“When board members and administrators from Baylor University and the Baylor College of Medicine were recently engaged in conversation about the possibility of strengthening ties between the two institutions, some suggested that the faith component of Baylor University’s mission would negatively affect the quality of the scholarship for which the Baylor College of Medicine is so well known. As scientists and people of faith, we were troubled by reports in the media that characterized serious scientific research and a faith commitment as incompatible. We believe we speak for thousands of accomplished scientists when we say that this is a false dichotomy that reflects an ill-informed understanding of the way many of us perceive the wonder, mystery, and revelation of God,” a group of Baylor University professors tells the Houston Chronicle.
“Having religious convictions does not preclude us from exploring the universe, advancing human health, or discovering solutions to the environmental issues that plague us—including in the Houston area, where Baylor University researchers are studying water pollution near the Ship Channel to understand how cancer-causing dioxins and furans spread between terrestrial and marine ecosystems. Similarly, the science content of our curricula is no different from that offered in science departments at other major universities. The research faculty at Baylor University embraces the scientific method and the tenets of evolution to explain what we observe in the natural world.”