Ken Kihlstrom: A Partnership Between Faith and Science

Do you have a memory of a time when science and religion clashed in your brain? Or when what you thought you knew for a fact ended up not being true at all? These experiences can be disorienting but they also can lead to a richer, deeper, and more thoughtful faith. This week I interview Dr. Ken Kihlstrom who is the chair of the Physics Department at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, CA. Issues related to science are the foundation for much of my curiosity about how Dr. Kihlstrom wrestles with faith, but we ended up talking more about how to approach religion with humility and an attitude of curiosity. We also spend a lot of time talking about how context influences every area of life — from the sports team you adore to the impact of experiential education. When we recorded this conversation the Coronavirus was not yet the global beast it proved to be. We had a dream team made up of Ken his wife Cathy, Gabe and I, and we organized an incredible Europe Semester for Westmont students that capitalizes on the power of experiential education. Sadly, that trip has been postponed for a year — so I would like to dedicate this podcast episode to all the students who are scrambling to reschedule what their fall will look like. My heart goes out to all of you.