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Belief Spring Course 2016

Making Sense of Science and Christian Faith

13th April Science and Christianity: The myth of conflict 20th April Beauty and awe in an evolving cosmos 27th April What hope for the environment? 4th May Genes, genetics and playing God 11th May What makes you human? 18th May God and an imperfect world

The Course has been compiled and will be delivered by The Revd Canon Dr Tim Bull

The Revd Dr John Weaver Laurie Hawkins

The six week course begins on

Wednesday 13th April at 8pm at St Andrews Church Centre, Kimbolton Road, Bedford MK40 2PF

£5 per person per session (including refreshments) payable on the day

We do not want anyone to be deterred from attending any BELIEF events for financial reasons. If you find the fees prohibitive, please contact us

Belief Spring Course 2016 Making Sense of Science and Christian Faith

Lecture 1

Science and Christianity: The myth of conflict

Science and Christianity have often been portrayed as being in conflict, but is this really the case? They could also been seen as both concerned about truth, or as being complementary or just different. During this opening lecture, we will consider why this subject is important, what the key issues are, and what theologians and scientists really say. Does the universe have a purpose? How should we understand the Bible? Can we still find a place for a creator God?

The Course has been compiled and will be delivered by The Revd Canon Dr Tim Bull The Revd Dr John Weaver

Laurie Hawkins Wednesday 13th April at 8pm at St Andrews Church

Centre, Kimbolton Road, Bedford MK40 2PF £5 per person per session (including refreshments) payable on the day




Making Sense of Science and Christian Faith Lecture 3

Drought, flood, storms and crop failure: what hope for the environment?

From Noah and the flood, to Joseph and the famine in Egypt through to the

prophet Joel and the plague of locusts – the Bible is well aware of the

potential for environmental catastrophe. With constant news stories about

fracking, global warming, floods, droughts, and extreme weather events,

what are the facts and what are their theological and ethical implications?

Who should take responsibility for caring for the environment? We shall be

considering the impact of recent scientific, technological, political and

economic developments on the environment


Laurie Hawkins Wednesday 27th April at 8pm at St Andrews Church




Making Sense of Science and Christian Faith

Lecture 4 Genes, genetics and playing God

From the first days of agriculture, farmers learned that by planting the “best” seeds and breeding the “best” animals, they could improve harvests and livestock. With today’s genetic technology scientists also seek to enhance plants, animals and even people. So is genetic engineering any different from traditional farming, and if so how? Should we be worried that geneticists are “playing God”? And how should Christians respond?


Laurie Hawkins Wednesday 4th May at 8pm at St Andrews Church





What make you human?

The Bible claims that human beings are made in the “image of God” and the Christian faith teaches that we each have an immortal soul. Yet physically we are 60% water, we share 70% of our DNA with the humble banana and our brains have been described as “computers made of meat”. Brain imaging has even shown that there is neural activity when we have a spiritual experience. So is there anything that genuinely makes human beings special, and if so, what? What makes me who I am? And can we really still believe in the Christian teaching on humanity?







God and an imperfect world

The book of Genesis tells us that God views the world as good, and throughout the Bible God is portrayed as a God of love. But can we still believe this when we witness the suffering caused by tsunamis, hurricanes, cyclones, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and cancer? The process of evolution, with all its waste, also seems difficult to reconcile with the idea of a loving God. Likewise, Darwinism claims that the strong will triumph, but Jesus taught that blessed are the poor, the meek and the merciful. So what sort of God can we believe in? Can we look to science to save our world? And what is the ultimate purpose for creation?



