December 2023 Newsletter
In this Clergy Letter Project update you’ll find the following seventeen items:
- Religion, Science and the Common Good;
- Astrobiology News for December 2023: Geysers and the Search for Habitable Exoplanets;
- A Primer on Religion and Science Weekend;
- 15 Answers to Creationist Nonsense;
- Spirituality in America;
- Lambeth Conference Promotes Science and Faith;
- What Religion and Science Weekend Means to Anglicans;
- Alive on Planet Earth;
- Why Trust Science?;
- Eating Our Way to Conservation;
- Creationism in Texas;
- Israel and Hamas: Some Hopeful Thoughts;
- "But we're supposed to be righteous";
- Religious Considerations of AI;
- Six Planets Stably Orbiting a Nearby Sun-Like Star;
- Creationism in Alabama; and
- 2024 Books with Faith and Science Themes.
1. Religion, Science and the Common Good
Religion, Science and the Common Good
Religion and Science Weekend 2024
9-11 February 2024
As we approach Religion and Science Weekend 2024, many of you who are planning to participate have not yet signed up to do so. Please, if you intend to participate but haven’t yet signed up, do so now. Over the years, we’ve reached well over one million congregants directly with our message of the power that religion and science, working together, can muster to make a better world. Please help us continue to expand this critical message – particularly at a time when religion seems to be increasingly defined by narrow fundamentalist perspectives and science is being demeaned as just another type of ideology. Together we can demonstrate how religion and science can improve the common good.
_____ I’m excited by this theme! Please sign me up to participate in Religion and Science Weekend 2024.
Name of Congregation (or other group):
Location:
Your Name:
2. Astrobiology News for December 2023: Geysers and the Search for Habitable Exoplanets
In this month’s Astrobiology News essay, Grace Wolf-Chase, Senior Scientist and Senior Education & Communication Specialist at the Planetary Science Institute as well as a Clergy Letter Project consultant, discusses the search for habitable planets and explores how we might find some with subsurface oceans.
The search for habitable environments outside of our Solar System isn’t confined to exoplanets that may have surface water oceans. While Earth is the only world in our Solar System to harbor a surface ocean presently, there are several worlds with subsurface oceans, and there is growing interest in exoplanets that may harbor potentially habitable subsurface oceans.(1) This begs the question, how would you go about detecting a subsurface ocean on a world beyond our Solar System?
A NASA science team led by Dr. Lynnae Quick, a scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, recently identified 17 exoplanets that could harbor oceans of liquid water beneath icy shells.(2) The team’s recent paper describes how geysers might be observed on two of these exoplanets.(3) Excitingly, one of them is Proxima Centauri b, an exoplanet that orbits the star closest to our Sun at a distance of “merely” 4.2 light years!
Geysers have been observed on Europa and Enceladus, icy ocean worlds in our Solar System that are internally heated by tidal interactions with the planets they orbit (Jupiter and Saturn, respectively). The analyses conducted by Dr. Quick and her colleagues predict the aforementioned 17 exoplanets may receive enough internal heating from the decay of radioactive elements and tidal forces from their host stars to maintain subsurface oceans. Surface temperatures of the exoplanets combined with estimates of the total internal heating allowed the team to estimate the thickness of the ice layer for each exoplanet. By comparing these figures to Europa, they estimated the expected level of geyser activity on each of the 17 exoplanets.(3)
Proxima Centauri b and LHS 1140 b, which is 49 light years away, are good candidates for the possible telescopic detection of geysers. The rate of geyser activity on these worlds could exceed geyser activity on Europa by hundreds to thousands of times. Geyser activity might be detected on Proxima Centauri b, which does not transit (pass in front of) its star, through changes in the exoplanet’s reflectivity during its orbit. The prospects for LHS 1140 b, which does transit its star, are even more exciting, as it might be possible to evaluate the exoplanet’s habitability potential by analyzing the chemical composition of water vapor from its absorption of starlight during transit.
Lest the discussion of exoplanets and habitability become seemingly mundane, it behooves us to remember the remarkable technology that makes these observations and discoveries possible. Although LHS 1140 b is metaphorically in our backyard in terms of interstellar distances, it is roughly 730,000 times more distant than Europa. Something to think about while sipping that holiday aperitif!
Wishing you all joyful holidays and a Happy New Year!
