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Origins Class

The Henry Building, Room 401

Mondays, Starting February 2

Origins: Science, Scripture, and Where It All Came From

  • Monday nights, 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. - 4th floor Henry Building 
  • Starts February 2 goes through April 27 (with potential Mondays off along the way for breaks and snow)
  • Co-taught by Mark Wells, Andy Whipple, Lloyd Davis, and Dan Pierce 
  • There will be a Zoom option available. 
  • Purpose is to explore the intersection of the Bible and science to help people understand why they believe what they believe 
  • Topics include worldviews, interpretations of Genesis 1 and 2, the nature of science, the origin of the universe, of the earth, of life and human beings, all explored from a biblical worldview

Below are your guides for the new discipleship opportunity:

These college professors have long wrestled thoughtfully and faithfully with many of life’s biggest questions. Having taught and guided college students for generations on topics like the origin of the cosmos, the intersection of science and God’s Word, and questions on the origin of life, they want to bring the discussion to our church family. 

Lloyd Davis

Lloyd is a retired professor of physics and mathematics, Montreat College. With a bachelors in physics and a masters in nuclear physics, he has been teaching physics, astronomy, and mathematics first at Asbury College, Kent State, and Dayton Christian School, before spending 35 years at Montreat teaching physics, physical science, astronomy, mathematics, and the theology of origins. Lloyd helped develop the original course at Montreat on science and theology of origins, co-teaching with Brad Daniels and Darwin Glassford.  Having accepted Christ in his first year majoring in physics at Miami University, he has had a career-long interest in the integration of his faith with his discipline. He writes, “My hope for those who take this course is that they will see that the subject is rather complex. Christians who take the Bible seriously can relate the Scriptures to science in a variety of ways. Hopefully everyone who takes the course will also gain a better understanding of how they relate the Bible to this scientific world”

Mark Wells

Mark is a professor of Bible and Theology at Montreat College for 20 years with a particular academic focus in philosophy, having taught previously at Baylor University and Sterling College, 

In his 27 years of teaching, he has taught Theology, Biblical Interpretation, Church History, Old Testament Theology, Old Testament, Philosophy of Religion and Apologetics, Epistemology, Science and Theology of Origins, and many other courses, most of which relate to the study of Genesis 1-2 and the origins of the universe. He writes, “Epistemology has helped me understand how we think about knowledge and truth (biblical and scientific).  Philosophy of Religion and Apologetics has helped me understand how to make a case for God's existence based on the origin of the universe.  Biblical Interpretation has helped me understand the several legitimate ways of reading and interpreting the Genesis account of creation. Theology has enabled me to look to the most important aspects of the Genesis creation accounts, which is what they tell us about our God. Old Testament and Old Testament Theology have informed me of the historical, linguistic, and contextual issues involved in reading the beginning of Genesis.   The Science and Theology of Origins class, which I am currently involved in teaching (this semester) has helped me understand how the scientific theories of origins fit with the biblical account of creation. 

My hope for this course is that participants would understand the most important aspects of all biblical narratives--that is, what they tell us about God, ourselves, and God's great plan for us.  I also hope that students will begin to appreciate the various ways of interpreting the Genesis account of creation and recognize that those whose views may be different than their own have legitimate reasons for their views and are also sincere Christians seeking to understand the truth of the Bible.”

Andy Whipple

Andy was trained as a cellular and molecular biologist, doing his doctoral and post-doctoral research in the biology of cancer.  Immediately following his post-doctoral research  he taught at Montreat-Anderson College for 3 years, and in doing so learned a great deal about the interaction of science and faith as he helped team teach a course in Christian and secular world views.   Moving to Taylor University where he taught for 31 years, he found his calling was in guiding his biology students to deepen their faith in Christ.  He led them to understand that their love of God’s creation, as viewed through science, could be important to them in being missionaries to an unreached people group, their future professional colleagues in the sciences.

Dan Pierce

Dan Pierce has been an active member of CCC for the past ten years and sings in the choir. He is Emeritus Professor of History at UNC Asheville where he served as Department Chair and taught Appalachian, Southern, and Environmental History for 25 years. He has a deep interest in encouraging Christians to engage intellectually with the world around them.

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