Introduction

These first four lessons provide an initial orientation to the course for students. Depending on the length of your class sessions, you may need to divide or organize the lessons differently than the way we have presented them.

The relationship between faith and science is a contested area. Students may bring a range of assumptions, feelings, and relationship investments to this topic. Taking some time to orient students thoroughly to the course and engaging the concerns they bring to it may pay dividends later.

The main topics in this first part of the course are:

• Defining the course focus.
• Exploring students’ assumptions about the nature of science and of theology.
• Articulating course goals.

Giving space for students to articulate what they expect a course like this to be about can help prepare them to question their own assumptions.