February 2013
In this issue:
New Faith and Science youth curriculum available online
LSTC wins Templeton teaching grant
Darwin’s birthday marked in congregations
Nebraska congregation completes SIC grant with biblical archaeology discussion
New Faith and Science youth curriculum available online
A faith & science curriculum for use among high school youth is now available on the faith and science web pages of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America: http://www.elca.org/What-We-Believe/Social-Issues/Faith-Science-and-Technology/Faith-and-Science-Youth-Curriculum.aspx.
The curriculum was developed as a joint project of the Zygon Center at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, the Lutheran Alliance for Faith, Science and Technology, and the former ELCA Church and Society program unit. The Rev. Dana Hendershot served as the primary drafter of the curriculum while a seminarian after several years in service as a youth minister. The goal was to give high school students an opportunity to “expand their understanding of God’s presence in everything.” The first session offers an understanding of the faith and science dialogue and is modeled on Ian Barbour’s famous approaches to the discussion. The other two focus on two specific areas of faith and science interplay--the human brain and extraterrestrial life.
The curriculum is available for free download and workshop session materials include links to YouTube videos and other helpful tools for stoking a dialogue that is not only thought-provoking for high school students but also fun.
LSTC wins Templeton teaching grant
The Zygon Center for Religion and Science at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (LSTC) received a $200,000 grant from the John Templeton Foundation.
The grant will be used to develop new curricula to teach religion and science in existing required courses. Under the leadership of Dr. Lea R. Schweitz, director of the Zygon Center, the 30-month “Teaching Religion and Science across the Seminary Curriculum” project will create resources and a replicable model for other seminaries to use.
The aim is to teach religious leaders to relate religious wisdom and scientific knowledge. It will also contribute to active efforts at the Lutheran School of Theology to revise the master’s level curricula.
"For 25 years, the Zygon Center has helped religious leaders address questions involving scientific knowledge. We will bring this experience into a renewed partnership with the excellent teaching faculty of LSTC," said Schweitz. "Religion and science raise profound questions of reality, meaning, and value, and each addresses those questions in different ways. Religious leaders frequently are called on to address them in faithful, creative ways. Through this partnership, we will help our graduates relate science and religion by bringing scientific questions into required courses in biblical studies, church history, systematic theology, spiritual formation, preaching, and ministry."
Darwin’s birthday marked in congregations
Designed to coincide with Charles Darwin’s birthday on February 12, Evolution Weekend (February 8 -10) has sparked reflection and recognition of religion and science across more than 550 congregations globally, according to the Clergy Letter Project. This year, Evolution Weekend participants represent over two dozen faith traditions and belief systems.
Michael Zimmerman started the effort in 2004 when he worked with clergy in Wisconsin to prepare a statement in support of teaching evolution. He says that the call to action was a series of anti-evolution policies passed by the school board in Grantsburg, Wisconsin. He had an overwhelming response from nearly 200 clergy that signed a statement in support of teaching of evolution that was sent to the school board and to the superintendent of schools. As a result of Zimmerman’s efforts and the support of others, the Grantsburg School Board retracted their anti-evolution policy.
More than 1,000 scientists on six continents, representing 31 countries, have signed on as consultants to the Clergy Letter Project. Zimmerman pointed out that “despite seemingly endless legislative initiatives to introduce creationism into the public schools of various states, religious leaders and scientist continue to work together to demonstrate that such activities demean religion while doing irreparable harm to science.”
Nebraska congregation completes SIC grant with biblical archaeology discussion
Archaeology of the Bible is the final lecture in a year-long series of events at the First Lutheran Church in Nebraska funded by the Scientists in Congregations Grant formed with funds from the John Templeton Foundation.
The church, located near the campus of Nebraska Wesleyan University, received a $30,000 grant and held four lectures on the topics of brain science, evolution, cosmology and now biblical archaeology. Called Growing in Faith through the Lens of Science, the project was led by Dean Sieglaff, Nebraska Wesleyan University associate professor of physics and astronomy. The idea was to provide a chance for people to strengthen belief and broaden knowledge by listening to a sincere and respectful dialogue between faith and science.
The final session was a lecture from Dr. Rami Arav, biblical archaeologist and professor in the Department of Philosophy and Religion at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. His presentation on February 11th was on “Bethsaida and What Biblical Archaeology Can and Cannot Do.” Arav has directed the excavation of the biblical city of Bethsaida since 1987. He is also the director of the John and Marol Merril expedition to the Cave of Letters.
Covalence, February 2013