College Faith Stan W. Wallace

Between the recording of this episode and its posting, Randy Newman, my guest and dear friend, went to be with the Lord. Though Randy is certainly rejoicing to be in the presence of his King, I and so many others who knew him well are grieving deeply. But, as a way to honor his memory, and to continue encouraging others to learn from his great wisdom, I have decided to post this interview posthumously. We discuss a topic very dear to him--helping believers engage their doubts in healthy and redemptive ways. I believe he would have wanted you to hear what he had to say when we talked, to encourage you to continue “fighting the good fight” that he has now so well completed.

 

 In this episode Randy and I discuss his recently-released Questioning Faith: Indirect Journeys of Belief through Terrains of Doubt. It is a given that college students, including those heading off to college as believers, will have questions and doubts about the Christian faith. Randy’s wisdom and care for other’s spiritual journeys will be a great help to students (and all others) who navigate the journey through doubt.

 

In this podcast we discuss:



How Randy first got interested in understanding the role doubt plays in the Christian faith

Why he decided to write Questioning Faith

The importance of pre-evangelism before we begin sharing the gospel

Faith (in something) is inevitable, not optional

The main point he wants readers to take away from this book: it’s OK to have questions, but find answers

The value of doubt in the Christian life

How he deals with doubts due to the reality of evil

Why certainty is not necessary to know Christianity is true

The problem with the “presumption of atheism”

Why very good “second things” make very bad “first things” in our lives

Beauty as one of God’s signposts

Advice to Christian students who have doubts about the Christian faith

Advice to Christian students as they talk to peers with doubts about the Christian faith

Advice to parents, grandparents, and pastors as they nurture those with doubts



 

Resources mentioned during our conversation:



S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

David Foster Wallace, “This is Water,” Commencement Address at Kenyon College in 2005

C.S. Lewis Institute

Randy Newman’s Questions That Matter podcast

The Washington Institute for Faith, Vocation, and Culture

RandyDavidNewman.com





 

This episode continues my sporadic series on the various fields students may choose to study while in college, today discussing a major in mathematics. My guest is Dr. Francis Su, a professor of Mathematics at the prestigious Harvey Mudd College. Francis is a past president of the Mathematical Association of America, has been featured in Wired and The New York Times, and is the author of the award-winning Mathematics for Human Flourishing.



 



In this podcast we discuss:





How Francis first got interested in studying mathematics



The distinction between mathematics and arithmetic



How math helps us shape a set of virtues and flourish (vs. approaching math as simply skills)



Career opportunities for those with a degree in mathematics



Which character traits indicate you may do well as a math major



The similarities between mathematics and philosophy



The similarities between mathematics and music



Different emphases in the field of mathematics



How studying mathematics has helped Francis in his spiritual life



Challenges mathematics has posed to Francis’ faith



Where he sees ideas in mathematics as consistent with a Christian worldview



Areas in mathematics Christian students may want to consider pursuing



Francis’ general advice for all college students





 



Resources mentioned during our conversation:





Francis Su, Mathematics for Human Flourishing



Derek Schuurman’s work on ethics, faith, and technology



Francis Su’s website



Francis Su’s article “The Lesson of Grace in Teaching”

My guest in this episode is Dr. Roger Parrott, the President of Belhaven University for more than three decades. Over the years, he has thought much about the value of a college education, how higher education has changed, in some cases drastically, and the real cost of a college degree. I’ve invited him to share some of his wisdom with us. 

 





In this podcast we discuss:











How higher education has changed over the three decades he has been a university president

The four “S” features most public universities use to recruit students

The four “C” features that define most Christian universities

The causes of recent trends in public higher education

The spectrum of colleges and universities identifying as “Christian”

The difference between Bible departments and religion departments and what it says about a college or university

How to cut through the PR and fancy brochures when considering schools

The two essential questions to ask to choose the school that is right for you

Answering a common objection to Christian higher education

The downside of requiring students to sign a statement of faith to be admitted

The real costs of college and how to navigate the financial challenges

The problem with “tuition resets”

The importance of calculating living expenses, textbooks, and fees into the total cost of college

Understanding good debt and bad debt

How important graduate-level education is today

The number one quality employers are looking for, and how the college years can help prepare you for this











 

Resources mentioned during our conversation:











Roger Parrott, “The Real Cost of College: Insights of an Insider”

Belhaven University

My guest in this edition is Jeff Hardin, Ph.D., professor and former chair of the Department of Integrative Biology at the University of Wisconsin. He holds a Ph.D. in Biophysics from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Master of Divinity (M.Div.) from the International School of Theology. In addition to his scholarly work in cell biology and leading textbook on this topic, Jeff has thought much about the intersection of faith and science and regularly addresses these topics in public forums.

