SCIENCE
MONTH ELEVEN
OBJECTIVE: TO HELP CHILDREN DEVELOP A LOVE OF SCIENCE AND UNDERSTAND THAT SCIENCE AND FAITH CAN EXIST AT THE SAME TIME
Not long ago, I read an article about the amazing discoveries scientists are making about our universe--the unfathomable number of galaxies and systems out there and the perfect order and design of them all. But I was taken by surprise by the conclusion at the end: "Therefore, we know there is no God."
What??
When I contemplate the vastness of the universe, I feel what Alma felt in 76 BC: "...all things denote there is a God; yea, even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it, yea, and its motion, yea, and also all the planets which move in their regular form do witness that there is a Supreme Creator."
While taking a look at science this month, my main concern is not helping you find a good science curriculum for your children. Ours is a wonderful age of Science and Reason and there is no end of incredible resources and texts for you to use. Science is good. Reason is good. Jesus Himself did not shy away from the scientific method: "Experiment upon my words." "Prove me herewith." "Seek." "Find." "Ask." For the honest seeker of Truth, Truth will always reveal itself and will stand. We don't have to be afraid of questioning. Unfortunately, the trend today is for Science to replace Faith and God. Faith without Reason is as unwise as Reason without Faith. History has proven that when the pendulum swings too far in either direction, civilization suffers. As a mother in the home, you can help provide the balance. So the focus on this month's topic is to help you keep faith alive in the hearts of your children as they delve into the wonders of science.
WATCH
READ
While our children are taught about Darwin, few of them are taught about Louis Agassiz. Agassiz was a highly respected scientist who taught at Harvard University and was one of Darwin's greatest critics in the day. He, too, had studied 'the story' in the earth and found holes in Darwin's Theory of Evolution. Agassiz was the perfect blend of Science and Faith. He taught his students to use their eyes and personal powers of observation. One of his classic lessons was to place a fish in front of a student and leave that student for days and even weeks to learn everything about the fish through observation. Yes, teach your children about Darwin. But teach them about Agassiz, too. Here are a few books to get started. His enthusiasm for learning is contagious. It was said of him that he never knew a dull hour in his life and thought it an incredible joke that any person could 'kill time in a world so full of interest.' In a letter to his brother, he wrote, "Write me about what you are reading and about your plans and projects, for I can hardly believe that any one can live without forming them: I, at least, could not."
