Teaching Science in a Faith Community

Despite Judge Jones' ruling that the teaching of intelligent design as science is unconstitutional there still seems to be an emotionally driven conflict between some students and their science teachers. Although perhaps not satisfying to some there is a way of containing this conflict and that is to clearly define what the subject matter of the field of science is at the beginning of the term. I know we talk about the scientific method, but I propose it is better to talk about discoveries (facts) which are never in dispute, and the explanations, called theories, which can be. The important point is that, by definition, the theory which is finally accepted as scientific must predict correctly new discoveries not yet made. This automatically puts explanations with no predictive powers, such as miracles, or done by super intelligent beings whose existence and powers are defined only by belief outside the field of science. One may object to this definition, but all human activities are bounded by rules and regulations which define them. This understanding of what is and is not science sets aside the question of whether there are truths outside of science. But it does say that if there are they belong in some other field. Further details will be presented.