“Determining what is correct is a science. Truth is reality.” (pg 32 of Statistics & Faith, by Jason Wilson)

Jason Wilson went to university for the math, stayed in university for the Bible, and somehow God seems to have ended up tying these passions together in ways that we can reap the benefits of in his book, Statistics & Faith. In this conversation, Jason patiently allows me to ramble through my half-formed thoughts on the inundation of stats in our world, and he helps me not only understand the nature of stats better, he also helps me see how they can help Christians better understand their world. We talk about measuring the likelihood that a prayer is answered, the dangers of eugenics, why David’s census was such a big deal… it’s a wild ride, so (unless you’re faint of heart), hop in! (if you’d prefer to watch rather than listen, look below or on YouTube)

chapters:

00:00 - Introduction and Personal Background

01:21 - Academic Journey and Dual Degrees

04:25 - Statistics and Faith: The Intersection of Disciplines

07:31 - The Evolution of Statistics

10:39 - Understanding Statistics: Definitions and Applications

13:15 - The Dark History of Eugenics and Statistics

16:29 - The Role of Statistics in Society

19:24 - Engaging with Statistics: Critical Thinking and Application

29:39 - The Role of Statistics in Technology

32:25 - The Impact of Values on Decision Making

35:13 - Statistics Through a Christian Lens

39:45 - Understanding Misuse of Statistics

44:46 - The Intersection of Faith and Statistics

50:04 - Intercessory Prayer and Statistical Analysis

53:58 - The Limitations of Data in Human Experience

keywords:

statistics, faith, data literacy, biblical worldview, truth, eugenics, scientific revolution, data analysis, Christian ethics, information literacy

links:

Jason Wilson - https://www.biola.edu/directory/people/jason-wilson

Statistics & Faith - https://www.ivpress.com/statistics-and-faith

Math Is Music (article) - https://www.researchgate.net/publication/280114347_Math_is_Music_Statistics_is_Literature

Get full access to Marc Jolicoeur (aka Jolly Thoughts) at marcjolicoeur.substack.com/subscribe