Most of us would likely agree that faith and critical thinking are important components of what we do here at Andrews University. However, do we even have a common understanding of what ‘faith’ and ‘critical thinking’ are? When you say critical thinking, do you (from theology) mean the same thing that I do (from biology)? Is it even possible to integrate these two? Aren’t they polar opposites? In this session, we will consider faith and critical thinking in the context of a university education and across disciplines. Bring your thoughts and be willing to share.
Peter is the product of an Adventist academy and college education. He graduated from Atlantic Union College, where he recalls attempting to think critically, but then being told to understand everything ‘in the context of faith’ (well, that was confusing). He received a PhD in Biochemistry from Dalhousie University in Canada, subsequently did a postdoctoral fellowship at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and taught biology for a brief period at Manhattan College. He enjoyed observing the approach to faith and critical thinking at these institutions, being secular, Jewish, and Catholic, respectively. He has found himself back in the Adventist environment here at Andrews, where the intersection of science and faith has been a prominent theme, particularly in an Honors course that he co-teaches, Cosmos.
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/peter_lyons/3/