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Evangel University to host second national Faith & Science Conference in June

Published on Mar 14, 2014 by Paul K. Logsdon

Several hundred scientists, students, pastors and professors are expected to travel to Springfield for a conference on Faith & Science: Genesis and Genetics at Evangel University, June 23-25, 2014.

The conference will include more than 20 breakout presentations with a diverse group of highly qualified speakers.

“Our goal is to provide pastors, leaders and laypeople with tools to address issues of science in the context of faith,” said Dr. Michael Tenneson, conference chairman and professor of Biology at Evangel.

This will be Evangel’s second national Faith & Science Conference; the first was a huge success in 2011.

“Congregations are a lot more scientifically literate than they used to be,” said Dr. James Bradford, general secretary of the Assemblies of God and one of the organizers of the conference.

“There are a great number of issues where faith and science intersect — ethical and medical issues, genetic engineering, beginning- and end-of-life issues, etc. We want to help equip pastors to be able to speak to those things,” said Bradford, who holds a Ph.D. in aerospace engineering from the University of Minnesota.

Tenneson agrees, and he believes pastors should integrate faith and science from the pulpit for the sake of younger, more scientifically savvy generations.

“The Barna Group findings tell us that young people believe the church has not done a good job of showing them how to integrate faith and science,” said Tenneson, who holds a Ph.D. in science education from the University of Missouri–Columbia. “Scriptures tell us that truth is found in both the Bible and God’s creation. I find my faith and science informing each other on a continual basis.

“We can reduce the exodus of young people from the church by showing that you can be a thinking person and make decisions about what you believe based on evidence,” added Tenneson.

The Faith & Science Conference is co-sponsored by three entities: The General Secretary’s Office of the A/G, Evangel University and the Pensmore Foundation.

Registration and more details

For more information, contact Dr. Michael Tenneson at (417) 865-2815, ext. 8318.


Key speakers:

Dr. John Lennox

Dr. John Lennox
Dr. John Lennox

The 2014 conference keynote speaker is Dr. John Lennox, professor of mathematics at Oxford University. Lennox is an internationally renowned speaker on the interface between science, philosophy and religion. He has written a series of books exploring this relationship, and he has also participated in a number of televised debates with some of the world’s leading atheist thinkers. Lennox has published more than 70 peer-reviewed articles on mathematics, co-authored two Oxford Mathematical Monographs and has worked as a translator of Russian mathematics.


Dr. Jennifer Wiseman

Dr. Jennifer Wiseman
Dr. Jennifer Wiseman

Dr. Jennifer Wiseman is an astronomer and speaker. She studies the formation processes of stars and planets in our galaxy using optical, infrared and radio telescopes. She holds a B.S. in physics from MIT and Ph.D. in astronomy from Harvard. In 1987 she discovered the comet Wiseman-Skiff. She is a Congressional Science Fellow of the American Physical Society, working with staff of the Science Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives, and she’s  a Fellow of the American Scientific Affiliation, a network of Christians in Science.


Dr. Stephen Meyer

Dr. Stephen Meyer
Dr. Stephen Meyer

Dr. Stephen Meyer is a Cambridge-trained philosopher of science, a founder of the modern intelligent design movement and a New York Times Best-Selling Author. Meyer serves as the director of the Center for Science and Culture at Discovery Institute, and he has been widely featured in media appearances on CNN, MSNBC, NBC, ABC, CBS, Fox News, PBS and the BBC.


Stephen Krstulovich

Dr. Stephen Krstulovich
Dr. Stephen Krstulovich

Stephen Krstulovich is the award-winning lead engineer at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory near Chicago. Fermilab is a premier U.S. Department of Energy laboratory focusing on particle physics — the study of the nature of the universe, time, space and reality.


Dr. Matthew S. Stanford

Dr. Matthew Stanford
Dr. Matthew Stanford

Dr. Matthew S. Stanford is professor of psychology, neuroscience and biomedical studies at Baylor University. His research on the interplay between psychology and faith has been featured on FOX, New York Times, USA Today, MSNBC, Yahoo and U.S. News & World Report. He is the author of two books.


Dr. Robert White

Dr. Robert White
Dr. Robert White

Dr. Robert White is professor of molecular biology and medical genetics at Kansas City University of Medicine & Biosciences. His post-doctoral fellowship was at Harvard Medical School, and he has authored more than 80 publications in peer-reviewed journals.


Dr. Jim Bradford

Dr. James Bradford
Dr. James Bradford

Dr. Jim Bradford is the host of the 2014 Faith and Science Conference. He holds a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Minnesota and currently serves as the General Secretary of the Assemblies of God. His focus for this event will be on the interface of faith and science; creation and Genesis; and biblical ethics related to life, death and personhood. He is the author of Preaching: Maybe It Is Rocket Science.


Dr. Michael Tenneson

Dr. Michael Tenneson
Dr. Michael Tenneson

Dr. Michael Tenneson, professor of biology, has taught at Evangel University for more than 25 years. He earned a Ph.D. from the University of Missouri in science education, has been involved in research related to the faith/science interface for many years and has authored or co-authored widely on faith and science topics.


Dr. Steve Badger

Dr. Steve Badger
Dr. Steve Badger

Dr. Steve Badger is a retired professor of chemistry at Evangel University, who has conducted chemical research with the USDA and the EPA. A native of the Boston area, he earned his Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Southern Mississippi.


Seminary credit available

Graduate credit for the seminar is available through the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary Office of Continuing Education. Dr. Steve Badger (AGTS ’95) will teach “Special Studies: Genesis 1-11 and Science.”

The course will be held June 23-27 in a one-week module format, with pre-session and post-session work. It will incorporate all conference sessions plus another two and one-half days of face-to-face class sessions with Dr. Badger. AGTS will pay the $125 (student rate) conference fee for anyone registering for graduate credit.