Hi Jeff, it's like the "good old days" having several friends back in one corner of cyber space again.
The purpose of the Bible is really not to comment on science. It is to demonstrate to the world what Christians believe about God.
You are a scientist who teaches at a Christian college, and your comments about the Bible and science are well put. Religion, be it Christian or non-Christian, is built on faith. Religious faith can help people struggle with the God question, why are we here, and what's next. Religious faith is not provable; if something is proven, it's science, not faith.
Many fundamentalist are "not familiar with how the Bible came into being," and they're unfamiliar with science as well. They see science as a threat and put it into the corner of demons. If scripture says it rained 40 days and nights after Noah built a boat to save the world as we know it, the fundamentalist will defend the indefensible at great cost to others of faith. Holy books demonstrate the faith of believers before us. They are not magic, and they certainly are not science. Indeed, science is a different animal than it was a few thousands years ago. Using faulty science to prove the Bible's authority only weakens it's place in Christian faith.
It's great seeing you here, Jeff!
--JAVA counting time at the Coffee Shop