A Christian Approach to Sustainable Engineering
Bill Jordan

ABSTRACT: There are many overlapping ways in which a Christian engineer can approach her work. One approach is for the Christian to work hard and honestly at her job. While this is important, a Christian approach to engineering should be much broader than that.

Christian engineering can be seen as the deliberate practice of engineering to further the advancement of God’s kingdom here on Earth. Even within that broad concept there are several additional aspects that can be explored. One of them is Christian humanitarian engineering which is the practice of engineering with a goal of helping poor people improve their lives. The subject of this presentation is a Christian approach to sustainable engineering. While this could include humanitarian engineering, it does not have to do so.

Sustainable engineering is a key part of sustainable development. While it relates to environmental damage and climate change issues, it is broader than that. The author will use the short definition for sustainable development that says it is:

Enough
For All
Forever

Some Christians have reacted negatively to this topic because of their opposition to the big government and international commitment solutions that have been proposed. While governmental actions are part of the solution, free market solutions can also play a role. Some insights to this topic will be developed from Francis Schaeffer’s landmark book Pollution and the Death of Man, and from Pope Francis’s recent Encyclical Laudato Si: On Care for Our Common Home.

BIO: A retired professor of mechanical engineering at Baylor University, William (Bill) Jordan earned his BS and MS at the Colorado School of Mines and also came to Christ there. He had previously rejected faith because he thought it was inconsistent with a scientific worldview. In his junior year of college, he found himself unhappy. At that time, he says, "I found some Christian students who were enjoying life much more than I was and who were also very good engineering students. They had something that I really wanted (a joyful life)." Through their witness, he came to consider the claims of Christ and eventually put his trust in Christ. Bill joined the ASA in `977 and has presented papers at twelve ASA annual meetings since 1990. He has also published in PSCF, participated in CEST (Christian Engineers and Scientists in Technology), and served as local arrangements chair for the 2009 ASA and 2011 Christian Engineering Conferences, and has led student engineering mission trisp to Kenya, Rwanda, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti.

To join the meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88488752878