GCU Magazine
Biology professor Dr. Daisy Savarirajan asked students in an end-of-course survey about the impact of faith-science integration on their personal faith. Here are a few of the answers:
“I feel that, as a Christian school, it is very comforting to know that GCU does not object to integrating its Christian worldview into its curriculum. I feel this is especially important for a science course, like this class specifically. As a basic science course, I feel that it is very important to have a biblical foundation, as this course will provide a baseline for future science courses. I can also appreciate the fact that a prayer was said before most classes. This is something that does not happen in most schools and is very comforting to see here at GCU. Overall, I found the integration of faith and Scripture into the course to be an excellent idea and very beneficial for me personally all throughout the entire semester.”
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“This course showed me how God and science go together. There was a time where I felt like I lost my faith. And since, right now, we are learning about all the diseases, it reminded me of how I started to lose faith because I have lost people in my life. But with the Bible verses that were put on the PowerPoints, it helped strengthen my faith, and it showed me how science can be connected with God. I think that our body is still a mystery. Scientist still don’t have all the answers on how to cure a disease, but it’s good to have faith. God might know the answer on how to heal people -- it's just our job to search for the answer.”
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“The integration of faith into science has strengthened my faith. Coming to GCU, I wasn’t much of a believer anymore. I adore science and didn’t think there was a way that both could be brought together because of all the controversy. But you were able to integrate passages from the Bible into the lesson plans in a way that actually made sense. Bringing together creation and science was something that made having faith again easier. God has provided us with the tools to learn what we need to. Overall, this class was enjoyable. It taught me what I needed to know while incorporating the Christian worldview in a way that wasn’t forcing anything. I hope to continue having faith and science integrated in a way that strengthens both areas for me.”
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“The integration of faith and science strengthened my relationship with God because before, I was afraid to connect God with science. I was always afraid that, somehow, someone or something would clash between the two subjects. This class really helped me to open my eyes and see how God is truly present in everything. Since I started college, I stopped praying as much as I did before, but praying every day in this class has helped to bring that back into my life. It was very eye-opening to see how specific Scriptures in the Bible perfectly back up some of the topics we learned about in class. Topics such as creation and how the earth was made: ‘And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters’" (Genesis 1:2). Overall, this class has made my faith even stronger than it was before.”
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“The integration of faith and science strengthened my personal faith in God. In fact, I have never experienced such integration in any other class, where education and spirituality were kept separate out of fear of offending someone. However, the prayer at the beginning of each lesson allowed me to appreciate what I have been offered and to be thankful for all that I have and all that I am able to accomplish through God, who gives me strength and fortitude. It was also wonderful to see how the professor herself was dedicated in praying for the entire class and not just about the lecture itself, but also about the students’ state of mind and health. For all these reasons, I have been able not to be afraid to pray for someone and I began to rely on God more often; this led me to a more peaceful state of being where I know I can find support and love in Him alone. “
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“I feel like having prayer and having the Bible integrated into the classroom has been very helpful to my faith because I am reminded of the Lord’s workings outside of a normal setting. Usually, you learn about Jesus and His teachings in Bible study or at church, but then when the service is over, unless you learn outside of these places on your own, the learning of God stops for the time being. By having the Bible and its verses integrated into the class, I am reminded of God’s glory and that He has created the topics learned about in class. Also, I am reminded that God created all things with purpose. Just like the laws that God gave His people, I am reminded that God has put universal laws in place so that we may be protected from the bad and be led to Him. When Dr. S told us that the laws of the Old Testament protected God’s people from illnesses and from harm, it really stuck with me because I felt that we were being told these different ways to handle microbes because God intended us humans and microorganisms only to live as He commanded, thus causing diseases if humans come into contact with the wrong bacteria. With the integration of God’s law, I am reminded that He has placed all these laws and creations on the earth so that we may enjoy His doing and be safe.”
