January 2024 Newsletter
In this Clergy Letter Project update you’ll find the following seventeen items:
- Religion, Science and the Common Good;
- Astrobiology News for January 2024: Well, Not Really!;
- A Great Sermon for Religion and Science Weekend;
- 2023 Was the Hottest Year on Record – By a Huge Amount;
- Evolving Views of Evolution;
- The Grand Canyon, Evolution and Pope Francis;
- Pope Calls for New Direction in Theology and Science;
- The BioLogos Faith & Science Conference;
- Awe: A Vital Bridge Between Science and Worship;
- Right-Wing Christians and Climate Change;
- Religion and Politics in 2024;
- UU February 2024 Theme: Justice & Equity;
- US Extinctions in 2023;
- Tucker Carlson and a Flat Earth ;
- Building Bridges, Earning Trust: The Why and How of Public Trust in Science;
- Explaining Life Through Evolution; and
- Theory vs Fact in New Hampshire.
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):
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2. Astrobiology News for January 2024: Well, Not Really!
I’m sorry tp have to say so, but there isn’t a real Astrobiology News column this month. Grace Wolf-Chase needed a short break to catch up on some professional deadlines. She’ll be back next month and, like you, I look forward to reading what she has to say.
To help bridge the gap until the appearance of her next essay, I’m sharing a gift article from The Washington Post with you. This piece describes an odd advertisement sent out by the Lexington Convention and Visitors Bureau. They sent out a message, aimed at the star, 40 light-years away, known as TRAPPIST-1.
The article opens by saying,
If you were an alien from TRAPPIST-1, a star some 40 light-years away from Earth, searching for signs of intelligent life, you might spot an odd burst of infrared light coming from our solar system. If you were wily enough to infer that the infrared light was a message in binary code from another civilization, you might decipher it and piece together a pixelated image.
Then, if you — the alien — somehow understood English, you’d be able to read the message at the bottom: “Visit Lexington, Kentucky.”
You’ll remember that the TRAPPIST-1 system has seven Earthlike planets circling the central star. In any case, enjoy this piece while waiting for Grace’s return.
3. A Great Sermon for Religion and Science Weekend
The Rev. Steve Keplinger, Rector at Grace St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Tucson, AZ and a member of The Clergy Letter Project, has written a wonderful sermon that I think you’ll enjoy and find useful as you prepare for Religion and Science Weekend. I’ll quote just a small piece towards the end of his sermon to give you a flavor of what he has to say:
By honoring both science and religion, we have the chance to reunite the two elements of society that have caused the greatest segregation of our lifetime. By bringing them back together, we can work as one to find the ultimate truths of the universe and God. By showing us that the God born in Bethlehem is a God of all nations and all people, it holds the potential to end the bitter conflict that continues unabated in the Middle East today and across the globe.
Do take a look at the entire sermon; you won’t be disappointed. And let me take this opportunity to remind you to sign up for Religion and Science Weekend, if you’ve not yet done so, and to share any relevant sermon you might deliver with me.
4. 2023 Was the Hottest Year on Record – By a Huge Amount
You may well have seen the news that 2023 was, by far, the hottest year on record. Whether you’ve seen that news or not, you’ll want to take a look at this New York Times article discussing the issue. I hope you take particular note of the graph in the piece visually presenting just how extreme this past year was. (The link is to a gift article in The Times so even if you don’t have a subscription, you can read the article for free.)
The BBC also ran an article on the topic and I want to bring the comments of Dr. Petteri Taalas, the Secretary General of the World Meteorological Organization from 2016 and 2023, to your attention. His comments, "Extreme weather is destroying lives and livelihoods on a daily basis," echo those included in our Climate Crisis Letter. If you’ve not yet added your signature to that Letter, I hope this provides the incentive for you to do so. Just let me know and I’ll get you added.