Until 2024,
Grace
Grace Wolf-Chase (she/her/hers) (gwolfchase@gmail.com)
Senior Scientist & Senior Education & Communication Specialist, Planetary Science Institute (www.psi.edu/about/staffpage/gwchase)
Vice President, Center for Advanced Study in Religion and Science (CASIRAS: www.casiras.org)
1. https://www.nasa.gov/specials/ocean-worlds/
2. https://www.nasa.gov/science-research/planetary-science/astrobiology/nasa-some-icy-exoplanets-may-have-habitable-oceans-and-geysers/
3. https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-4357/ace9b6
3. A Primer on Religion and Science Weekend
February 2024 will be the 19th year that Religion and Science Weekend (first as Evolution Sunday, then as Evolution Weekend, and now as Religion and Science Weekend) has been celebrated. Because of its success and longevity, I assumed that virtually everything to be known about it was known. I was surprised, therefore, by the questions I’ve been receiving about various aspects of the weekend. For that reason, I’m using this opportunity to provide answers to what I’ve seen as the most pressing questions. If, after reading what follows, you still have a question that remains unanswered, please contact me and I’ll get back to you quickly.
Where is Religion and Science Weekend 2024 being held?
Religion and Science Weekend is a distributed event with events occurring in congregations (or similar venues) all around the world. There is no central location.
What’s the purpose of Religion and Science Weekend?
Religion and Science Weekend is an opportunity for congregations (or similar venues) to discuss the compatibility of religion and science. By spending some time on the issue, it is possible to move past sound bites and meaningfully delve into the subject.
When is Religion and Science Weekend 2024?
Religion and Science Weekend 2024 is scheduled for 9-11 February 2024. However, because the events are more important than the date, some congregations (or similar venues) will be holding their events on a different date due to scheduling conflicts.
What sorts of events take place on Religion and Science Weekend?
Any activity that a local congregation (or similar venue) deems appropriate is appropriate! Over the years, events have included sermons, lunch discussions, Sunday (or Saturday) school classes, guest speakers, videos, notices in weekly bulletins, nature walks, panel discussions, book discussions, and much more.
Is it a requirement that our event specifically address the theme selected by members?
Although members annually vote for a theme for Religion and Science Weekend, and although I share resources related to that theme, there is no requirement that the theme be a focus for any locale. As long as a congregation (or similar venue) focuses on the relationship between religion and science in some way they are welcome to be listed as a participant.
How do I list my congregation (or similar venue) as a participant?
Simply drop me a note indicating that you want to be listed and I’ll add you to our website.
Is there a minimum size required for participation?
No, all groups, large and small, are welcome to participate.
If I want to participate as an individual, what should I do?
Check out our website and find an event near you. (Call or write to check on their specific date and time.) Show up and you’ll be warmly welcomed.
Why do you keep saying “congregation (or similar venue)?
Every year a number of groups not formally associated with a religious institution participate. We welcome such groups and hope more join us.
4. 15 Answers to Creationist Nonsense
With attacks on science increasing and with a creationist as Speaker of the House, it seems like an appropriate time to provide some timeless ammunition that can be used against the nonsense of creationism. Here, then, is a piece published in Scientific American in 2002.
5. Spirituality in America
Religion Unplugged has recently published an article discussing a Pew Research study on spirituality in America. The piece, like the underlying study, is fascinating. NumLock has provided the following review of the study:
All told, 58 percent of Americans consider themselves “religious,” and 70 percent of Americans consider themselves “spiritual,” and because there’s a pretty large but not total overlap there, a new survey found that 22 percent of Americans consider themselves “spiritual, but not religious.” This is an interesting slice of the American population: They’re more likely to say that animals other than humans have a soul compared to those who are both religious and spiritual (78 percent versus 56 percent) as well as more likely to say that parts of nature, places like graveyards, and objects like jewels or stones can have spirits or spiritual energies. They’re much less likely to believe in the God of the Bible (just 20 percent do) and much more likely to back a more ambiguous higher power or force in the universe (73 percent), and often have a more negative view of organized religion.
6. Lambeth Conference Promotes Science and Faith
When Anglican bishops met in 2022 for the annual Lambeth Conference they noted that “the perception of a rift between science and faith should be laid to rest in every part of our Anglican Communion over the coming critical decade.” At that meeting, ten Calls were issued including the Call on Science and Faith. You can read more about the importance of this Call and its details here.
7. What Religion and Science Weekend Means to Anglicans
The Reverend Geoffrey Woodcroft, Anglican Bishop of Rupert’s Land in Canada, and a member of The Clergy Letter Project, was quoted in a recent article in the Anglican Journal about the positive relationship between religion and science. In his comments, he explained how positive an event Religion and Science Weekend (then known as Evolution Weekend) was when he was a parish priest at St. Paul’s Anglican Church, Fort Garry in Winnipeg. You can read the full article here.
8. Alive on Planet Earth
I thought you might enjoy watching this very short (less than 3 minutes) video highlighting the amazing planet on which we live – and what natural wonders are at risk from climate change. Enjoy!
