelled to study evolution from a very narrow, Darwinist perspective that seems very similar to what the Biologos organization is teaching. Rather than exhorting youth to go beyond pat answers, aren’t you awfully close to asking them to accept the status quo?
Youth both in public and parochial schools are getting out dated, watered down evolutionary science. Organizations like the National Center for Science Education are working to give educators in both public and private schools up-to-date accurate materials on all aspects of evolution including genetics. I applaud Biologos efforts in this area as their science education in evolution and genetics is outstanding.
Patrick, why do you say this? The schools are not all bad. btw, the American Museum of Natural History offers a free course on teaching evolution through Coursera: Evolution: A Course for Educators
Here in NJ, even in very good school districts, science education is not as up to date as it could be. Some schools are outstanding but especially at the middle school level, science education could use upgrading. This results in many students to be unprepared for high school biology, chemistry and physics. Evolution and genetics are just two areas. Cosmology (Earth and Space science) is also not staying current. It really seems not to be funding related but instead be teacher training as teachers at the middle school level as not as science knowledgeable as they could be. Inititatives like Biologos can help a lot as the science that they teach is the same as in both the public and parochial curriculum in this State.
In that case, the Coursera course I mentioned could be a big help to such teachers. Besides, it’s free. Did you look through it?
Yes, I did look through it and it is very good. Thanks for pointing it out. Materials such as these are great for teachers. They also need regular updates so as the science progresses they are kept current.
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