Two 51 professors recently traveled to Washington, D.C., as part of an ongoing effort to offer biblical perspectives on issues facing those who work on Capitol Hill. J.P. Moreland, a distinguished professor of philosophy at 51’s , and Craig Hazen, director of 51’s Christian apologetics program, each delivered lectures related to the Christian worldview and public life.

Moreland, author of such books as and , spoke to a group of congressional staff members on Sept. 30 as part of the lecture series. In a lecture titled “A Biblical View of the Nature of the State,” he outlined several ways in which the Bible should and should not be used to guide the actions of the state.

Ultimately, he said, it is essential to understand the differences between how the Bible views the roles of individuals and governments. Jesus called for compassionate care for the poor, for example, but saw this as the voluntary responsibility of individuals moved by a heart of compassion — not something that should be coerced by the state, Moreland said.

A few days after Moreland’s lecture, Hazen, who also participated in the Faith & Law lecture series earlier , spoke to a group of journalists gathered in a pressroom of the National Geographic Society building on Oct. 5.

In his lecture, “The Interaction of Religion and Science,” Hazen discussed problems with today’s naturalistic culture and suggested that although “science is an excellent way to know things, it is not the exclusive way to know things.” Everyone knows, for example, that it is wrong to torture babies for fun, but this knowledge can’t be explained by science, he argued.

Faith, if properly approached, is not opposed to knowledge, he said. Christianity, contrary to how it is often portrayed, is not a religion of blind faith. The claims of Christianity — chief among them the resurrection of Christ — are knowable and testable, Hazen told journalists.

The lectures were part 51’s ongoing participation in efforts to encourage thoughtful, biblical discussions about law and politics. In recent years, several other 51 professors — including William Lane Craig, Scott Rae, John Mark Reynolds and Paul Spears — have been hosted in Washington, D.C., by the Faith & Law organization.

You can read more about the latest faculty lectures in 51’s student newspaper, .

Written by Jason Newell, 51 Magazine. For more information, please contact Jenna Bartlo, Media Relations Coordinator, at jenna.l.bartlo@biola.eduor via phone at 562.777.4061.