Laurance grew up in Cambria, California and went to San Diego State for his BS and MS in Astronomy. Hegot his PhD in astrophysics from University of Heidelberg in Germany. After working at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena and the Max Planck Institute in Germany, he joined the SETI Institute in 1987. His research has pioneered two new ways to discover planets around other stars and a new mathematical method for understanding the ways animals communicate. He has taught physics and history at Principia College and Astrophysics at the University of California at Santa Cruz. He is a regular contributor to widely read media such as Space.com and the Christian Science Journal, and he has about 100 refereed papers in the scientific literature.
“During the last 16 years, Scott Preller has devoted his full time to the public healing practice of Christian Science. He is also an authorized teacher of Christian Science. Earlier, his commitment to ministering to others led him into service as a chaplain in the United States Air Force. He is very at ease working with people of all faiths and backgrounds.
“Scott has also worked as a staff editor for The Christian Science Journal and the Christian Science Sentinel, and as a Regional Assistant to The First Church of Christ, Scientist, working with Christian Science college and university organizations. His articles on Christian Science have appeared in the Church’s religious periodicals, local newspapers, and The Oxford Companion to the Bible. He has also participated in television and radio discussions on Christian Science.
“Scott has had a deep love of the Bible all his life and earned a Master of Divinity degree in Biblical Studies at Boston University. He says, ‘I feel I’ve come to know the people of the Bible as my friends and mentors. And because of Christian Science I’ve come to experience in my own life something of what they felt of God’s presence and care in their lives. Unless the Bible is showing us how to be better healers and followers of Christ Jesus, it isn’t really alive to us. This is why the ‘signs following’ that Christian Science brings out are so important.’ In his lectures, Scott explores how Christian Science opens the Bible up in a way that enables us to demonstrate more of the healing that Christ Jesus promised would be evident in his followers.
“Scott lives in the Boston suburb of Andover, Massachusetts, along with his wife, son, and daughter.”
Taken from The Board of Lectureship
This event continues the conversation about science and religion inspired by recent speakers such as Francis Collins, Tim Keller, and Richard Dawkins. Our first speaker is Laurance Doyle, an astrophysicist who works at the SETI Institute (NASA). Our second speaker is Scott Preller, a Christian Science practitioner and teacher. They will explore how a scientific approach to Christianity is not only possible, but essential.
