About the Author
By the time Stuart Orr finished his undergraduate degree in physics he was a hard-core agnostic. Nobody could prove God exists, and science had answered all the big questions regarding origins and life. Of course there were gaps, but they would be filled in someday – that’s how science works. A graduate degree in systems engineering and 15 years as an information technology consultant canonized his fundamental belief system. Inherit the Wind remained one of his favorite movies. Why were all these creationists clinging on to medieval arguments that had been so thoroughly discredited since the Scopes trial?
But God had other plans for Stuart. His mid-life crisis came in the form of a search for meaning and purpose in his own life. The writings of Francis Schaeffer challenged his presupposition that his scientific worldview was a “blank slate,” which could stand apart as an objective frame of reference for understanding the major issues of science. Much to his amazement he discovered that the Christian worldview actually provides a more reasonable starting point for fundamental ideas than his previous atheistic assumptions -- including those that undergird the creation/evolution debate. When Stuart became a Christian he embarked on an intellectual quest that resulted in the foundational material for this work.
In the early 1990’s, just after he completed his master’s degree coursework in Christian apologetics, the “Intelligent Design” movement began. Since most in the church were not science-savvy, Stuart began teaching classes that would translate the scientific/Christian dialog on evolution/creation into terms that the average layperson could grasp. His objective was to enable those in the pews to intelligently enter into the public debate. The course he put together resulted in the ten lessons that make up this book. In addition to his work as a teacher of apologetics and an executive in the high tech industry, Stuart also served as President and Chairman of the Board at Simon Greenleaf University (now Trinity School of Law).
But God had other plans for Stuart. His mid-life crisis came in the form of a search for meaning and purpose in his own life. The writings of Francis Schaeffer challenged his presupposition that his scientific worldview was a “blank slate,” which could stand apart as an objective frame of reference for understanding the major issues of science. Much to his amazement he discovered that the Christian worldview actually provides a more reasonable starting point for fundamental ideas than his previous atheistic assumptions -- including those that undergird the creation/evolution debate. When Stuart became a Christian he embarked on an intellectual quest that resulted in the foundational material for this work.
In the early 1990’s, just after he completed his master’s degree coursework in Christian apologetics, the “Intelligent Design” movement began. Since most in the church were not science-savvy, Stuart began teaching classes that would translate the scientific/Christian dialog on evolution/creation into terms that the average layperson could grasp. His objective was to enable those in the pews to intelligently enter into the public debate. The course he put together resulted in the ten lessons that make up this book. In addition to his work as a teacher of apologetics and an executive in the high tech industry, Stuart also served as President and Chairman of the Board at Simon Greenleaf University (now Trinity School of Law).
© 2004 by Stuart Orr
<< Home