Events

You are invited to our Science, Scripture and Reason meeting at 7:00 PM PST on Tuesday, May 20th, 2025:

Planetary Habitable Zones

Exoplanet research is an exciting field in astronomy. There are currently 5,800+ confirmed planets outside of our solar system and we are only just scratching the surface on these discoveries. Meanwhile, the popular press, media, and the movies portray a picture that there are many Earth-like planets. Are there really a lot of Earth-like planets to be found? Should we expect to find many? It turns out that there are many factors that affect a planet's ability to be habitable for life, more than just being at the right distance for liquid water to be present. Please join us as Dr. Brandon Reddell presents an overview of other known habitable zones that are not often considered in the news.

Our Speaker

Brandon Reddell currently works at the NASA Johnson Space Center in the Engineering Directorate. He has degrees in physics from the University of Texas, an M.S. in Applied Space Physics from Johns Hopkins University, and a PhD in Physics (high energy space physics) from the University of Houston. In his current work he supports all of the human spaceflight programs in the area of ionizing radiation effects produced by the galactic cosmic radiation, solar particle events, and the trapped radiation belts around the earth. Dr. Reddell also serves as an adjunct professor in astronomy at Los Angeles Pacific University, and occasionally in physics and astronomy at the University of Houston at Clear Lake. Additionally, he is an adjunct professor in the school of divinity at Regent University where he teaches cosmogony and astronomy design in the universe.

Brandon has been married for 28 years to his wife, Laura, and together have one son. He is active in his church, a men’s small group leader and a strong advocate for showing how the results of science support the Christian worldview. As far as hobbies, he loves the outdoors and enjoys the heavens through astronomy (for 45+ years now) and hiking, running, and biking.

Date/Time:  Tuesday, May 20th, 2025. 7PM - 9PM (Pacific Time)

Location:

Christ Community Church
Room M2 (second floor)
5025 Manzanita Ave, Carmichael, CA 95608

You may also join us via Zoom:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89009897414?pwd=9dVB2Q4AbXI2Lcltth6pufYtSXbiyS.1 

If link does not work, go to zoom.us/join and enter:

Meeting ID: 890 0989 7414

Passcode: 305810

No RSVP necessary!

More details about this event will be posted as the date gets closer.

About Our Speaker

Steven Willing, MD, is board certified in diagnostic radiology and neuroradiology, with an MD from the Medical College of Georgia and an MBA from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He has held faculty positions at the University of Louisville, University of Alabama at Birmingham, and Indiana University where he taught and practiced diagnostic and interventional neuroradiology. During his 20 years in academic medicine, Steve published over 50 papers in the areas of radiology, informatics, and management, and authored the "Atlas of Neuroradiology", published by W. B. Saunders in 1995.

Since retiring in 2016, Dr. Willing serves as a radiology consultant to Tenwek Hospital, a large Christian Hospital, in Bomet, Kenya. He is also an op-ed contributor to the Christian Medical and Dental Associations, and actively blogs on his site: The Soggy Spaniel. Additionally, he serves as the Alabama State Director for the American Academy for Medical Ethics, as an adjunct Professor of Divinity at Regent University, and as a Visiting Scholar for Reasons to Believe. Steve authored Superbia: The Perils of Pride. The Power of Humility, which was published in September 2022.

Our speaker will be Francisco (Paco) Delgado. More details will be posted soon.

The Fine-Tuning of the Earth — God’s Divine Design of the Earth for Life.

The history of the earth includes both astronomy and geology. Several books have been written describing the myriad ways that the earth’s composition and properties are so fine-tuned to make advanced life possible — How to Build a Habitable Planet, The Privileged Planet, Improbable Planet, and Designed to the Core. This last one covers a comprehensive summary of how the universe of galaxies has a unique history to make it possible for advanced life, with five chapters on our Solar System and the Earth. Please join us as Dr. Ken Wolgemuth shares some highlights from astronomy, and then focuses on the geology of the Earth. This is God’s creation story of the exquisite fine-tuning of the Earth’s core, mantle, crust, water cycle, and atmosphere that are necessary for life to exist, and for us to be here on this unique planet. Soli Deo Gloria! 

Our Speaker

Ken Wolgemuth founded Solid Rock Lectures to communicate the wonder of God’s handiwork in geology. He has a BS in chemistry from Wheaton College, a PhD in geochemistry from Columbia University, and a 40-year career in the petroleum industry. He was drawn into Christian worldview apologetics two decades ago, becoming a Colson Fellow in 2017. He has given numerous lectures about creation, and co-authored a 2018 paper on radiocarbon dating, published in ASA’s Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith. He is a contributing author to the ground-breaking book written expressly for the church, The Grand Canyon, Monument to an Ancient Earth: Can Noah’s Flood Explain the Grand Canyon?

