Science and faith Deeper understandings
Why both matter for churches By Leonard Hummel and Ann Pederson
W
ho are we? What is our place in the cosmos? What is the meaning of life? As humans,
we constantly ask these profound questions in one setting or another. Both religion and science have
provided ways to reflect on these questions. And yet, every day sto- ries appear in the news or on Twitter feeds that change the ways we under- stand who we are and what is mean- ingful in our lives. All of a sudden we realize that the potential of sciences and technologies to alter and trans- form the human being far exceeds our ability to deal with those changes. The human story is moving faster
than our species expected. The plot races ahead of us into what seems like a science fiction movie in which we are simply characters on the screen. We must realize that we aren’t
only actors in our story but also, to a degree, the directors. These larger cultural narratives that relate the intersections between science, tech- nology and religion focus our ques- tions about the world and what it means to be part of it. Our goal is to examine the role of the sciences in the life of the church and how they can shape the religious meaning of what it means to be a human in light of these sciences and technologies. Why does science matter for the
church? How can congregations wel- come scientists and scientific per- spectives? What are ways to integrate science into seminary curricula? How can scientific perspectives be integrated into the ministry of the church in ways that enhance our interpretation of the Christian faith? We offer responses to these ques-
tions from our backgrounds indi- vidually and collectively from the collaborative work we are doing as scientists and theologians at Augus- tana University, Sioux Falls, S.D., and the Lutheran Seminary at Get- tysburg (Pa.). The two institutions received a grant from the American Association for the Advancement of Science to explore how science can be integrated into seminary curricula to help prepare church leaders who are equipped for the discussions that the discoveries of science and technology raise for us in our daily lives.
Serving our neighbors As Christians we confess that we live in a world created by God. To under- stand this creation, we need help interpreting the world in which we live.
Why is it important to inte-
grate scientific perspectives in our churches? Because Christian leaders are called to interpret the word(s)
This series is intended to be a public conversation among theologians of the ELCA on various themes of our faith and the challenging issues of our day. It invites readers to engage in dialogue by posting comments online at the end of each article at
www.thelutheran.org. The series is edited by Michael Cooper- White, president of the Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg (Pa.), on behalf of the presidents of the eight ELCA seminaries.
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www.thelutheran.org
of God—Scripture and the “book of nature”—and science helps disclose the composition of our universe that is being continually refashioned by God the Creator. Science is also a creative process, which like religion engages the meaning of life and the broad questions of existence. Science, like religion, is a kind of multileveled story that reveals who we are and our place in the universe. Science helps us realize that what we already know from the creation accounts resonates with the science we are learning. How do we engage scientific
perspectives in our congregational life—in adult forums, in the liturgy, in sermons and in caring for the neighbor? First, we do so with sound wisdom and prudence, according Proverbs: “The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understand- ing he established the heavens; by his knowledge the deeps broke open, and the clouds drop down the dew. My child, do not let these escape from your sight: keep sound wisdom and prudence, and they will be life for your soul and adornment for your neck” (3:19-22). Second, leaders can extend invi-
tations to scientists from within and outside their congregations to share wisdom about their disci- plines and how their scientific per- spectives shape their Christian faith and vice versa. Why not a series of adult forums on how the neurosci- ences shape Christian notions of embodiment, the soul and religious experience? Third, we can care for the neigh-
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