Welcome to Scholar's Compass, a devotional written for and by scholars. InterVarsity Emerging Scholars Network (ESN)'s goal in this endeavor is to give Christian academics a resource as they navigate the delights and challenges of integrating their vocation as believers with their vocation as scholars. We believe that God has made all creation, that He sustains it in His generosity, and that it reflects Him. Because of that, every field of study will provide opportunities to glorify God and celebrate His good work. … [Read more...] about Welcome to Scholar’s Compass
creation
The Lure of Abraham Kuyper
Why Kuyper? Richard Mouw's Abraham Kuyper: A Short and Personal Introduction (Eerdmans, 2011), in part, seeks to answer that question. Kuyper, according to Mouw, asked many of the questions that should be central for the Reformed church. The questions that motivated much of Kuyper's thinking about how Christians are to serve the Lord in the broad reaches of culture [are] How are we to understand God's intentions in creating the world and - in response to the human rebellion that thwarted God's creating purposes - in … [Read more...] about The Lure of Abraham Kuyper
Summary and Reflection on the Christianity and Science Series
Introduction Are Christianity and science at war? This was a major concern for me when I came to faith in Christ 22 years ago in the middle of my career as a biology professor at Iowa State University. Although it did not prevent me from coming to faith in Christ, it continued to trouble me and caused doubts about my faith in the early years after my conversion to Christianity. I wondered whether modern science is really compatible with belief in God and whether it is possible to reconcile the Bible's account of … [Read more...] about Summary and Reflection on the Christianity and Science Series
Nature as a Christian Apologetic: Intelligent Design Revisited
Introduction This is the second of a two-part series addressing the question of whether nature can be used as a Christian apologetic. Natural theology is a discipline that systematically explores the proposed link between God and nature. The traditional approach to natural theology seeks to prove God's existence from what is observed in nature without reference to the Bible or other religious texts. The problem with this approach is that nature is ambiguous with respect to the question of God's existence. In my … [Read more...] about Nature as a Christian Apologetic: Intelligent Design Revisited
Book Review: Mapping the Origins Debate
Perhaps I'm stating the obvious but most discussions of origins seem to generate far more heat than light. They preach to the choir of those who agree, fail to engage those with whom they disagree on their own terms and perpetuate the unfortunate notion that Christianity and science are at war with each other. Gerald Rau's Mapping the Origins Debate: Six Models of the Beginning of Everything (InterVarsity Press, 2012) is a notable exception to that trend in that it is intended to promote understanding and … [Read more...] about Book Review: Mapping the Origins Debate