CHRTC 350
Science & Religion
An Introduction
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Denis O. Lamoureux
Associate Professor of Science & Religion
St. Joseph's College, University of Alberta |
Denis
O. Lamoureux is an associate professor of science and religion
at St. Joseph's College in
the University of Alberta. His appointment is the first tenure-track
position in Canada dedicated to teaching and research on the
relationship between scientific discovery and Christian faith.
Lamoureux's academic specialty focuses on the modern origins
controversy.
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Lamoureux
embraces the time-honored belief that there are two major
sources of Divine revelation—the Book of God’s
Words and the Book of God’s Works. The Bible and
the physical world complement each other. Science reveals how the
Creator made this spectacular design-reflecting world, while
Holy Scripture declares precisely Who created
it. Together the Two Divine Books fulfill each other; alone
they are incomplete. |
In
his web lecture Beyond the "Creation" vs. "Evolution" Debate,
Lamoureux argues that the simple either/or approach to origins
inhibits everyone from making informed choices. He asserts
that if the limits of both conservative Christianity
and evolutionary
biology are respected, then their relationship can be
complementary. This view of origins
is known as Evolutionary
Creation. Concisely stated, it claims that the Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit created the universe and life through
an ordained,
sustained, and design--reflecting evolutionary process. |
Evolutionary
creation emphasizes that the Bible is NOT a
book of science. Instead, it is a God-inspired
revelation that offers inerrant, life-changing, Messages
of Faith. Holy Scripture does indeed refer to the natural
world,
but it features an ancient understanding of nature. In other
words, the Bible has an ancient
science. Indeed, evolutionary
creation is a challenging view of origins for many Christians,
and Lamoureux shares his struggle to accept this position
in a web lecture entitled Coming
to Terms with Evolution: A Personal
Story. He also writes about his voyage in a book chapter
that is online. |
Of
course, not everyone agrees with Lamoureux's position on
origins, as seen in the comments made by famed atheist
Richard Dawkins in this video
clip. |
Lamoureux
holds three earned doctoral degrees—dentistry, theology,
and biology. He is a Fellow of the American Scientific
Affiliation and cited in the Who's
Who of Theology and Science. He is also a member of the Evangelical
Theology Society. Lamoureux lectures throughout Canada and
the United States
in both Christian and public academic institutions. In 2001
and 2006, he received teaching awards from the University
of Alberta Students' Union. Lamoureux's award winning introductory
course on the relationship between science and religion,
CHRTC 350: Science and Religion--Christian Perspectives,
is available
online
with
audio-slide lectures, class notes, and class handouts. |
The
Church’s struggle with
Galileo's astronomy offers valuable insights for Christians
coming to terms with evolution. Galileo popularized the aphorism: “The
intention of the Holy Spirit is to teach us how one goes
to heaven and not how heaven goes.” Rewritten for the
Church today, evolutionary creationists encourage Christians
to understand: |
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