across
the
landscape.
However,
Brand
found
this
interpreta-
tion
puzzling
because
the
Coconino
occurs
in
a
portion
of
the
rock
sequence
that
he
attributed
to
the
Flood,
so
he
decided
to
study
the
problem.
After
years
of
research,
he
assembled
a
set
of
evidence,
focused
on
strange
animal
trackways,
that
strongly
supports
an
underwater
origin
for
these
sand
deposits.
For
example,
some
trackways
start
and
stop
abruptly,
and
others
display
a
mismatch
between
the
way
the
animal
is
attempting
to
walk
(uphill,
based
on
the
orientation
of
the
toe
marks)
and
the
way
it
is
actually
moving
(sideways,
based
on
the
placement
of
the
tracks).
Both
of
these
suggest
an
animal
buoyant
in
water,
and
the
latter
suggests
a
gentle
sideways
current.”
hese
examples
not
only
illustrate
the
power
of
conflict-generated
discovery,
but
also
demonstrate
the
appropriate
role
of
tenacity
in
the
process
of
discovery.
Scientists
do
not
(and
probably
should
not)
abandon
core
ideas
at
the
first
hint
of
conflict
but
often
hold
tightly
to
these
ideas
as
they
wrestle
with
contrary
data.’
Teachers
should
thus
help
struggling
students
understand
that
they
can
to
explore
difficult
topics
without
abandoning
core
Christian
beliefs
at
first
hint
of
conflict.
Opportunity
3:
Affirm
Different
Thought
Styles
in
the
Search
for
Truth
As
the
preceding
discussion
implies,
scientists
often
display
conservative
tendencies.
Paleontologist
David
Raup
described
this
well
when
he
wrote,
“Given
a
choice,
the
scientific
com-
munity
invariably
sticks
with
the
conventional
wisdom.”
This
tendency
plays
an
important
role
in
science
because
it
helps
preserve
what
has
already
been
learned
and
protects
the
scien-
tific
community
from
intellectual
anarchy.
However,
the
ten-
dency
can
also
slow
scientific
advance
because
new
ideas
will
usually
be
viewed
with
suspicion.
How,
then,
does
science
break
out
from
conventional
wis-
Photograph
of
trackways
studied
by
Leonard
Brand.
Trackway
going
side
to
side
across
the
top
of
the
picture
represents
animals
seeking
to
move
forward
(up
on
the
picture,
indicated
by
direction
of
toe
marks)
but
actually
moving
to
the
side,
strongly
im-
plying
that
the
animal
was
buoyant
in
water.
46
The
Journal
of
Adventist
Education
¢
April/May
2008
dom
and
accept
new
ideas,
as
so
often
has
happened
in
its
history?
Raup
again
provides
a
clue:
Science
is
saved
from
per-
petual
stagnancy
by
“the
presence
of
mavericks
in
every
gener-
ation—people
who
keep
challenging
convention
and
thinking
up
new
ideas.”
The
undeniable
long-term
success
of
science
has
thus
required
a
community
with
both
types
of
thinkers.
This
dynamic
has
important
implications
for
Christian
edu-
cation
because
the
church
is
also
a
truth-seeking
community
that
needs,
1
believe,
the
gifts
of
both
thoughtful
conservatives
and
faithful
mavericks.
As
we
work
through
areas
of
tension
between
faith
and
knowledge,
we
thus
have
the
opportunity,
and
the
obligation,
to
atfirm
and
challenge
both
groups
in
our
classrooms.
We
will
athrm
the
religious
conservatives—the
ma-
jority
of
Adventist
college
students
in
my
experience—who
will
ably
defend
what
the
church
has
acquired
through
long-term
Bible
study,
yet
challenge
them
to
honestly
engage
all
evidence,
including
that
which
doesn’t
fit.
We
need
to
likewise
affirm
the
mavericks—usually
fewer
in
number
but
often
articulate—who
feel
the
weight
of
the
challenges
and
are
willing
to
consider
novel
solutions,
while
challenging
them
to
think
carefully
about
the
broader
implications
of
their
ideas.
Both
groups
in-
clude
bright,
capable
young
people
who
desire
to
follow
Christ
and
serve
the
church;
lets
teach
in
ways
that
preserve
both
for
God's
work!
With
this
goal
in
mind,
I've
developed
a
practical
rule:
Al-
most
never
tell
a
student,
“You
can't
believe
that.”
Let
me
illus-
trate.
Well-meaning
mavericks
may
tell
a
young
person,
“You
can't
believe
that
life
was
created
a
few
thousand
years
ago
if
you
are
honest
with
the
scientific
data.”
Similarly,
well-meaning
conservatives
may
instruct
a
student
with
non-conformist
ten-
dencies,
“You
can’t
believe
in
long-age
creation
and
be
faithful
to
Adventist
doctrine.”
Each
of
these
assertions
expresses
a
valid
concern—Adventist
young
people
must
be
called
to
hon-
estly
engage
the
available
evidence,
and
to
carefully
consider
how
their
conclusions
relate
to
well-founded
Christian
doc-
trine.
However,
when
such
concerns
are
formulated
as
a
stark,
black-and-white
choice,
some
students
may
take
these
argu-
ments
seriously
and
abandon
Christian
faith.
Opportunity
4:
Cultivate
Intellectual
Virtues
As
Christian
educators,
we
desire
to
instill
more
than
skillful
thinking
in
our
students.
We
seek
to
help
them
develop
intel-
lectual
virtues
that
will
channel
their
thinking
toward
the
true
and
the
good.
As
a
form
of
character
development,
the
forma-
tion
of
intellectual
virtues
involves
sustained
practice,
espe-
cially
in
adversity.
Teachers
may
thus
model
and
invite
practice
of
these
virtues
as
they
lead
students
through
challenging
intel-
lectual
terrain.
What
are
the
virtues
that
we
seek
to
teach?
Christian
phi-
losopher
W.
Jay
Wood
examines
intellectual
virtues
as
a
frame-
work
to
think
about
epistemology
(the
branch
of
philosophy
concerned
with
how
we
know).!*
He
treats
a
number
of
such
virtues
and
contrasts
them
with
corresponding
vices.
These
include
studiousness
(versus
vicious
curiosity),
intellectual
honesty
(versus
dishonesty),
and
wisdom
(versus
folly).
We
want
our
students
to
studiously
apply
themselves
as
they
gain
knowledge,
even
when
that
knowledge
is
uncomfortable
or
http://education.gc.adventist.org/jae