In this episode of BaseCamp Live, host Davies Owens sits down with Paul Laywell, founder of Eureka Science Education, to tackle a lingering stereotype – classical Christian schools love great books, but struggle to do science with the same depth and rigor.
Paul shares his journey from public school teaching to becoming a “one man science department” in a classical Christian school, and why he became convinced that science is one of the most integratable disciplines. Not by forcing a Bible verse onto every lesson, and not by stripping science down to formulas and memorization, but by teaching science as a story, with real people, real ideas, and real consequences.
You will hear why Paul jettisoned most textbooks, how he uses history and philosophy to strengthen scientific understanding, and why families do not need to fear that a classical approach will “hurt” students headed for medicine, engineering, or other STEM-adjacent careers. In fact, Paul argues that what universities and employers need most are students who can think, reason, and ask good questions.
🎧 Tune in to hear:
- Why “Bible verse on the board” integration can be a disservice to both Scripture and science
- How telling the history of science helps students remember, and understand, what they are learning
- A classroom example that starts atomic theory as a philosophical idea before it becomes a scientific construct
- Why you cannot “cover it all,” and why depth beats speed and volume in a science classroom
- Paul’s pushback on the myth that you need a STEM-school model to thrive in college science and engineering
- How schools can build a science program that holds together rigor, wonder, curiosity, and theological imagination
A science classroom can be more than jam, cram, and forget. It can form students who love truth, pursue discovery with humility, and recognize God’s fingerprints in a world worth exploring.
Special Thanks to our partners who make BaseCamp Live possible:
Wisdom and Eloquence
The Herzog Foundation
The Champion Group
Wisephone by Techless
ZipCast
Wilson Hill Academy
I am a native of Richardson, Texas and earned both my bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Texas A&M University.
Following college graduation, I began a teaching and coaching career that would take me to a number of schools — both public and private — before founding Eureka Science Education in 2023. I’ve also taught in an adjunct capacity at both Tarrant County College and Dallas Baptist University.
My wife, D’Ann, and I have two adult children. Our daughter, Carly, and her husband, Tim, currently live in Ankara, Turkey and our son, Alex, his wife, Laura, and their two children currently reside in Billund, Denmark.
I am a lifetime learner constantly looking for ways to improve my knowledge and skills so that I can equip teachers to deliver rigorous science instruction that integrates historical, philosophical, and biblical content- promoting academic excellence, spiritual formation, and an understanding of God’s creation.
In my leisure time, I like riding my road bicycle, reading about the history and philosophy of science, catching up with former students, and preparing to teach the Bible on Sunday mornings.
Connect with Paul: