MVC to again present Science and Religion lecture series

Building on the success of its first year, Missouri Valley College will once again present the Science and Religion lecture series, starting next week.

The three-part seminar will be held from 7 to 8 p.m. in the formal lounge of MVC's Ferguson Center. On Feb. 28, Missouri Valley chemistry professor Stephen Patton will discuss the four controversies that have shaped the history of science and divided religious thought. The March 28 lecture by criminal justice professor Jon Duke will look at the history of prisons, from biblical times through Quaker prisons to the modern corrections system. In the final presentation on April 25, Greek and Latin professor James Crozier will lecture on how Christianity changed how the inventions of the Greeks and Romans are used.

Patton said he began to see parallels in the development of science and religion after reading a book about the history of science in the 1960s. The author, he said, was an atheist and had no interest in comparing science and religion, however.

"This is to correct what he neglected," Patton said.

He likened the development of both science and religion to the flight of geese. By following a lead goose, the entire flock is able to move forward more efficiently. But eventually the leader grows tired and must fall out of line. This creates a period of disruption until a new leader emerges.

While the ages of religion have been long accepted, Patton said, recognizing ages in science is a relatively recent phenomenon. He said it has been traditionally thought that science was a slow and gradual building up of knowledge.

In his presentation, Patton will outline the ages of religion and their corresponding ages in the fields of science. He said he also plans to include biographies of theologians and scientists from each era. Included in the information will be estimated IQ scores for each.

"They're all geniuses," Patton said.

Contact Chris Post at

marshallhealth@socket.net