“The search for extraterrestrial intelligence continues at full speed, but as of now there is no breakthrough. Of course, this could change at any time.” Suppose you found yourself sitting in a Starbucks having a casual chat with an acquaintance who eventually stated these words. How would this change your opinion of him? What would you think about his grounding in reality?

Now imagine you told him that you had a sensible belief in a personal God and in the truth of the Bible. What would that person think about your grounding in reality?

Truth is, the quotation about a fervent search for extraterrestrial life is a direct quote from the Planetary Society, founded by world-famous astronomer and NASA consultant Carl Sagan. Scores of scientists and technological muscle are focused each day on finding evidence of extraterrestrials. Schoolchildren are being encouraged to combine their families’ unused computer power to help speed the search (see www.seti.org).

But imagine if you told them that you are focusing your energies on serving God. They would look at you the way you look at them. They would call you a victim of a blind faith.

In Carl Sagan’s novel and movie called Contact, the dead actually find themselves awaking on another planet, having slipped some sort of time/space continuum. Interesting idea, from a scientist. If a biblical heaven is considered by scientists a dangerous flight of fancy, a kind of drug-induced diversion, then what are we to think of this scientific focus on extraterrestrials and eternity?

There is enormous diversity and even fierce disagreement among scientists on issues like these. There is significant doubt and debate about evolution, and certainly evolution as was taught as fact to previous generations. There is debate over how adequate the scientific method is in explaining all of reality.

Bring up Christianity, though, and watch the wagons circle in the scientific communities. A personal God is the one enemy that they cannot abide. A generic, amorphous god might be acceptable, but not an eternal, omnipotent, personal God who not only creates but can re-create.

I have sat under the teaching of atheistic evolutionists, and I have sat under the teaching of scientists who are unapologetic Christians. I will be forever grateful for teachers who navigate treacherous scientific waters amidst constant volleys fired at them from colleagues as they seek to discern truth and to live and breathe for the God all of all truth. These are teachers who deserve commendation, in a profession with eternal implications for good or ill.

“My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body” (Jas. 3:1-2).