Greetings, WesleyNexus Colleagues:
September always feels like an in-between time. Summer is almost over but Fall seems to be not quite here. Vacation is over but school and the regularities of the work week have not quite set in. Even traffic patterns seem uncertain. Methodism, as we have noted in this newsletter in previous months, is likewise in an in-between state. When it comes to where the church is relative to the science and religion dialog, ditto. The Global Methodist Church has a single sentence of belief addressing the subject here (see Section 2, 202, #4) and the United Methodist Church has an entire section on the natural world here. Tom Oord’s article in Biologos “Nazarenes on Evolution” in 2014 presented the challenges evolution brings to the Nazarene church. In this issue of the WesleyNexus Newsletter, we do not try to argue for any answers to this dilemma. Instead we want to highlight resources which we have used throughout the years. Some, such as IRAS and Biologos are regular go-to platforms (note: IRAS has provided financial support to WesleyNexus programs) and others less frequently used. Down the Wormhole is a newly discovered site that was a spin-off of an interfaith fellowship. It is a collection of podcasts interviewing scientists, clergy, writers, and thinkers on topics related to what it means to be religious in a dynamic and uncertain time.
The organizations listed below reflect a broad range of ideas and approaches. We hope you find them useful and hope you come back to this newsletter again as questions come to mind.
Contents:
BWARM/B-WC MFSA Annual Event with God’s Foolish One Awards
First Annual Kent Weaver Lecture – October 29, 2022 – Dr. William D. Phillips, Nobel Laureate
Science and Religion Web Resources:
Discovery and Faith
The Institute on Religion in an Age of Science (IRAS)
American Scientific Affiliation
Down the Wormhole
Sinai and Synapses
Lutheran Alliance for Faith, Science and Technology
Biologos
Faraday Institute for Science and Religion
International Society for Science and Religion (ISSR)
Dialog on Science, Ethics and Religion (DOSER)
Closer to Truth
From Being the Church in a Post-Pandemic World by Kay Ketan
Thanks continue to go out to our generous contributors. We encourage you to share comments, articles and insights that will help us all weather these difficult times.
Blessings,
Rick Barr and the rest of the WesleyNexus team
****************************************************************************************************
BWARM/B-WC MFSA Annual Event with God’s Foolish One Awards
Join us on Saturday, September 17 at 10am at Trinity UMC in Frederick, MD OR tune in to the livestream
The B-WC chapter of Methodist Federation for Social Action (MFSA) & Baltimore-Washington Area Reconciling Methodists (BWARM) invite you to join us for our annual gathering and awarding of this year’s God’s Foolish One awards. We will have worship, the awards, updates from both organizations, and a time to join together in meal. RSVP is requested but not required. RSVP here
We are glad to welcome Rev. Enger Muteteke as the morning’s preacher. Rev. Muteteke serves as Senior Director, Programs and Education at the General Commission on Religion and Race of the United Methodist Church and she is an ordained Elder in the Baltimore-Washington Conference.
God’s Foolish One awards are given annually by the BWC Chapter of MFSA to one lay and one clergy person who have made themselves “fools for Christ” through their actions in the community doing justice. Our scriptural basis is from 1 Corinthians 1:27, “But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.”
LUNCH: You are invited to bring a bagged lunch. Drinks and desserts will be provided. There will be space to gather inside or outside as desired.
RSVP: Please RSVP here so we can help get an idea on headcount.
WHAT: BWARM/B-WC MFSA Annual Event with God’s Foolish One Awards
WHEN: September 17, 10am-11:30am for worship, awards and a few announcements from BWARM & MFSA, followed by lunch at 11:30am. Doors open at 9:30am.
WHERE: In person: Trinity UMC in Frederick – 703 West Patrick Street, Frederick, MD 21701
Livestream: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTY5ycVBfzXm3D6rbn8s_lA
Copyright © 2022 Baltimore-Washington Chapter of the Methodist Federation for Social Action, All rights reserved.
****************************************************************************************************
First Annual Kent Weaver Lecture – October 29, 2022 – Dr. William D. Phillips, Nobel Laureate
Kent Weaver was born to a Methodist couple, baptized as an infant at Metropolitan Memorial Methodist Church in Washington DC, participated in Methodist Youth programs, enrolled and graduated from a Methodist College, and served as a leader in virtually every capacity for some forty years in his Methodist congregations in the BWCUMC. Moreover, he served as Treasurer of the Wesley Nexus organization since its incorporation until his death in May 2020. In his honor, the WesleyNexus board collaborated with the congregation at National United Methodist Church to establish an annual lectureship to perpetuate his commitments. Then the pandemic hit and everything closed down for more than a year. But now, on October 29, 2022, the first annual lecture in Science and Religion will he hosted at Metropolitan United Methodist Church, 3401 Nebraska Avenue=, NW, Washington DC, across the road from The American University. The event, October 29, a Saturday afternoon, begins with a reception at 4:30 pm, the lecture begins at 5:00 followed by a Q & A period, and comes to a close at 6:30 so that persons with Saturday evening commitments can keep them.
