My Christian Faith in Teaching and Scholarship
In every aspect of my life I strive to be an imitator of Christ
(Ephesians 5:1). To me, this means that I must first become a
servant--humbly committed to serving him as Lord and Savior of my
life and committed to "washing the feet" of those with whom I
interact. Using Jesus as my model, I aim to meet the individual and
collective needs of others in ways which show my love for Christ and
my love for them.
I express my Christian faith in teaching by framing biology
within a Christian worldview or perspective, one that professes the Lordship
of Jesus Christ. I share with my students my perspective that
biology is more than the study of life--it is the study of God's
Creation. The more one explores and learns about his general
revelation, the more one discovers his power and complexity, his
majesty and handiwork. I strive to provide for my students an
atmosphere where they can explore, learn, analyze, and think
critically about biology within the context of loving obedience to
our Heavenly Father and our calling to be caretakers of his Creation.
I hope to challenge them to discover ways of transforming their own
faith into action. And I hope that through our interactions I would
be equally challenged.
I express my Christian faith in scholarship by taking very seriously
the Lord's commandment to love him with all my heart, soul, and mind
(Matthew 22:37). Through my research and other scholarly activities
I learn more about the wonderful intricacies of the Creation. Such
discovery leads me to a deeper understanding and appreciation for the
Creator and for his presence in the world. Thus, I see my
scholarship as an act of worship to the Creator and King. Just as an
artist is honored when someone admires her masterpiece, so too our
Lord is worshipped when we carefully and respectfully examine his
Creation. I also take very seriously our responsibility to be
stewards of his Creation. As a biologist I am especially alarmed by
the way mankind as a whole has poorly managed the resources our
Heavenly Father has chosen to give us. Thus, I feel a special
calling to help others become aware of this crisis and to work
together in seeking creative solutions.
A better and more satisfying calling in life? I can't think of
one!