5. Evolving Views of Evolution
Rabbi Daniel Swartz of Temple Hesed in Scranton, PA and a member of The Clergy Letter Project shared two items with me that are worthy of your time. The first is a piece he wrote for Evolve: Groundbreaking Jewish Conversations. It’s entitled “Evolving Views of Evolution” and presents a good overview of the evolutionary process while addressing the question, If evolution doesn’t inevitably lead to directional progress, where does meaning come from? I suspect that Daniel’s thoughts may well help you answer important questions posed by parishioners.
6. The Grand Canyon, Evolution and Pope Francis
The second piece that Rabbi Daniel Swartz shared with me is an outgrowth of the piece in item 5 above. This is a podcast on Evolve entitled “The Grand Canyon, Evolution and Pope Francis.” Rather than attempting to summarize what he had to say, I’ll simply share with you the great description from the Evolve website:
A rafting trip got Rabbi Daniel Swartz — a longtime environmental activist — thinking about the way the human experience relates to the processes of the natural world. How do people live absent the belief that things are getting better, and could quite possibly be getting much worse? How do we muster the resilience to try to make a difference — especially on Climate Change — while simultaneously preparing for real losses, both to the natural world and human civilization? The director of the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life talks about the philosophical and theological questions he’s wrestled with as he’s marshaled his energies toward activism. He demonstrates his philosophy in action, recalling a 2021 gathering of global religious leaders at the Vatican in which participants shaped an important statement on Climate Change. And he shares his impressions of meeting Pope Francis.
7. Pope Calls for New Direction in Theology and Science
Father Bob Carr, pastor at St. Anthony of Padua Parish in Allston, MA and a member of The Clergy Letter Project, has written an article for Newsbreak entitled “Pope Calls for New Direction in Theology and Science.” Here’s one short paragraph to give you a flavor of the piece:
The pontiff appears to call for an end to the split between faith and science. Historically understood to be rooted in the Protestant Reformation and elements of the Enlightenment, he called for both disciplines to come to a new understanding united in the pursuit of a charitable truth pursuing wisdom.
8. The BioLogos Faith & Science Conference
Our good friends at BioLogos have just opened registration for their 2024 Faith & Science Conference. The conference is scheduled for 17-19 April and you can read more about it as well as register to participate here.
9. Awe: A Vital Bridge Between Science and Worship
Drew Rick-Miller, the head of Science for the Church and a member of The Clergy Letter Project, has written a great essay on a topic I’ve addressed often in the past. The title, “Awe: A Vital Bridge Between Science and Worship” explains his main thesis. Do take a look.
10. Right-Wing Christians and Climate Change
The title of an article recently published by Truthout says it all: “Right-Wing Christians Are Making Climate Apocalypse a Self-Fulfilling Prophecy.” Read it and then push back by adding your signature to our Climate Crisis Letter, if you’ve not already done so.
11. Religion and Politics in 2024
The Conversation just published an interesting article entitled “How religion and politics will mix in 2024 – three trends to track.” The three trends, broadly defined, are labelled: “End-times Rhetoric,” “Divine Mandate,” and “White Supremacy and Christian Nationalism.”
12. UU February 2024 Theme: Justice & Equity
Sara Steelman, the worship service coordinator at First Unitarian Universalist Church of Indiana, PA and a member of The Clergy Letter Project, brought to my attention that “the UU Soul Matters (a UUA monthly resource for worship planners) suggested theme for February is Justice and Equity, and obviously environmental justice is a natural topic.” This would be a perfect way to celebrate Religion and Science Weekend. If you agree, sign your congregation up to be listed as a 2024 participant.
