It is terribly important for congregations to
cultivate a substantive engagement with religion and science. Throughout history and for various reasons, a
line has been drawn between the disciplines of science and faith keeping them
from engaging constructively. This has
barred these two disciplines from mutually shaping and encouraging each
other. Because of this academic fissure,
both disciplines seemingly threaten each other giving the false impression that
these areas of study are incompatible.
Faith and science need not be engaged polemically, but rather can, and
should, be engaged charitably as they learn from each other in a mutually
beneficial manner. This destructive
faith-versus-science worldview gives evidence of a deeper, more ubiquitous
problem: the proclivity of western minds to compartmentalize various aspects of
life resulting in the lack of integration of deeper human existence. By unmasking the faith-science dichotomy,
individuals, academic communities, and faith communities will step into a more
expansive understanding of God, the world, and their place in it. In turn, individuals and communities will
become further characterized by integrity and autonomy as their worldviews are
enriched, enhanced, and deepened.
My work with the Scientists in Congregations grant
produced a series of adult education classes addressing the faith-science
conversation as well as a large conference.
The “Faithful Science” weekly class included scientists of faith from
the church and surrounding community.
Our conference, Faithful Science:
Science and Theology in Conversation, was a capstone event from the weekly
classes. This symposium was open to the
Spokane community consisting of two well-known thinkers engaged in the
faith-science conversation. Our first
speaker was Dr. Darrel Falk, president of the BioLogos Forum. Our second speaker was Dr. Jennifer Wiseman,
director of the Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion at the American
Association for the Advancement of Science and who works with NASA’s Hubble
Space Telescope program.
Because of these efforts, Whitworth Church has
been energized by the number of people flooding through the doors for the
classes and conference. Our congregation
has moved into a place where these types of so-called “sensitive” and taboo
topics can be discussed with reduced anxiety.
There are still some in our midst who believe one can only be either a
faithful Christian or an atheistic scientist.
However, this is a smaller group in the midst of our large congregation
which has a fairly broad theological spectrum.
Generally, however, this work has ignited the congregation to engage in
the conversation and has largely discarded the fear and discomfort of asking
potentially difficult worldview questions.
By exposing the false faith-science dichotomy, individuals within
Whitworth Church are equipped to embrace a more expansive understanding of God,
the world, and their place in it.
As a pastor, this work has given me a stronger
credibility in the eyes of my congregation for the academic work I am currently
engaged in. It has also allowed me to be
more involved in the faith-science conversation with individuals in our
congregation who share this interest of mine and now are aware of it. In this way, science professionals have
become more open in our midst about their experiences of science and
faith. I have heard anecdotal comments
from participants in our midst who metaphorically came out of the “science
closet” essentially saying, “I am a scientists, but I didn’t know I could talk
about this stuff here!” Our church has
become more of a place where serious academic engagement can be undertaken by
truly thinking, intelligent Christians.
In addition, because of the highly publicized
nature of the Faithful Science conference, our church has become somewhat
higher profile in the community. Whitworth
Church is already associated with Whitworth University by name and location,
but now the community recognizes the serious engagement people of faith can
have with academia. This work has broken
down the secular assumptions regarding Christens as simplistic non-thinkers
allowing those dubious of spirituality and faith to be more willing to engage
in this conversation.
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