 



In this podcast we discuss:











How Jeff got interested in studying biology

The value of exploring various ideas, and noticing God in the process

How, as a biologist, he benefits from inter-disciplinary conversations

What career opportunities are available with a degree in the biological sciences

How to zero in on the area of biology you are interested in

How he has connected studying biology with his faith, and how he has thrived as a result

Some challenges of being a biologist and a Christian  

How he seeks to reveal God in his work as a biologist 

Thoughts on how Christians can think about evolution and creation

The role of understanding ethics and broader worldview and religious commitments in studying the biological sciences

Character qualities/traits that are good indicators that a student will flourish studying the biological sciences

The overlap of God’s call for us to care for His creation and current conversations in the biological sciences 

The importance for Christians to thoughtfully engage with the biology of neuroscience

The importance for Christians to thoughtfully engage with the worldview, ethics, and practice of genome editing

The growing conversation around “trans-humanism” that will become increasingly important in discussions in the biological sciences

God’s grace for those called to study the biological sciences

The value of joining a professional society in the biological sciences, and connecting with other Christians in the field at the society’s meetings

What Jeff wished his 18-year-old self knew about majoring in the biological sciences

Why it is important for biologists also to study things outside the biological sciences

The importance of finding other Christians in the biological sciences, and how to find them







 

Resources mentioned during our conversation:











The Isthmus Society

C. S. Lewis, Letters to Malcolm, Chiefly on Prayer

Phillip Johnson, Darwin on Trial

Gilbert Meilaender, Bioethics, a Primer for Christians

Scott Rae, Moral Choices: An Introduction to EthicsJohn Wyatt, Matters of Life and Death: Human Dilemmas in the Light of the Christian Faith

The American Scientific Affiliation

BioLogos

Reasons to  Believe

The Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity

The Christian Medical & Dental Association

Francis Collins, The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief

My guest in this episode is Scott Phelps, Executive Director of the Abstinence & Marriage Education Partnership. For many years now Scott has spoken to students about the great, long-term benefits of saving sex for marriage, and so I’ve invited him onto the show to share some of what he has learned, and how others have found his insights helpful. 



 



In this podcast we discuss:





How he got interested in the relationship between living life well, flourishing, and sex



Principles, or the successful pathway that most often leads to a good life



Habit formation for life-long intimate relationships



Hope for students who have already been sexually active



Other benefits of waiting for sex until marriage



The example of Joseph, Potiphar’s wife, and Joseph’s future wife (Genesis 37-50)



The disbelief some have about the possibility of abstinence until marriage, yet their interest



How to swim against the alternative cultural narrative of “free sex,” which saturates all   media



How his approach differs from most sex education programs



The personal value and apologetic force of the biblical view of sex and marriage



The biggest challenges students face to following the successful pathway to sex, marriage, and the good life



The acceleration and shift in the cultural narrative about sex since the COVID pandemic



How parents might tackle this topic with their children



Simplifying the issue with one simple question



Sex as fire in a firepit or as a forest fire



Living together, sex, future marriage, and divorce





 



Resources mentioned during our conversation:





Abstinence & Marriage Education Partnership



Dallas Willard, The Spirit of the Disciplines: Understanding How God Changes Lives



Scott Phelps, Excel Curriculum and Workbook



Glenn Stanton, The Ring Makes All The Difference: The Hidden Consequences of Cohabitation and the Strong Benefits of Marriage



Linda Waite and Maggie Gallagher, The Case for Marriage: Why Married People are Happier, Healthier and Better Off Financially



Rick Mattson and Stan Wallace, “Finding the Middle Way in the LGBTQ+ Conversation,” a College Faith podcast



Stan Wallace’s Summary of Virtue Ethics

My guest today is Rick Mattson, a national apologetics specialist and evangelism coach with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. He often does open “Q and A” sessions on college campuses in which he is asked for insights on how to understand LGBTQ+ issues in ways that embody both truth and love. We discuss some of what he shares on this important topic.

 



In this podcast we discuss:





How LGBTQ issues come up in his conversations, and why it’s close to his heart



The importance of the larger narrative of Scripture in understanding human sexuality and flourishing



The relation of this issue to the Trinity



How both the physical and spiritual ramifications of the Fall are often neglected in this conversation



How to understand the idea that “God made me this way”



How to understand the idea of a “gay Christian”



Advice for Christian students with same-sex attraction



The modern shift toward “expressive Individualism” underlying much of this conversation



Finding the “middle way” between extreme views of human sexuality



The centrality of spiritual disciplines in healthy friendships and sexuality



How we frame conversations to open further LGBTQ discussions



The importance of having appropriate expectations for our relationships



How to not be bullied, or be bullies, in LGBTQ conversations



What the loving thing to do is in specific situations regarding roommates or gender non-conforming dorms



How to think about attending a gay friend’s wedding



How to think about the use of preferred pronouns



A strategy to think through various other LGBTQ-related issues



How the church can better prepare students to think through these issues



How parents can better prepare students to think through these issues



The hardest question he gets on this question on campus



 



Resources mentioned during our conversation:





Rick Mattson’s website



Rick Mattson, Faith is Like Skydiving: And Other Memorable Images for Dialogue with Seekers and Skeptics



Rick Mattson, Witness in the Academy: A Guide for Graduate Students, Faculty, and Those Who Minister With Them



Rick’s blog posts on “LGBT+”



Carl Trueman, Strange New World: How Thinkers and Activists Redefined Identity and Sparked the Sexual Revolution



Carl Trueman, The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self: Cultural Amnesia, Expressive Individualism, and the Road to the Sexual Revolution



Summit Ministries



“A Practical Guide to Navigating University Culture,” John Stonestreet on the College Faith podcast



World View Academy



“Why Christian Students Must Understand Their and Other’s Worldviews,” Mike Schutt on the College Faith podcast



“How to Choose a College,” David Wunder on the College Faith podcast



Impact 360