🎞️Click here to watch this presentation on YouTube. 

Evidence for the Resurrection

The Resurrection of Christ is foundational to the Christian faith. As the Apostle Paul says in his first epistle to the Corinthians, if Christ has not been raised our faith is futile and we are still in our sins facing judgement, and furthermore, we are misrepresenting God (1 Cor. 15:14-15). It has been argued that the Resurrection of Christ is one of the most attestable events in human history, but beyond the Scriptures, what is the evidence? Please join us as Travis Campbell, PhD, helps us to understand the evidence for this supremely important event.

Our Speaker

Travis James Campbell (PhD, Westminster Theological Seminary; ThM, Dallas Theological Seminary; BA, Wittenberg University) has been teaching at Deerfield-Windsor School in Albany, GA for the past twenty years as a history, ethics and comparative religion teacher. In 2019 he co-founded the DWS clay target team which, this past fall, won the first reginal championship in the history of the GIAA. Travis is the founder and president of Consider This, an organization dedicated to the defense of classical Christianity which, beginning in February, will be offering courses for students wishing to pursue a master’s degree theology—or, for Christians seeking a deeper understanding of biblical and theological issues. He also serves as a Ruling Elder at Northgate Presbyterian Church in Albany. Travis is the author of the book The Wonderful Decree, which addresses the problem of evil, along with several peer-reviewed essays on philosophical and theological subjects. When he is not geeking out over philosophy or theology, he enjoys the outdoors, the movies, making fun of his students, and lots and lots of piddling.

Recognizing Biases

Clear, critical thinking is essential to understanding truth and for making important decisions. However, human biases, often unrecognized, can profoundly impair our understanding and actions. This can be seen in science, and in all aspects of life. How can we recognize these biases in others, and in ourselves, and how can we better avoid them and mitigate their effects? Please join us, as Reasons to Believe Scholar, Mark Perez, helps us to explore this often neglected yet very important topic.

About Our Speaker

Mark Perez, a retired Los Angeles Police Department Deputy Chief of Police, had a 36-year career in law enforcement, where he taught critical thinking and problem solving. He has served Reasons to Believe as a part of the Scholar Community, and as the Chief Operating Officer since 2022. He continues to do research in decision-making, cognitive biases, and other aspects of critical thinking. Mark is a contributing author to the RTB book Thinking about Evolution, and co-authored the recently released book Clear Thinking in a Messy World: A Christian Guide to Logic, Reason and Cognitive Biases with RTB Scholar Ken Samples.

Mark earned a BA in philosophy and an MA in analytic philosophy of science from California State University, Los Angeles, and a California State University Certificate in Teaching Critical Thinking. He also holds a Masters of Public Administration from American Military University with an emphasis on organizational development.

🎞️Click here to watch this presentation on YouTube.

With the discovery of DNA and the ability of organisms to transmit all aspects of their physical beings to the next generation, many in the scientific community proclaimed a totally naturalistic explanation for the origin and propagation of life. However, as we have learned more and more about the structure and enormous amount of information encoded in DNA, as well as, the intricate and elegant bio machinery needed for DNA replication and repair, and to transform this information into life requiring proteins, this naturalistic hypothesis has become increasingly challenged. You are invited to explore this amazing DNA with us and to consider what best explains its origins and extraordinary characteristics.

About our speaker: Lester is a semi-retired civil engineer whose career has involved designing airports and highways, has had a long-standing interest in math and science. After having many unresolved questions regarding Genesis 1 and Noah’s flood, Lester had the surprising insight into the correlation of the natural world and biblical truth about 15 years ago when he encountered the teaching of Dr. Hugh Ross, the founder of Reasons to Believe. Since that time Lester’s passion to share these insights has led him to become a Reasons to Believe apologist, and to serve on the board of RTB Canada and as the president of the RTB Canada Vancouver, BC chapter. Additionally, Lester has spoken to numerous school and church groups about Christianity and hosts a monthly Q&A session for those skeptical of the Christian faith.

🎞️Click here to watch this presentation on YouTube.

You are invited to our Science, Scripture and Reason meeting at 7:00 PM PST on Tuesday, Nov 19, 2024. 

Is Thorium a Better Energy Solution?

