Christian Union: The Magazine Spring 2017 | Page 54

the spiritual climate on campus
bassador to the United Nations Or-
ganizations in Austria.
As for the 25 th anniversary of the
Discovery Institute, Gilder paused to
reflect on some of the themes at the
heart of the duo’s affirmation of in-
telligent design. Among them, Gild-
er noted the Discovery Institute
embraces the connection to informa-
tion theory, which upholds the idea
of a hierarchical universe.
Gilder pointed to a series of ex-
amples, including the fundamentals
of computer science, to bolster the
role of information theory and the
ways it points to intelligent design.
“In a computer, as information
theory shows, the content is mani-
festly independent of its material
substrate. No possible knowledge of
the computer’s materials can yield any
information whatsoever about the
actual content of its computations,”
Gilder said during his appearance in
Virginia.
“In the usual hierarchy of causation,
they reflect the software used to pro-
gram the device.” Essentially, human
intelligence contrives both the design
of the computer and of its software.
Still, supporters of Darwinian
evolution mostly uphold a “purely
material explanation of the complex-
ity of life,” one that does not ade-
quately explain the logical, structural
nature of computation, Gilder noted.
“As I pondered this materialist
superstition, it became increasingly
clear to me that in all the sciences I
studied, information comes first and
regulates the flesh and the world, not
the other way around,” said Gilder.
“In every case, the information is
independent of its physical embodi-
ment or carrier.”
Gilder said this reoccurring con-
cept brings to mind the opening sen-
tence of the Gospel of John. “In the
beginning was the Word, and the
Word was with God, and the Word
was God,” according to John 1:1.
To understand reality, “you have
to look up, rather than down,” he said.
“This attitude of aspiration and cre-
ative discovery—vertical ambition for
creative meaning rather than horizontal
submission to random reductionism—
is the heart of the program at Discovery
Institute: finding the image of the cre-
ator in nature and in us.” | cu
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H A RVA RD | On Campus
Under Construction
H A R VA R D A C A P P E L L A G R O U P T O U R S N E W O R L E A N S
By Catherine Elvy, Staff Writer
D
52
uring spring break, Harvard
University’s Christian a cap-
pella group jetted to New Orleans
to share music and the message of
God’s love, transformation, and for-
giveness.
“The trip was really amazing,” said
Olivia Phillips ’20, the business man-
ager of Under Construction. “We sang
in a variety of places, from churches
to schools to a McDonald’s in the
airport.”
Each spring, Under Construction
ventures on a tour that showcases its
members’ passions for music and
community service. This year, the
undergraduates prayerfully decided
upon New Orleans, which suffered
more heartbreak in February after
seven tornados ripped across South-
east Louisiana.
The vocalists “prayed about the
decision a lot because we wanted to
follow where God was leading us,”
said Phillips, an alto from Massachu-
setts.
While the Big Easy is famous for
its vibrant nightlife, colorful festivi-
ties, and culinary character, the
ever-resilient community has encoun-
tered its share of natural disasters,
including hurricanes and the cata-
strophic oil spill in the Gulf of
Mexico.
“I really feel that our message of
encouragement and hope in Christ
went a long way with these people,
all of whom had come face to face
with the destruction and discourage-
ment that so often tempts people away
from putting their faith in Him,” said
Ethan Pardue ’19.
While in Louisiana, Under Con-
struction performed before combined
audiences of 1,000-plus people. For
more than three decades, the group’s
musical repertoire has featured hymns,
contemporary Christian ballads, and
even some secular pop songs with
spiritual applications.
Likewise, members are intention-
al about sharing the hope found in
Christ’s Gospel. “We choose to per-
form through area churches, schools,
and other venues that don’t charge
admission to hear our music and mes-
sage,” Pardue said.