13. US Extinctions in 2023
A total of 21 US species were declared extinct in 2023. This amazing and depressing number includes one mammal (the Little Mariana fruit bat), 10 birds, two fish, and eight mussels. You can scan the full list at a recent US Fish and Wildlife press release. And you can read more about these extinctions, how we might grieve for them, and what we can do in this article published in The Guardian. That piece quotes Carl Safina, ecologist and popularizer of science on the demise of these 21 species. The Guardian notes:
The Endangered Species Act has helped bring some species – such as the bald eagle – back from the brink. “But in some ways, the ESA is like having an emergency room and intensive care unit, without providing regular immunizations and check-ups,” said Safina.
The scope of the extinction crisis, he said, “is completely overwhelming to the capacity of the human mind to actually know and understand.”
Amid a worsening climate crisis and rapid deforestation and habitat loss, nearly all of nature needs urgent action and protection. It is nearly impossible for us to fathom how quickly, how many species are disappearing, Safina added. “And so the endeavour of stopping this crisis becomes more of a religious kind of experience than a scientific one, in a sense, more moral than practical.”
If nothing else, I hope this depressing news encourages you to add your signature to our Climate Crisis Letter, if you haven’t yet done so.
14. Tucker Carlson and a Flat Earth
If you imagine that I’m not a Tucker Carlson fan, you’d be correct! Nonetheless, on behalf of The Clergy Letter Project and modern science, I occasionally pay attention to what he has to say. Even though his audience has shrunk enormously since his departure from Fox, there are still far too many people who listen to him and take what he as to say seriously. Here's an example of why I pay attention – and why you should as well. This piece explains how Tucker has said that he’s open to the idea that the Earth is flat. Yup, you read that correctly. Frightening, especially if many of his viewers adopt his position. You can help push back against this ridiculous position by encouraging friends and colleagues to join The Clergy Letter Project and by participating in Religion and Science Weekend.
15. Building Bridges, Earning Trust: The Why and How of Public Trust in Science
Ted Peters, pastor at Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church in Tiburon, CA, emeritus professor of Systematic Theology at Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary and a member of The Clergy Letter Project, shared the following with me:
Along with other scholars, I participated in one of the Aspen Institute's panels. These days scientists are feeling a bit forlorn, marginalized, untrusted. Why? Mistrust has arisen out of political rivalry, misinformation, and, most fearsomely, disinformation.
Regardless of the personal ethics of any given scientist, the morality of knowledge aspired to by the scientific community includes sober interpretation of data combined with honest and verifiable truth-telling. Religious confreres should celebrate the high standard scientists set for themselves. Here's a passage from the Aspen report for us to consider.
"Focus on deliberate disinformation, which is highly organized and produces victims. Core strategies for combating disinformation include connecting local journalists with scientists, cracking down at the point of amplification, and creating an emotionally appealing counter narrative."
Perhaps this coming Religion and Science Weekend, February 9-11, 2024, our congregations could affirm the trustworthiness of scientific ideals as well as our society's desperate need for the truths about the natural world only scientists can deliver.
16. Explaining Life Through Evolution
The latest issue of Reports of the National Center for Science Education is now available for free online. While there’s plenty of interest included in this issue, I want to particularly bring your attention to two book reviews in it: Explaining Life Through Evolution by Prosanta Chakrabarty; and The Parrot and the Igloo: Climate and the Science of Denial by David Lipsky.
17. Theory vs Fact in New Hampshire
Our good friends at the National Center for Science Education reported on a draft bill in New Hampshire that could have serious implications for the teaching of evolution. The bill would prohibit educators throughout the state from teaching any theory as fact. (My reading of the bill leaves me confused about whether it applies to the state’s colleges and universities or only to pre-college institutions.) While no scientist would ever confuse theory with fact, this sort of language has often been used as a way of limiting the teaching of evolution and/or as a means of introducing creationist topics. Although the proposed legislation will probably not move forward, it is well worth watching to see what happens.
Concluding Thoughts
You may have noticed that this month’s newsletter includes a large number of pieces written by members of The Clergy Letter Project. I hope you’ve enjoyed many of them. I am deeply appreciative of all who have sent me their thoughts and I encourage more of you to do so.
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