Christian Student Survival Conference

Session 2
Naturalism: What You See is All There Is

Dr. Keith S. Delaplane

Dr. Keith S. Delaplane is Associate Professor of Entomology at the University of Georgia. He has been a believer in Jesus Christ since his conversion at age 13, and one of personal objectives is to bring a Christian worldview to his professional work. He lives with his wife Mary and daughter Eva in Oconee County, and his family attends University Church in Athens. Dr. Delaplane received his education at Purdue University and Louisiana State University. He teaches ENTO 2500 Bees and Beekeeping, and his research interest is on the biology and control of parasitic mites of honey bees.

Naturalism is the belief that nature is all there is. There is nothing outside of nature, or if there is, it is unknowable. All phenomena, whether physical, biological, psychological, or even spiritual, can be completely explained by laws of nature. Under this belief system, science is the most important human activity because it is the job of science to understand nature. True knowledge is attainable only by science; other disciplines are strengthened if they agree with science, but science is not strengthened by other disciplines. Naturalism provides the underlying belief system for many movements that are hostile to Christianity.

Suggested Readings:

Johnson, Phillip. Reason in the Balance. InterVarsity Press, 1998.

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