Are there any colleges that teach creation apologetics?

[Rachel7]

Does anyone know of any colleges that teach or have courses about creation science or creation apologetics? I don't think there are any, at least not near me. I'm in Connecticut and all the Christian colleges around here that I've read about teach evolution. I would have loved to major in something to do with creation science but unfortunatly it doesn't even exist as a major.
Thanks for any help.

 

[emmzee]

Biola offers a Masters-level program, "Masters of Arts in Science and Religion", the purpose of which is "to provide individuals with the essential background in theology, history, and philosophy necessary to integrate evangelical Christianity with modern science.":
http://www.biola.edu/academics/scs/scienceandreligion/

Of course, you'll need a Bachelor's degree to get into that program since it's Masters-level, Biola offers several Bachelors-level science programs, Biochemistry, Biological Science, and Human Biology. Biola's doctrinal statement says re creation/evolution:
"The existence and nature of the creation is due to the direct miraculous power of God. The origin of the universe, the origin of life, the origin of kinds of living things, and the origin of humans cannot be explained adequately apart from reference to that intelligent exercise of power. A proper understanding of science does not require that all phenomena in nature must be explained solely by reference to physical events, laws and chance.
Therefore, creation models which seek to harmonize science and the Bible should maintain at least the following: (a) God providentially directs His creation, (b) He specially intervened in at least the above-mentioned points in the creation process, and (c) God specially created Adam and Eve (Adam’s body from non-living material, and his spiritual nature immediately from God). Inadequate origin models hold that (a) God never directly intervened in creating nature and/or (b) humans share a common physical ancestry with earlier life forms."
http://www.biola.edu/about/doctrinal_statement.cfm

So, it's rather ambiguous, but clearly they don't teach naturalistic evolution. I suspect they don't teach theistic evolution either, but instead word their statement this way in order to accommodate theories like those of Hugh Ross ( www.reasons.org ) that don't easily fit into traditional creation or evolution categories.

Besides Biola, I'm not sure what programs are available at other schools. You may want to try Relevant Magazine's list to see what kind of programs these schools offered (Biola is on there too):
http://www.relevantmagazine.com/beta/issue_25_colleges.php

 

[MezzaMorta]

University is a center of education, not propaganda.

 

[emmzee]

What does your comment have to do with this thread? This is nothing to do with "propaganda". If she is interested in studying intelligent design, what's wrong with looking for a Christian school that actually teaches it?

 

[bliz]

Does anyone know of any colleges that teach or have courses about creation science or creation apologetics? I don't think there are any, at least not near me. I'm in Connecticut and all the Christian colleges around here that I've read about teach evolution. I would have loved to major in something to do with creation science but unfortunatly it doesn't even exist as a major.

Every college. Christian included SHOULD teach evolution. Every educated person should be knowledgable about evolution. That is hardly the only thing that should be taught, but to fail to teach it woud be a serious omission.

 

[emmzee]

Every college. Christian included SHOULD teach evolution. Every educated person should be knowledgable about evolution. That is hardly the only thing that should be taught, but to fail to teach it woud be a serious omission.

Yes, I agree. Even if a person doesn't agree with it, they should learn about it.

 

[fuzzyh]

Instead of looking at just creation science look at science in and of itself and look for areas that would demonstrate creation or design or whatever your motif may be.

 

[missygirlc]

I attend Pensacola Christian College. I will be a Junior next year and will be taking two Bible classes. I will be taking Apologetics: Foundations, and Genesis: Beginnings. They also offer Bible Doctrine classes and incredible Creation Science courses.

 

[arunma]

Does anyone know of any colleges that teach or have courses about creation science or creation apologetics? I don't think there are any, at least not near me. I'm in Connecticut and all the Christian colleges around here that I've read about teach evolution. I would have loved to major in something to do with creation science but unfortunatly it doesn't even exist as a major.
Thanks for any help.

In academia there is something called accreditation. Anyone can start a college or university, but for an institution's degrees to be worth anything, their program needs to be approved by a major board of accreditation. Since creation science is generally not considered to be valid science, my guess is that most schools which teach it will not have their biology programs accredited by any of these institutions. I suppose that creationism could come in the form of a philosophy or religion class, but I doubt you'll be able to obtain a valid scientific degree from a school that teaches creationism.

 

[apumic]

Yes, I am pretty sure BIOLA's bio program teaches creationism as well as evolution as theories while placing them in direct relationship with God's Word. I know that is also the approach Azusa Pacific takes. On the east side of the U.S., I would suggest looking into Wheaton College, as their programs are quite solid both academically and in terms of adherence to mainstream evangelical beliefs.
You should probably contact the students and/or professors in the Bio depts at several schools you think you might be interested in and ask!

 

[KomissarSteve]

I think the problem with Creation apologetics major, regardless of whether or not one believes in Creationism, is that it's not a terribly academic facet of Christian apologetics. That's why I don't imagine you'll find many universities offering courses on it, much less an entire major.

 

[arunma]

I think the problem with Creation apologetics major, regardless of whether or not one believes in Creationism, is that it's not a terribly academic facet of Christian apologetics. That's why I don't imagine you'll find many universities offering courses on it, much less an entire major.

Good point. And if I may add to it, there's also a more practical consideration: getting a job. Whatever your opinion on creationism, I doubt there are many people who'll pay you to do creationism-related work. Even at public colleges, many students make the mistake of leaving themselves without marketable skills or other opportunities. After college there are two ways to go: the workforce, or graduate school. Engineering and business-related degrees are good ways to get a job, and liberal arts or religion degrees are good ways to go to graduate school. Or you can get a science degree and have both options available to you. A degree in Christian apologetics, however, is really neither here nor there.

Don't get me wrong, there is no higher calling than to do the Lord's work, but even our Lord had a job (as did many of his Apostles, like Paul). You need to be able to do something with your degree other than hang it on a wall. An apologetics degree might be a good idea for someone who already has a job, and who is willing to go to school part-time. But if you're going to college straight out of high school, it's important to get a degree that will give you useful skills.

 

[bliz]

A degree in creation apologetics would be like getting a degree in Egg Creations instead of Culinary Arts, or World War I instead of History. It is simply too small an area of study to warrent a degree in and of itself.

 

[fuzzyh]

The purpose of college was never to get a good job. Unfortunately, that is a hang up of pragmatic philosophy. The purpose of the university was to study truth in areas of life. Creationism may be something to study, but it is a narrow subject. Again, go study something that relates to creation science, like physics, biology, astronomy, chemistry, etc. All those would be wonderful in relationship with creation science.

 

[arunma]

The purpose of college was never to get a good job. Unfortunately, that is a hang up of pragmatic philosophy. The purpose of the university was to study truth in areas of life. Creationism may be something to study, but it is a narrow subject. Again, go study something that relates to creation science, like physics, biology, astronomy, chemistry, etc. All those would be wonderful in relationship with creation science.

Actually, I agree that there is far more to college than getting a job. But if I may clarify, what I mean to say is that getting a job is a necessity nonetheless. After all, putting food on the table is generally a higher priority than higher planes of philosophical contemplation. Without equivocation I'll say that contemplating the truths of life should be a primary motivation in college education. Heck, I as a graduate student am a prime example of someone who went to school for the enlightenment of knowledge rather than money. But then, even grad school pays me enough to live on. The accumulation of knowledge is a most noble endeavor (especially knowledge about the Lord), but in the end, it's also important that people are able to support themselves after college.