There is increasing societal concern about climate change as the earth has increasing warmed over the past several decades. In the face of an ever-increasing world demand for energy, there are calls to significantly reduce the use of the world’s primary source of power, fossil fuels, even though renewable energy sources cannot make up the deficit, nor provide reliable baseline power. Are we left with an unhappy choice of an increasing warm planet, with potential environmental disasters, or an economically crippling response, resulting in the misery and death of millions of people? Might a providential God have given us with a good alternative solution? Please join us for Nuclear Energy and Climate Sustainability, as Dr. Kevin Birdwell helps us explore nuclear energy, using our abundant Thorium in a molten salt reactor, which may provide the safe, efficient and cost-effective power needed.

About Our Speaker

Dr. Kevin Birdwell is a research atmospheric scientist who currently works on the meteorological aspects of wind energy, weather model accuracy, complex terrain pollutant modeling, and nuclear energy safety. He has done work on complex terrain air flow, meteorological operations, paleoclimate, and continues to do work related to environmental change. Dr. Birdwell has held a long-term interest in Quaternary paleoclimate (glacial-interglacial cycles). Understanding how the climate has changed in the past helps us understand future climate change.

Kevin Birdwell holds a PhD in Physical Geography from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville with an emphasis in Environmental Change. Dr. Birdwell has been active in operational and research meteorology in various government laboratories since the late 1980s. He has been an adjunct professor of Earth/Space science and Meteorology with Lee University since 2014. Dr. Birdwell has been a part of RTB scholar community since 2012.

🎞️Click here to watch this presentation on YouTube.

What's Wrong With Progressive Christianity?

Progressive Christianity, a movement that seeks to reframe Christianity into a more culturally acceptable, likeable, and palatable version of the faith, has had significant influence on Western Christianity and has gained dominance in several mainline denominations. This movement, seeing Jesus’ teaching and example of loving one another as of prime importance, believes that the highest goal in life is to make people, who are intrinsically good at the core, better, and emphasizes their understanding of social justice, environmental stewardship, and human inclusion (including sexual orientation and gender identity). Progressive Christianity denies or deemphasizes fundamental historical biblical Christian beliefs such as the authority of Scripture, the divinity of Jesus, the fallenness of man, the holiness and wrath of God, the person and work of Jesus Christ, whose life, death, resurrection and ascension are intrinsic to the gospel of personal salvation by grace through faith. Please join us, as Dr. Jen Boakes helps us to better understand this movement and to respond with clarity and truth.

About Our Speaker

Dr. Jennette Boakes received a MS in Physiology from UC Davis and MD from UC San Diego then completed an Orthopedic Residency at the University of Utah and a Pediatric Orthopedic Fellowship at UC Davis. Following her training, she served 10 years in the US Air Force as an orthopedic surgeon before joining Shriners Hospital in Honolulu. She then joined Shriners Hospital in Sacramento where she worked from 1998 – 2022. She currently works part-time as a Pediatric Orthopedic Surgeon at the Sutter Medical Center in Sacramento. Dr. Boakes served as Clinical Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at the UC Davis School of Medicine 2007 – 2022. She has received numerous awards and honors over her illustrious medical career, and has 26 orthopedic publications and abstracts, and numerous presentations. Dr. Boakes has been actively involved in the Christian Medical and Dental Associations, where she has served as faculty advisor to the CMDA medical students and treasurer of our local council. She has been on medical missions and outreaches in 16 countries. She is a competitive triathlete (on the Team USA 2008) and avid cyclist and skier. She completed the Colson Fellowship, an intensive 10-month curricula that explores the interface of Christianity and modern culture, May of 2024.

A video of this presentation is available upon request.

Genesis Among the Pagans

Critics have argued that because of similarities, the Genesis accounts of creation and a world-wide flood were taken from the myths of surrounding peoples in the ancient near east. But does that hold up to scrutiny? Please join us as Dr. Ken Keathley, professor of theology at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, helps us to understand the profound differences in these accounts, the veracity and impact of the biblical account written by Moses, as well as how a knowledge of the pagan worldviews gives us to better understanding of ancient Israel and why they so quickly reverted to idolatry, and how prevailing culture, as our own, has a significant impact on beliefs and practices.

About Our Speaker

Kenneth Keathley is senior professor of theology and occupies the Jesse Hendley Endowed Chair of Biblical Theology at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina, where he has been teaching since 2006. Ken holds a B.A. in Bible from Tennessee Temple University, a M.N.S. in Mathematics from Southeast Missouri State University, and both an M.Div. and Ph.D. in Theology from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. He has served as a church pastor for over 30 years and authored several books on God’s sovereignty and salvation, and creation and evolution. Ken is committed to minister through both the local church and academia to equip students, pastors, missionaries and the laity to serve the church and fulfill the Great Commission.

🎞️Click here to watch this presentation on YouTube.