An Orderly World
HPU's Dr. Gerry Clarkson emphasizes the unity between science and Christianity
by Seth Rainey '19
Christianity and science are often depicted as being at odds, projected as possessing contradictory central assumptions that make unity between the subjects impossible. However, Dr. Gerry Clarkson, dean of the School of Science and Mathematics at HPU, emphasized that the principles foundational to science owe their roots to the belief in a Creator.
“We live in an orderly world and that doesn’t just happen – it was designed to be that way,” he said. “So, the tie between Christianity and science is really a pretty natural one that you have to work at to get around, if you’re so inclined.”
He further emphasized that integral to scientific advancement is the understanding that the world can be observed and studied through experiments that can be repeated with exact results. According to Dr. Clarkson, this observability once again points to the work of the Creator.
“It doesn’t make sense to study or to do experiments unless you believe the world is orderly,” said Dr. Clarkson. “A lot of the belief that led to scientific development came out of a belief that God created the universe, and that He did so in an orderly fashion. Therefore, studying the world through science makes sense because those go naturally together.”
He says he has sought out opportunities to learn about the world through science for most of his life.
“I can’t really remember a time when I wasn’t interested in science, even at a young age,” he said. “I think I’m drawn to the order of things, the logic – the idea that we live in an orderly world and we can study it.”
Dr. Clarkson grew up in West Virginia and earned his undergraduate degree at Oberlin College in Ohio. He went on to earn his master’s degree and Ph.D. in geophysics at New Mexico Tech, where he and his wife, Marie, met. They now have two daughters. Their oldest daughter, Rebecca ’08, and her husband, Allen, have three children. The Clarksons’ youngest daughter, Emily, is married to Alex.
Following Dr. Clarkson’s completion of grad school in New Mexico, the Clarksons moved to Michigan where he taught at a university for six years. He said his time teaching at a larger institution left him looking for a smaller academic environment.
“I found HPU by looking at job ads,” he quipped. “A big university just was not my cup of tea. Where I was teaching, I didn’t see anyone outside of my building. All the schools I had attended as a student were small schools, so I knew that was the university environment I was looking for.”
"We live in an orderly world and that doesn't just happen - it was designed to be that way."
Dr. Clarkson joined HPU’s faculty in 1990 and was named dean of the School of Science and Mathematics in 2020. As dean, he seeks to ensure the atmosphere offered at HPU is used to establish connections between Christianity and science. He said that HPU, featuring small class sizes that allow for closer relationships between professors and their students, provides a unique opportunity to share perspectives that may otherwise go overlooked.
“There’s probably a lot of freedom that professors have to go ahead and talk about things with students that you wouldn’t necessarily feel free to do in a different setting,” he said. “I think really this comes back to the ability to relate to students and see them as more than just people sitting in your classroom.”
At HPU, he added, care for students can be found throughout the university’s personnel, whether faculty or staff.
“When I think about HPU, I think about the overall concern that everybody has for students and how we want to help them succeed in whatever they’ve chosen to do,” said Dr. Clarkson. “That’s faculty, that’s staff – everyone. The willingness to work with students is something that I think is different about a place like HPU. It’s something that is really special.”
Professors at HPU often get to teach students from their first year to graduation. This long-term instruction is a core component of what makes HPU a unique academic institution. Dr. Clarkson said the opportunities he has to watch students make progress semester to semester as faculty and staff invest in them are immensely rewarding.
“What I really enjoy is seeing a student have the light bulb go on and they see how what they are learning connects,” he said. “It’s great to watch students grow in that way as they progress through our programs here.”
Photo: Dr. Gerry Clarkson is the dean of the School of Science and Mathematics and associate professor of science.
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