The lecture by Dr. William D. Phillips, Nobel Laureate in Physics and a long time director at the National Institute on Standards and Technology, will be open to all and is meant for an inquisitive lay audience. Dress will be summer casual, and pre-registration will be appreciated but not required. The event will not be live streamed. The event will be free with donations voluntary.
Pre-registration is requested (register online here). You may also copy information found here and email the filled out form to WesleyNexusNewsletter@gmail.com or print the online .pdf form and mailing it to the address provided.
****************************************************************************************************
Discovery and Faith
****************************************************************************************************
The Institute on Religion in an Age of Science (IRAS)
IRAS is an international society of learners and thinkers, natural and social scientists, philosophers, theologians and people from many other backgrounds and professions. IRAS cultivates a community of informed and respectful inquiry and dialogue at the intersections of science with religion, spirituality and philosophy in service of global, societal and personal well-being.
IRAS Webinar Series
For 65 years, The Institute on Religion in an Age of Science (IRAS) has held summer Conferences on Star Island, off the coast of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Due to the pandemic, we had to postpone our 2020 Star Island conference until the summer of 2021. In order to continue to engage with IRAS themes and the IRAS community, with Star Island’s generous support, we launched a live webinar series: Science, Religion, & Society.
https://www.iras.org/webinar-series.html
IRAS October Webinar:
Reclaiming the comparative perspective: the fecund ironies of perspectivalism”
With Dr. Tinu Ruparell, associate professor in comparative religion at the University of Calgary
October 12, 2022, at 4:00 pm Central time, 5:00 Eastern time
Presentation Overview:
Given the hybridity characteristic of all people, both biologically/genetically, as well as – increasingly – culturally and (crucially) in terms of our identities, how are the liminal, interstitial perspectives we inhabit related to questions of truth and ethics? Do our complex, narrative, and socially negotiated identities so problematise our ability to clarify questions of truth and morality that we are left flailing in the dark in the face of a fractured, post-truth society? Far from arguing either for a ‘view from nowhere,’ nor the deracinated capitulation characteristic of the so-called ‘spiritual but not religious’, in this presentation I propose a version of perspectivalism built on the paraconsistent logic of the Jaina doctrine of ‘anekantavada’ (no one view), and the mature, ironic pragmatism of Richard Rorty. In this context, I argue that religion as asocial technology may reveal rich and fruitful forms of life responsive to our current aporia.
Presentation Background:
Dr. Tinu Ruparell is an associate professor in the comparative philosophy of religion at the University of Calgary. After his first degree in microbiology and graduate research in physiology, he moved to philosophy, eventually earning his doctorate in cross-cultural hermeneutics. Philosophising across boundaries remains a focus of his research, be that boundaries between scientific and religious cultures, or between European and Indian traditions. Before coming to the University of Calgary, he taught at Liverpool Hope University, where he was inaugural co-chair of their Centre for the Study of Science and Religion, and the University of Cambridge. He publishes in the areas of comparative and interreligious philosophy, Indian philosophy, and medical humanities.
The IRAS webinar is FREE, but registration is required:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_oEY8xIOSQZCNCFxQtY7Pug
****************************************************************************************************
American Scientific Affiliation
The American Scientific Affiliation, or ASA, was founded in 1941 as an international network of Christians in the sciences. As scientists, members of the ASA take part in humanity’s exploration of nature, its laws, and how it works. As Christians, ASAers want to know not just how the universe operates and came into being, but why it exists in the first place.
Why are we here, and why seemingly alone among all creatures do humans possess the qualities required for scientific research — like curiosity, creativity, and a sense of purpose? When and how did we become this way, and what does that say about our relationship with God?
Resource: God and Nature
Sandpipers and Theology by Sy Garte
https://godandnature.asa3.org/garte-sandpipers.html
****************************************************************************************************
Down the Wormhole
What does it mean for someone to be a religious person? How does that identity inform their relationship to science? Can you believe in God and be a good scientist? Why are scientific topics like evolution, geologic time, and climate change, controversial for some people? Does God enter into time, and if so, whose time? Does archaeology disprove the Bible? Has religion made the world better or worse? Is technology amplifying bias? Where are the indigenous voices? How do you teach science to religious people? How do you teach religion in public schools? Should intelligent design have a seat at the table? Has science made the world better or worse? Is social media destroying society? Can we explain away religious experiences with neuroscience? What does machine ethics have to do with religion? Do we have a right to die?
Oh, and one more question…
Are you in?
https://www.downthewormhole.com/p/about-1560458624/
****************************************************************************************************
Sinai and Synapses
Sinai and Synapses offers people a worldview that is both scientifically grounded and spiritually uplifting. It provides tools and language for learning and living to those who see science as their ally as they pursue personal growth and the repair of our world.
Sacred Science
A Blessing in Space: A Conversation with Michael Kaplan
www.sinaiandsynapses.org/content/a-blessing-in-space-a-conversation-with-michael-kaplan/
****************************************************************************************************
Lutheran Alliance for Faith, Science and Technology: https://www.luthscitech.org/
The Lutheran Alliance for Faith, Science, and Technology is an Independent Lutheran organization dedicated to expanding awareness, encouraging conversation, and promoting action regarding the implications of science and technology for Christian faith and life.
