Week 1: Christians Who Were Scientists & Mathematicians

Reading:

Pascal's Prayer

Henry F. Schaefer III, "Scientists and Their Gods" (html)

What Does Calculus Have to Do with Christianity? (ppt)

Extra Reading: A great historian of the impact of Christianity on society, including science, is Baylor University Professor, Rodney Stark.  He has written For the Glory of God: How Monotheism Led to Reformations, Science, Witch-Hunts, and the End of Slavery.  The book's introduction is online.

 

 

Week 2 : Dimensions: Our Life in Flatland

Dimensions (ppt Slides 60-83)

Flatland by Abbott.  From Amazon.com   or FREE on the web, and wikipedia summary

Extra Reading: What is the relationship of God with higher dimensions?  Some wonderful speculations are in:   Hugh Ross, "Beyond the Cosmos: The Extra-Dimensionality of God : What Recent Discoveries in Astrophysics Reveal About the Glory and Love of God"

 

 

Week 3 : The Mystery of Life's Origin (Dr. Walter Bradley)

"I would recommend that you read The Origin of  Life – Essay for Baptist Missions Board first. Then read the Information, Entropy and Origin of Life (Cambridge Book Chapter is the PDF version, but harder to read than my original Word file that I sent to Cambridge. These are the same so use one or the other. "   Dr. Walter Bradley.

A Critique of Current Theories of the Origin of Life (ppt)

Why the Origin of Life Suggests Design (ppt)

Extra Reading: The Mystery of Life's Origin: Reassessing Current Theories

 

 

Week 4 : Creation: The Big Bang and Infinity

Reading: "Stephen Hawking, the Big Bang, and God," by Henry F. Schaefer III: Part I  Part II.  Also "The Existence of God and the Beginning of the Universe" William Lane Craig

Cosmology: The Big Bang (ppt Slides 10-19)

Implications of Cantorian Transfinite Set Theory on Creation

Extra Reading: The Fingerprint of God and The Creator and the Cosmos by Dr. Hugh Ross, astrophysicist. 

 

Extra Credit.

Here are two videos of William Lane Criag at the beginning of a debate briefly discussing the Big Bang and the fine tuning of the universe, plus some other fun things. 

Video #1.

Video #2

This video is part of a debate.  I wish we had it all.

 

Week 5 : The Fine Tuning of the Universe and Evidence of Design (Dr. Walter L. Bradley)

Reading: The Bio Friendly Universe: by Design? by Walter L. Bradley.

Also: "Is There Scientific Evidence for the Existence of God? How the Recent Discoveries Support a Designed Universe," and "The Designed 'Just So' Universe" by Dr. Bradley

Extra Reading: The Privileged Planet: How Our Place in the Cosmos is Designed for Discovery by Guillermo Gonzalez and Jay Richards.  Also, The Mystery of Life's Origin: Reassessing Current Theories

Dr. Bradley at UC Santa Barbara:

Dr. Henry [Fritz] Schaefer III on Fine Tuning of the Universe: