Thank you for your interest in From the Dust. As with most Highway Media products, this film is meant to be a starting point for dialogue and conversation. The vision for the film was to once again open dialogue between the scientific mind and the heart and mind of faith. In that spirit we offer the following small group study guide for download, written by David Vosburg, Associate Professor of Chemistry at Harvey Mudd College. We hope the guide is a helpful resource, even as you discover other ways to interact with the film.
Also, please find a few Initial Discussion Questions below, useful either with or without the small group guide.
For further discovery, examine the biographies and bonus footage, and visit BioLogos.
INITIAL DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
What does Genesis say about the material origins of the universe? Why do we feel this is an important question?
What do scientific discoveries say about the age of the earth? How do we balance the testimony of nature and the testimony of scripture for questions like this?
What are the key questions in the debate between young earth creationism and theistic evolution?
Why are Christians nervous about evolution?
What roles do science and theology have in assigning purpose and meaning to life, and in describing the world we inhabit?
What does “random” mean? Is it compatible with purpose?
Could God be as active in natural processes as He is through supernatural acts? How would that affect the way you understand and relate to God?
Should either of the two sacred books—the book of Scripture or the book of nature—have priority over the other? Or does it depend on the topic?
What is the difference between the Bible being written to us versus being written for us? How can we enter the world of the ancient Hebrews in understanding Genesis 1?
Does reading science into or out of the Bible damage the meaning of the text? How does the Bible relate to science?
How do we live with humility and a belief that God and the world may be greater and more complex than we can ever fully comprehend?
Why does God use history to achieve His purposes? How would that be similar to Him using evolutionary processes to achieve His purposes?
How do we understand the Image of God in an evolutionary scheme?
What is the purpose of being truly human?
What parts of our faith should we be certain and defensive about? What parts open to new perspectives or interpretations?
Why is the message of compatibility important for Christians? For non-Christians?
What does it look like to go deeper in conversations about science and faith?
What more do you want to learn about topics like this?