The European Scientific Network is designed to support and encourage Christian scientists as they seek to incorporate their faith into the laboratory, university and workplace. Because of this, the primary focus of the Network is the examination of science and Christianity and the exploration of their integration. Of significant importance are discussions within the fields of physics, astrophysics, astronomy, biology and chemistry that provide arguments for the existence of a Supernatural Designer/Transcendent Creator.

Applicants should be involved in full-time scientific work or have a strong interest and background in the integration of Science and Christianity. This Network will be led by Dr Alexander Fink, a member of the European Leadership Forum Steering Committee and Dr Peter Imming. Also teaching in this Network are Dr Richard Carhart, Dr Kirk Durston, Dr Geoff Barnard, Dr Doug Groothuis and Henk Reitsema. Prior preparation will be set for all applicants.

It is strongly suggested that all participants read God’s Undertaker: Has Science Buried God? by John Lennox (Lion UK, 2007) in preparation for the Forum. 

Peter Imming received degrees in pharmacy and chemistry and a PhD and venia legendi in pharmaceutical chemistry from Marburg University, Germany. He has been involved in drug chemistry teaching and research in the UK, Germany, and China. Presently, he holds a professorship of pharmaceutical chemistry in the Martin-Luther-Universitaet Halle, Germany. He is interested in the molecular mechanisms of drug action (cf. doi:10.1038/nrd2261), and in the relation of science and Biblical truth. Since 2006, he has served as vice chairman of the Studiengemeinschaft Wort und Wissen, a German association of Christians discussing matters of science, theology, humanities, archaeology, and economics within the framework of the Scriptures.

Alexander Fink is co-leader of the European Scientific Network, and a member of the European Leadership Forum Steering Committee. He received his PhD in biophysics from the University of Regensburg (Germany), having previously studied at the Universities of Bayreuth (Germany) and St. Andrews (Scotland). He works as a physicist in industry. He was active in university student ministry, and served as SMD (Studenten Mission Deutschland) travelling secretary for Bavaria. He is now the Director of the SMD Graduates' Ministry. He helped found the Kepler Forum (www.keplerforum.org) which provides a free platform for all who want to discuss deep worldview questions, on a personal level in the pub and on an academic level in lectures and symposia.

Geoff Barnard has been a professional biochemist for over 40 years, a Senior Lecturer in Biological Sciences at three UK Universities and a regular visiting scientist at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel. Most recently, he was a Senior Research Scientist in the Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, a position he held for over seven years. He is also a co-author of the book Should Christians Embrace Evolution? recently published by IVP.

Richard Carhart is co-leader of the European Scientific Network. He received his PhD in theoretical particle physics from the University of Wisconsin, and is now Professor of Physics Emeritus at the University of Illinois at Chicago, having taught there and done original research for 35 years. He served as an academic missionary at the University of Nairobi, Kenya, and at Charles University, Prague, and at the Czech Academy of Sciences. His interest in scientific apologetics stems from his own need to integrate his Biblical faith with the findings of science, and to counter prevailing erroneous worldviews.

Kirk Durston is the director of the New Scholars Society, where he continues to research problems that arise out of the intersection of theology, science and philosophy. He holds a BSc (Physics), a BSc (Mechanical Engineering), a MA (Philosophy) and has just completed a Ph.D. in Computational Biophysics specialising in methods to computationally identify and measure functional information encoded within biopolymers, including computational methods to analyse the relationship between functional information and protein 3D structure. In addition to publishing articles in journals of both science and philosophy, he has lectured in areas of apologetics, dealing with science and philosophy, at most of the major universities in Canada, as well as universities in Europe and the USA. He has been married to his wife, Patti, for almost thirty years, and they have six children. 

Douglas Groothuis received his PhD in philosophy from the University of Oregon. He is Professor of Philosophy at Denver Seminary, where he has served since 1993. He is the author of Unmasking the New Age, Confronting the New Age, Revealing the New Age Jesus, Christianity That Counts, Deceived by the Light, Jesus in an Age of Controversy, The Soul in Cyberspace, Truth Decay, On Pascal, and On Jesus. He has written for journals such as Religious Studies, Sophia, Research in Philosophy and Technology, Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, Philosophia Christi, Trinity Journal and Asbury Theological Journal, as well as for numerous popular magazines such as Christianity Today, Moody Magazine and Christian Counseling Today. His books have been translated into French, German, Korean, Norwegian and several other languages. Groothuis's primary passion is to make Christian truth known in contemporary culture and in the church. To that end, he speaks at many colleges and universities on apologetics and ethical themes. He is married to author and editor Rebecca Merrill Groothuis. 