Issues of concern the Alliance discusses
include:
• Environmental stewardship
• Genetics and genetic engineering
• Creation and evolution
• Technology and ethics
• Brain science and faith
• Cosmology
• Religious education
• Worship in a scientific and technological age
Publication: Covalence
Covalence for August: Swimming in the deep end by Susan Barreto
www.luthscitech.org/covalence-for-august-swimming-in-the-deep-end/
****************************************************************************************************
Dialog on Science, Ethics and Religion (DOSER)
The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) seeks to advance science and to relate scientific knowledge and technological development to the purposes and concerns of society at large. AAAS believes that the scientific community must be in dialogue with the full range of religious communities in order to understand the cultural context within which science operates and to respond to the societal issues opened up by scientific discovery and technological development. In this light, AAAS established the Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion (DoSER) program in 1995 to establish a uniquely credible forum for robust scientific engagement with a wide range of religious publics.
www.sciencereligiondialogue.org/
Awe & Wonder: Scientists Reflect on Their Vocations
www.sciencereligiondialogue.org/resources/awe-wonder-scientists-reflect-on-their-vocations-2/
****************************************************************************************************
Biologos
BioLogos explores God’s Word and God’s World to inspire authentic faith for today.
Our vision is faith and science working hand in hand.
Core Values
Christ-centered Faith — We embrace the historical Christian faith, upholding the authority and inspiration of the Bible.
Rigorous Science — We affirm the established findings of modern science, celebrating the wonders of God’s creation.
Gracious Dialogue — We strive for humble and thoughtful dialogue with those who hold other views, speaking the truth in love.
Video: Reprogramming Humanity
From the smartphones in our pockets, to cutting-edge techniques in gene editing, the tools of science are creating technological breakthroughs that change our world—and even ourselves.
https://biologos.org/reprogramming-humanity-a-closer-look-at-technology-and-ethics
****************************************************************************************************
Faraday Institute for Science and Religion
The Faraday Institute for Science and Religion is a Cambridge-based interdisciplinary research institute improving public understanding of science and religion. Its main focus is on the relationship between science and the Christian faith, but it also engages with those of any faith or none.
www.faraday.cam.ac.uk/about/overview/
Video: Understanding Time | A conversation with Professor David Wilkinson
The Science and Religion Debate: An Introduction by John Polkinghorne
****************************************************************************************************
International Society for Science and Religion (ISSR)
The relationship between science and religion has been a complicated one over the last century or two, and one that has attracted enormous public interest. Many of us believe that there is no necessary incompatibility between the two, and that they can be brought into fruitful dialogue.
Members of the Society examine the relationship between science and religion from the perspective of many different disciplines, and our membership includes scientists, theologians, historians, philosophers and others. As an international society, we are very conscious that we live in a pluralistic world, including a great diversity of religions, as well as many different sciences. We aim to make the Society as representative of this cultural diversity as possible.
ISSR Blogs
Science and Religion Per Se by John John L. Schellenberg
www.issr.org.uk/blog/february-2022-blog-post/
****************************************************************************************************
Closer to Truth
Closer To Truth presents the world’s greatest thinkers exploring humanity’s deepest questions. Discover fundamental issues of existence. Engage new and diverse ways of thinking. Appreciate intense debates. Share your own opinions. Seek your own answers.
Season 20
Art delights us, but how so and why? Art brings pleasure, but is art also more? What sorts of discoveries can an encounter with art facilitate? Can art provide insight into consciousness, human uniqueness, meaning, religion, realities beyond the physical, God? Closer To Truth explores these topics and more in a new 10-part PBS TV series, Art Seeking Understanding.
https://closertotruth.com/episodes/season-20
Do Science and Religion Clash?
Must science and theology conflict? Or together reveal deep reality? Does only science give truth? Is theology archaic? What’s best for big answers? Science alone? Or science and theology combined?
https://closertotruth.com/topics/cosmos/science-and-religion
****************************************************************************************************
From Being the Church in a Post-Pandemic World by Kay Ketan (p. 5)
The time between one season ending (pre-Covid) and a new season beginning (post-Covid) is referred to as a liminal time. In Susan Beaumont’s book, How to Lead When You Don’t Know Where You’re Going,[1] she writes:
Liminality refers to a quality of ambiguity or disorientation that occurs during transition. It is described as a time when a person or group of people is in between something that has ended and something else that is not yet ready to begin. Transition experiences follow a predictable pattern that involves separation, liminality, and reorientation.
We know the church as we knew it before the pandemic no longer exists. Yet, we do not know what the church of the future will be. One thing we know for sure is that it will be different. It needs to be different. In fact, it has to be different! If we are to be the church to reach new people, we must show up in different and new ways. We must shed the methods that no longer serve the church and be open to being the church in new (and yet to be determined) ways. After we exit the stage of liminality, we will begin the time of reorientation.