The creation of life, as seen in the recent discussions of stem cell research, is happening across the world in academic, corporate and hospital settings. Susan may seek resolution of this conflict, through a campus religious group that has walked with students like her year after year. Some of these campus groups are deeply suspicious of the sciences, of the worldviews of scientists who are agnostics and atheists, and so their response is also firm and steadfast. While well-intentioned, this can begin to set up a division in Susan's mind between the spiritual life and the intellectual life, between her identity as a Christian and her vocational life. The Christian faith has a stake in the dialogue, experienced internally by Susan and being carried out externally in all sorts of places.
Christians are interested in discovering the truth, as are scientists.
Two simple concepts can help someone like Susan in the collision between the teachings of both faith and science. One is mystery. Both Christians and scientists confess that there is much that we do not know about this world. And of course, mystery can lead us to awe, wonder and praise, in the presence of God who gives and sustains life. A second concept is humility.