Henk Reitsema is a member of the staff at Dutch l’Abri. Along with his wife, he has been hosting guests at L’Abri for 15 years. His academic interests include Philosophy, Theology and Ethics. Most recently, he completed a degree in Philosophy of is a member of the staff at Dutch l’Abri. Along with his wife, he has been hosting guests at L’Abri for 15 years. His academic interests include Philosophy, Theology and Ethics. Most recently, he completed a degree in Philosophy of Technology.  Mentoring, lecturing and engaging in dialogue about the issues that confront us today form an integral part of his work at L’Abri. Apologetics, science and ethics are central themes in his teaching.

Day 1

A Brief Introduction to Scientific Apologetics

Peter Imming

On the Objections from Science to a Christian Worldview

Richard Carhart

The purpose of the European Scientific Network is to equip and motivate Christian scientists to engage in science-based apologetics to advance and defend the biblical worldview in the public marketplace of ideas.  As we have pursued this task for the past seven years through the ESN of the European Leadership Forum, we have identified and assembled a broad set of science-based arguments for and in defense of our world view that are relevant in modern Europe.

This lecture will present a brief discussion of the positive arguments from science with a brief summary of each one.  It will then itemise the most important objections and suggested answers for each of them.  Attention will be given to impact of cultural variation across Europe in determining the most important issues in a given nation.  During the discussion time, participants will be invited to modify the list presented and to discuss priorities in their national setting.

Between Supervenience and Emergence: Unraveling a Minefield of Words and Their Potential Consequences for a Position of Faith

Henk Reitsema 

Trying to explain all that exists in terms of the law guided behaviour of the material building blocks of the universe is an endeavour that has already been around for a long time. Recently though, the term 'Emergence' has surfaced as an explanatory tool for much of what had seemed out of reach even for the concept of evolution. The question is whether emergence really does any explaining or is rather a term that flags where the problems for science lie. This workshop will aim at helping the participants find their way through some of the maze of philosophical jargon that is being used today (especially in the philosophy of mind) and to expose the inherent weakness of approaches that don't acknowledge the irreducible nature of the law guided behaviour in the higher layers of reality (mental, ethical, etc.).

Day 2

Does the Genome Provide Evidence for Common Ancestry?

Geoff Barnard

(A Scientific Network session composed of two, 90 minute parts)

Until recently, disputes over Darwinism had largely focused on various historical evidences, the so-called “icons of evolution”. It is now argued that new genomic evidence has settled the case for common ancestry once and for all. In particular, several books have been written from a Christian perspective seeking to adopt all that neo-Darwinism has to offer. In terms of genomic evidence, the authors present very similar arguments. These include the presence of pseudogenes, mobile genomic elements and endogenous retroviruses which are considered clear evidence for common ancestry. The authors also suggest the high probability that human chromosome 2 is a fusion product of two smaller chromosomes possessed by an ancestral hominid.

In the lecture and in subsequent discussions, we will consider much of this information, present counter-arguments and try to see what can be learned from a design perspective. It is necessary, however, to apologise in advance for the technical detail that will be presented in both sound and vision. Nevertheless, in order to do justice to the arguments, dealing with the technicality is pre-requisite. Consequently, it has been necessary to assume a basic level of biological understanding and this may be an unwarranted assumption by the presenter. 

Day 3

A State-of-the-Art Approach to Intelligent Design in Biological Life

Kirk Durston

(A Scientific Network session composed of two, 90 minute parts)

The concept of intelligent design, and its scientific basis, has been grossly misrepresented in the media and by many scientists themselves. In this section, comprised of two parts, we will begin with clarifying the distinction between science and philosophy in discussions of intelligent design, as well as the role of science when it comes to the question of intelligent design of the universe and of biological life.  Definitions of key concepts in this discussion will then be provided, followed by a review of three categories where intelligent design science is already firmly entrenched in modern science.

One of the major categories, design detection, will then be explored further. A scientific method for detecting effects requiring intelligent design will be laid out and applied to various examples, especially within biology. Finally, an intelligent design model applied to biological life will be presented. Some objections will be handled within the content of the two parts, but further problems, concerns and objections can be discussed during the question period, which will be included in both parts of the session.

Day 4

How to be a Scientist and an Apologist

Doug Groothuis

Since all truth is God's truth, the truth of nature will not contradict the truth of Scripture. We will explore how to relate theology and science in a philosophically satisfying and apologetically engaging manner. We will also consider how scientists can bear witness to the truth and rationality of the Christian worldview in their scientific research and public presentations.

Assessing Naturalism: How it Effects Science

Doug Groothuis

Naturalism (or philosophical materialism) is the unstated presupposition of most all of contemporary science. Yet is more of an assumption than a conclusion of scientific enterprise. We will explore why science has become controlled by naturalism, how this adversely effects science, and how to challenge this assumption philosophically and scientifically. The goal is to reintroduce theism as a legitimate question in scientific pursuits.