Asking for a Friend: Do Faith and Science Really Conflict?
September 20, 2026
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For centuries, people have felt caught between what they’ve learned in Sunday school and what they studied in science class. Many people feel like the Bible and science are in conflict, but is that really the case? In this “Asking for a Friend” series, we are exploring common questions about God and faith. This week, we explore how faith and science work together as complementary tools, both pointing us toward the Creator. We dive into the creation accounts in Genesis and explore Paul’s discussion of God’s nature as seen in creation.
Sermon Reflections:
- Do you feel a tension between science and faith? When have you felt it? What caused it? How did you navigate it?
- How does a both/and approach that sees science and faith as complementary tools change the way you think about that tension?
- Reread the creation account in Genesis 1:1-2:3 and try to think of it as ancient Hebrew poetry. Using this lens, what is the text trying to tell you about WHO created the world instead of HOW the world was created?
- We tend to create problems when we attempt to use the Bible as a science book. An historic example was the church's persecution of Galileo. Can you think of other examples when this has happened and what we can learn from those examples?
- Read Romans 1:20 and Psalm 19:1-4. How do these passages support the idea that creation itself points to god? What have you learned about God through observing the natural world?
- How can embracing both Scripture and science together strengthen your faith rather than weaken it?