and
Creator. Creator. Designer. Designer. Thinker. Thinker.
There are some very fundamental differences between the scientific/engineering mind and Christianity. Yet there are some critical synergies as well.
I am an engineer through and through. If I took 100 placement tests, every one would scream at me to go into engineering. Have you read the Dilbert cartoons? I am there. Have you seen a movie about NASA? I am one of those people. Yet, I am Christian through and through. I believe God exists, and He created everything around us. I think that some how God guides me and helps me. And I recognize that I am something of an oxymoron.
To some extent the Christian Scientist is a homeless person. My Christian tribe doesn’t connect with the whole logic tests, and fact finding, and questioning that I bring to my faith. And my Scientific community doesn’t connect with the whole faith thing. Sometimes fellow Christians are bubbly about something "God did", and rather than rejoice, I question. Sometimes, my scientific community rejoices over a new discovery, and rather than rejoice, I think that maybe the natural, old fashioned way is better.
But I have developed some coping skills for living in this strange no man’s land.
1) It’s okay to not be mystical/emotional
I have often felt less of a Christian because I did not “feel the Spirit in this place” the way, apparently, every other person in the church does. I have often felt less of a Christian because I do not have God “speaking to me” on a regular basis. At times I was jealous of others because I wanted that confidence they seemed to have. But now I allow God to interact with me in a way that is appropriate for how He made me. I can rejoice for friends with very mystical, emotional relationships with God, without being jealous. My relationship with God is much more concrete. It centers around the scriptures and concrete prayer.
2) Focus on Creation.
As scientists, and especially as engineers, we are driven by creativity. We build the new things that make the world turn. God too is a creator and it is one of the most powerful ways for a scientist to connect to God. I see amazing parallels between the design process I use and what God used. For me the second law of Thermodynamics and the concept of irreducible complexities center my beliefs in this area.
The second law states that any closed system must move toward chaos. This rules out a universe of infinite age since the world is not purely chaotic. Therefore, there had to be a time of creation where order was brought from disorder. This creative act must have be done by The Creator.
An irreducible complexity is a system that can not be broken down into smaller parts and still function. I think a one cell organism is a great example of this. You can’t break it down any more. It is as simple as it gets. Therefore, the initial creative step would have to be from disorder to a fully functioning cell; intermediate steps are not possible. To me the only plausible explanation for such a phenomenon is a creator God.
3) Connect through the Facts and Logic
Apologetics is a useful area of study. Many people such as Louis Pasteur, Josh McDowell, and Lee Strobel have spent years exploring the facts about God. We are not the first ones asking questions. Read their research and be encouraged. Allow yourself to ask hard questions. If this is Truth, it will stand up to criticism. You will end up throwing away some Christian trinkets, but the faith that remains will be much stronger.
4) Focus on a Few Irrefutable God Sightings
There are only a few interactions I have had with God that I am completely confident were Him. I am sure He has helped me many other times, but there are some doubts or questions. It is better for me to strengthen my faith with a focus on those few times where I know God helped me, and not worry that I don’t have a bountiful list like others.
Living in the no man’s land between science and faith is a lonely scary, place at times. But it can be a good place when we allow God to have a meaningful relationship with us that is appropriate for how we are created.
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