9. Why Trust Science?
Temple Adas Israel, as part of the Scientists in Synagogues program, hosted a discussion between Dr. Naomi Oreskes and Rabbi Dan Geffen. Naomi is a professor of history of science at Harvard University and the co-author of Merchants of Doubt as well as The Big Myth: How American Business Taught Us to Loathe Government and Love the Free Market. Dan is the rabbi at Temple Adas Israel and a member of The Clergy Letter Project. At a time when science is increasingly under attack, their conversation, entitled “Why Trust Science,” is both critically important and enlightening.
10. Eating Our Way to Conservation
The Reverend Judy Young, a retired United Methodist minister and a member of The Clergy Letter Project, has a monthly column in the Gettysburg Times. Her November column is entitled “Eating Our Way to Conservation” and is fully in keeping with the sentiments expressed in our Climate Crisis Letter. Take a look and add your signature to our letter if it’s not already there.
11. Creationism in Texas
The State Board of Education in Texas has again promoted non-scientific ideas, particularly with respect to evolution and climate change, in their approval process of science textbooks. This article from the Austin American-Statesman, written prior to the vote, provides good information on the background and process associated with the vote. It includes a statement from a Board member who, arguing that there are alternative theories to evolution, said that “Children should be able to make up their own opinion, form their own opinion on both theories.”
Our good friends at the National Center for Science Education have collected responses to the vote that are well worth reading. The responses included an editorial by the San Antonio Express-News that stated, "It's painfully obvious that the SBOE's [State Board of Education’s] opposition to seven of the 12 proposed science textbooks was due to politics and religion."
12. Israel and Hamas: Some Hopeful Thoughts
Rabbi Maurice Harris, a member of The Clergy Letter Project, has a very interesting blog entitled “The Accidental Rabbi.” I’m taking this opportunity to share two of his recent posts with you. The first is entitled “Delivering the Knockout Punch” and it offers a hopeful perspective on how the Israel/Hamas conflict might end positively. Yes, it’s a long-shot, but his thoughtful ideas are worth reviewing and working towards.
13. "But we're supposed to be righteous"
Following on the last item, here’s the second article from Rabbi Maurice Harris. In this piece he addresses some of the historical roots of the present Israel/Hamas situation and asks, “What does it mean to be righteous.” While his piece does not provide answers, it certainly does raise provocative issues.
14. Religious Considerations of AI
Rabbi Jeanine Jankovitz, Rabbi at Congregation Beth El-Ner Tamid in Broomall, PA and a member of The Clergy Letter Project, has written a fascinating essay as part of the Scientists in Synagogues Program. Her essay discusses the religious considerations of artificial intelligence. Take a look; you won’t be disappointed.
15. Six Planets Stably Orbiting a Nearby Sun-Like Star
The Washington Post reports on a recent paper published in Nature that details the discovery of six planets orbiting a “nearby” Sun-like star. Although the planets are unlikely to be habitable, their discovery “could provide a breakthrough in the understanding of how planets form and why there are so many between the sizes of Earth and Neptune, a class known as ‘sub Neptunes’ that is astoundingly common in our galaxy.”
16. Creationism in Alabama
Our good friends at the National Center for Science Education report that the Alabama Board of Education will continue to require science textbooks in the state to have an insert declaring that “evolution by natural selection” is a controversial topic. It’s amazing, and depressing, that we’re still indoctrinating students in this manner!
17. 2024 Books with Faith and Science Themes
Covalence Magazine, a publication of the Lutheran Alliance for Faith, Science and Technology, has put together a list of upcoming and recently published books with faith and science themes. The books are grouped in the following categories: Sustainability and Faith; Astrobiology; and Faith, Science and the Common Good. Note that the last category may well offer some perfect advice for the theme of Religion and Science Weekend 2024.
Concluding Thoughts
As we move from Hanukkah to Christmas and then to the new year, I hope you all are able to find some time for spiritual reflection as well as finding the opportunity to take action locally and globally to help build better, safer, and greener communities. I hope, together, we can find ways to bring people together, to tone down the extreme rhetoric we’ve been seeing, and to recognize that facts are more important than opinions.
I wish all of you a healthy, happy and productive new year, and I thank you for all you do.
Finally, as I do every month, I urge you to take one simple action. Please share this month’s Newsletter with a colleague or two (or post a link via any social media platform you use) and ask them to add their voices to those promoting a deep and meaningful understanding between religion and science. They can add their signatures to one of our Clergy Letters simply by dropping me a note at mz@theclergyletterproject.org. Spread the word; change the world. Together we are making a difference.
Michael
Michael Zimmerman
Founder and Executive Director
The Clergy Letter Project
www.theclergyletterproject.org
mz@theclergyletterproject.org