A physics professor whose intelligent design course, “Boundaries of Science” — a definite no-no in the no-longer-hallowed halls of academia — was dropped in 2013 by Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, after complaints from atheists, is scheduled to return to the BSU campus in late October.

When Professor Eric Hedin returns to his old stomping grounds on October 26, his topic of discussion will again be intelligent design (ID). The theory holds that certain features of the universe and living things are best explained by an intelligent cause, not an undirected process or natural selection.

But unlike Creationism, the belief that God is the “absolute creator of heaven and earth, out of nothing,” intelligent design suggests a higher intelligence, scientific evidence, and physics are not mutually exclusive in discussions about the origin of the universe and subsequent life.

In August 2013, Ball State’s then-President Jo Ann Gora declared the theory of intelligent design a religious belief, effectively banning Hedin’s class and any notion that “intelligence” played a part in the formation of the universe and life on Earth.

As reported by The College Fix, Hedin is scheduled to appear at Ball State as part of a “God’s Not Dead” nationwide tour of college campuses. Hedin told The Fix:

I see this situation as a testimony to how God has worked things for good, even when it may have seemed like a loss at the time. At these events, I am free to speak and make the connection directly between scientific evidence and the Bible, something I could not do in my BSU Boundaries of Science class.

It’s a testimony to how God has worked for good the opposition that came against me in 2013 at BSU from atheists who wanted to shut down any discussion of the implications from science that could point outside of their materialistic worldview.

Hedin explained he doesn’t have a problem with science and materialism as part of a discussion about the universe’s origin:

They maintained that science deals only with materialism, which is fine, but the implications of the evidence often point beyond this universe to a transcendent source or cause of this universe and life and unique human characteristics.

The former physics professor said the “God’s Not Dead” tour attracts a wide range of students and others, from Christians to atheists. There’s little protest aside from a few posters being torn down, he added:

We’ll often get questions from atheist students, and we’re glad to interact with them. The dialogue has always been very civil and respectful. We’re not trying to vilify anyone, but are interested in honestly engaging with students and giving them an honest presentation of the evidence to allow them to follow it as they will.

While I tend to be skeptical when it’s wise to do so, the notion of most atheists — based on past experiences — engaging in civil discussion, or even debate, with Christians has become increasingly farfetched, as has everything on the left in recent years. Then again, maybe Hedin’s tour experiences provide a glimmer of hope, which most Christians would undoubtedly welcome.

The tour also includes Rice Broocks, author of “God’s Not Dead: Evidence for God in an Age of Uncertainty,” the book behind the popular 2014 movie, “God’s Not Dead.” Additional upcoming campus visits will include Indiana University, Bucknell, Penn State, and Mississippi State University.

Hedin told College Fix the pair presents evidence to back the intelligent design theory:

We present evidence that shows that there is a ‘mind behind the universe,’ a brute fact cause that is something other than physical matter, energy, or laws of nature. All of these came into existence with our universe, so they couldn’t be the cause of our universe.

It’s way beyond my “pay grade” and mental abilities to come even close to figuring out any of this.

Then again, there’s always this thing called faith.