In some communities, believing in science concepts that contradict literal Biblical interpretations, such as biological evolution, is anathema to being a Christian with integrity. But when community members, especially when they are educators, step in to model being passionate about both simultaneously, barriers begin to crumble and change begins to happen.

As part of Sinai and Synapses’ series “More Light, Less Heat,” Ian Binns, Ph.D. and Dr. Mark Bloom, a professor of science at a conservative Baptist university, discuss how they came to hold a belief about science and religion being in dialogue rather than opposition, and how they have become positive examples to their students, who often struggle with holding the two together.

Ian C. Binns, Ph.D. is an associate professor of Elementary Science Education in the Department of Reading and Elementary Education in the Cato College of Education at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. His research looks at how preservice elementary teachers’ scientific literacy and faith-based beliefs influence their perceptions of how socio-scientific issues, such as evolution, creationism, and intelligent design, should be addressed in the classroom. His community work includes public testimony in defense of science in Louisiana, efforts to help the science education community become more aware of attempts to undermine science instruction, and science-faith courses at the Episcopal Church of the Holy Comforter in Charlotte, NC. He is a 2017-2019 Sinai and Synapses Fellow.

Here he discusses how Bible study has given him new insights into how he can reconcile religion and science in his community:



Hi, my name is Ian Binns. I’m an elementary science educator at UNC Charlotte. And today I want to talk about two things that are really important to me when it comes to science and religion. The first is how I got involved in all this. While a faculty member at Louisiana State University, I testified a few times about trying to protect the integrity of science and science education against people who would be more – considered fundamentalists in their perspectives on religion. Their conversations always amazed me with the judgment that we were given, thinking that all of us were atheists and nonbelievers. And I think one of the more surprising conversations was when I corrected someone and explained to them that no, actually I’m not an atheist, I am an Episcopalian. And this actually made that individual even more angry, thinking that I was almost betraying religion because of my efforts to protect the teaching of evolution, and those types of issues. So that was kind of how I got started. And now one thing I’m really excited about that I’m working on is a Bible study that I decided to start this past July. And I decided I wanted to do this, one, for my own spiritual growth, but also, two, with my desires and goals when it comes to science and religion, to better understand the Bible itself. I had never really read through it, and so I decided I want to read the whole thing and blog about it, and do Daily Reflections, and then share those reflections and be as honest as possible through the process. It’s been a very challenging process, but exciting. I’ve learned quite a bit about myself and about the Bible. And just many questions have come up, and I look forward to where this will take me. But the Bible study – what’s really exciting for me is approaching it as someone who is more analytical in my thinking, as a science educator, that I find myself questioning a lot. I was initially very worried about that, and how that would be perceived, but thankfully the person who’s been helping me through this, Father Kevin Brown, who is now Bishop Kevin Brown, he suggested that I be very honest, and if I’ve got questions or I’m critical of what it is I’m reading, to put that down, that should be part of my process that I go through. So there are many times that I read something that I completely disagree with, and I will write that down and say “I don’t like that, and here’s why.” And I think, too, throughout this process, it may not, as of right now, have impacted my teaching as much, but it’s definitely impacted my view of things in a way that I didn’t expect. One example is experiencing the total solar eclipse. It was cloudy where we were that day, but I was able to take some pictures, and it was my first time experiencing a solar eclipse. But some of the pictures I took – while, and this is about a month after the Bible study started – some of those pictures were just fascinating, and to me, I understood scientifically why things are happening, but I felt like I had a different level of respect that I didn’t anticipate. Another thing that’s kind of arisen from this is I’ve noticed more of a desire to protect, or at least defend, my faith in Christianity in general, and religion in general. I’m just making people realize, when I see things on social media saying that all Christians, or all people of faith, are very closed- minded and unwilling to accept people for who they are – that I correct that very quickly, and remind them that no, we’re not all that way. So it’s been a wonderful experience, and a lot of things are happening that I never anticipated.

Dr. Mark Bloom is a professor of biology, natural science and mathematics at the College of Education at Dallas Baptist University. He holds a B.S. in biology from Dallas Baptist University, a M.S. in biology from Baylor University, and a Ph.D. in science education from Texas Christian University. He is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in theological studies from Dallas Baptist University and a Ph.D. In leadership studies focusing on how Christian leaders within the scientific community reconcile their religious and scientific worldviews.

Here he discusses how he reached an understanding about the role of science and religion in his life:

