June 2021 Newsletter
In this Clergy Letter Project update you’ll find the following fourteen items:
- Free Book Offer: Christian Sex Today;
- Astrobiology News for June 2021: Astrobiology, the Anthropocene, and Planetary Intelligence;
- Preliminary Call for Evolution Weekend 2022 Themes;
- Nature and the Common Good;
- Richard Rohr on Evolution;
- Zooniverse Needs Your Help;
- Evolution in Middle Schools;
- When Scientists Experience Awe;
- Decoding Science;
- Marjorie Taylor Greene and Evolution;
- Rev. Pan Conrad Featured on CNN for Mars Work;
- Good News from Maine:
- Miss the DoSER Celebration Conference? It’s Now On-Line: and
- Covalence for June: Raising the Faith and Science Profile.
1. Free Book Offer: Christian Sex Today
The Reverend Jason John, a minister of the Uniting Church in Australia and a member of The Clergy Letter Project, is the author of a new book entitled Christian Sex Today: Lessons from Moses, Paul, Jesus & Darwin.
The publisher describes the book as providing “an exploration of how contemporary Christians can respond to the complex realities of how sex can be discussed, affirmed, celebrated and lived by people for whom the Jesus tradition promises life in its fullness, whether they are young, old, single, engaged, gay, married, divorced or widowed.
“Jason John brings to the task rare combinations of theology, biblical scholarship and academic qualifications in zoology. These gifts enable him to trace the evolution of sex over billions of years, its varied and different expressions, the development of its function within societies as life - including the human species - adapted to changing conditions and the pressures of survival and growth.”
The Reverend Rex A.E. Hunt, a member of The Clergy Letter Project, said the following about the book: “Sex, evolution and the Bible… For some Christians, those three words should never be together in the same religious sentence. But Jason John (thank goodness) has put them there – and all with raw and open honesty. I await the prayers and bonfires!”
Dr. Tim Cadman, research fellow at Griffith University, noted that “In an era of fundamentalism and fake news, it’s refreshing to read a Christian perspective on Creation informed by science and infused with humour.”
Jason has generously provided a number of copies of the book for members of The Clergy Letter Project who might find it useful in preparing for Evolution Weekend 2022. If this describes you, let me know and I’ll award a free copy (you pay for postage and handling) to every fourth person requesting a copy until all are claimed.
______ Yes, I’d love a free copy of this book and I agree to pay $4 for postage and handling if selected to receive one.
_______ And, yes, I plan to participate in Evolution Weekend 2022
Name:
Congregation or similar group:
Location:
______ I don’t need a copy of the book but I do plan to participate in Evolution Weekend 2022. Please add me to the list of participants.
Name:
Congregation or similar group:
Location:
2. Astrobiology News for June 2021: Astrobiology, the Anthropocene, and Planetary Intelligence
In this month’s Astrobiology News Grace Wolf-Chase, Senior Scientist and Senior Education & Communication Specialist at the Planetary Science Institute as well as a Clergy Letter Project consultant, summarizes some of the highlights from David Grinspoon’s recent CASIRAS webinar. Read her thoughts and then watch David’s full presentation.
If you were unable to catch David Grinspoon’s CASIRAS webinar, The Emergence of Planetary Intelligence: Astrobiology and the Anthropocene Earth, earlier this month, I urge you to check it out on YouTube!(1) I’ll try to summarize some of the highlights here, but I can’t possibly do justice to David’s wonderful delivery, or the breadth of content, in a few paragraphs. One of the central questions David posed was, “Could intelligence, like life, become a planetary property?”
In addressing this question, David noted four types of processes that result in major changes on a planet (in this case, we’re speaking of Earth): (1) Random; (2) Biological; (3) Inadvertent; and (4) Intentional. Asteroid impacts - such as the one thought to have caused the extinction of the dinosaurs - fall under the first category. The rise of cyanobacteria, which produced mass extinctions before new life adapted to an oxygen atmosphere, is an example of the second category. Inadvertent changes involve agency - such as byproducts of human technology (e.g., rising carbon dioxide levels) that have produced “the Anthropocene Dilemma” - where the scale of agency exceeds the scale of awareness. The fourth type of change occurs when actions are guided by consequences, such as actively exploring ways to mitigate our harmful effects on the environment.
The term “Anthropocene” was coined to label the beginning of the epoch when human activity started to reshape our planet. The actual beginning of the Anthropocene has been debated by scientists, and David proposes the Anthropocene might better be thought of as an entry into a new eon, since epochs are associated with little changes and relatively short periods of time, while eons are long time periods that mark major transitions between life and our planet. He optimistically uses the term “Sapiezoic Eon” as an aspirational title meaning the “Age of Wisdom.” He further suggests the transition be “the golden spike of Tranquility Base,” marked by the first human mission to the Moon. A “golden spike” is what geologists call a unique timestamp associated with an event or transition. David notes that the signs of human presence on the Moon - which will remain for a very long time - could not have been made by a species without world-changing technology, and the “altered landscape also captures the moment we first looked back and saw the unity of our home and our common destiny with all life on our planet.”(2)
The biggest challenge for us today is, how do we learn to live in a sustained way with our powerful technology? David suggests that our cognitive processes need to become deeply integrated into the functioning of our planet, which requires a different way of behaving. He defines sustainability in terms of an “awakened” planet in which both biosphere and civilization flourish in entirely new ways. Intelligence as an individual trait would seem to be necessary but not sufficient for long term survival with technology, so is it useful to think of defining intelligence as a global property? Might we associate planetary intelligence with more globally coordinated cognitive activity that can result in stabilizing behavior?
Jesuit priest Pierre Teilhard de Chardin first coined the term “noosphere” or “sphere of mind,” setting the philosophical framework for thinking of a planetary consciousness. In thinking about all the ways we are connected across the globe today, David wonders, “Might such a planetary intelligence possess cognitive properties of which we are currently unaware?” Can we become “Terra Sapiens” (wise Earth), learning to live comfortably over the long term with world-changing technology? David’s answer is optimistic, but he acknowledges this will require the widespread propagation of a worldview that is both global and multi-generational.
Finally, I want to express my profound thanks to the many CLP members who have responded - and may continue to respond - to Michael’s call for help in filling out one of the surveys associated with my Engaging Faith Communities with Zooniverse(3) project! At this point, over 100 of you have participated in the pre-participation survey and two have responded to the post-participation survey, so I humbly ask that if there are more of you out there who’ve used Zooniverse, would you please consider filling out a post-participation survey? Perhaps some of you might want to try a Zooniverse project involving Earth’s changing climate? How about checking out Fossil Atmospheres,(4) where you can help scientists create a record of how Earth’s atmosphere has changed through time by identifying two different types of cells in fossil leaves? This project will help quantify the effects of changing carbon dioxide levels on climate. By participating, you can contribute to the basic science underlying projections of future environmental change!
Until next month,
Grace
Grace Wolf-Chase (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.youtube.com/watch?v=axrIPrd-qWc
2. https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-blogs/the-golden-spike-of-tranquility-base/
3. http://www.theclergyletterproject.org/Resources/Zooniverse.html
4. https://www.zooniverse.org/projects/laurasoul/fossil-atmospheres
3. Preliminary Call for Evolution Weekend 2022 Themes
While summer in the northern hemisphere has just arrived and Evolution Weekend 2022 (11-13 February 2022) may seem like ages away, I want to use this opportunity to encourage you to think about possible themes for next year’s celebration. I’ll issue a formal call for topics next month, but if you have any thoughts now, please feel free to share them with me. Just drop me an e-mail at mz@theclergyletterproject.org with your thoughts. I look forward to hearing from you. Thanks.
Recent themes include:
2021: Religion and Science in a Time of Denial: Neither will be Denied
2020: How Science and Religion Can Work Together to Deal with the Problems of the Climate Crisis
2019: The Confluence of Religion and Science
2018: Our Shared Humanity
2017: A productive melding of science, religion and the humanities as exemplified in The Universe Story, originally published 25 years ago by Brian Swimme and Thomas Berry
2016: Exploring Ways to Engage in Complex Discussions in a Civil Manner
2015: Science and Religion in Dialogue: Past, Present, and Future
2014: Different Ways of Knowing / Asking Different Questions
2013: Evolution in the Modern World
2012: An interfaith discussion of religion and science
2011: The Positive Relationship Between Religion and the Environment.
4. Nature and the Common Good
I’ve had the privilege of sharing a number of wonderful essays by The Reverend Ken Olson, a member of The Clergy Letter Project, in recent issues of the newsletter. This month he offers us yet another fabulous piece, entitled “Nature and the Common Good.”
As he has done so well before, Ken blends science and religion with insights from literature and politics thrown in. His writing is provocative and a cause for celebration. Although it is impossible to meaningfully summarize his latest essay, the following sentence stood out for me: “The most profound hope of many of us is that religion can, indeed, be a force for connecting humanity with the rest of creation.”
Please take a look at his writing; I’m confident that you won’t be disappointed. And to help you savor his work, I’ve created an archive page for all of his essays that have been published in our newsletter. Enjoy – and please join me in thanking Ken for sharing his work with us.
5. Richard Rohr on Evolution
In early June Father Richard Rohr posted a piece on his blog entitled “Accepting Evolution as Our Story.” In this posting, he praises Ilia Delio noting that “there are few writers that I find more hopeful or exciting about the process of evolution than Franciscan Ilia Delio.”
Delio notes that “Evolution requires trust in the process of life itself,” that “There is something about this word evolution that frightens people, as if evolution renders us less human or less special as human,” and that “We need to get on board with evolution.” The full piece is short and thus can be read quickly – but it is worth reading.
6. Zooniverse Needs Your Help
As Grace Wolf-Chase noted in her Astrobiology News essay this month, many of you have heeded the call to fill out a questionnaire about Zooniverse. I am, however, hoping that more of you do so since your input is so vital to improving the functioning of this great resource. So, whether you’ve participated in a Zooniverse project or not, please take a minute or two to fill out a questionnaire. And please also think about participating in one of their citizen-science projects where you can help scientists make new discoveries!
7. Evolution in Middle Schools
Our good friends at the National Center for Science Education just published a summary of research they did with colleagues at Pennsylvania State University on the teaching of evolution in middle schools. Their results are somewhat encouraging! A fairly significant percentage of teachers covered evolution and presented it as the scientific consensus on the topic. This figure, though. is slightly less than what is being offered in high schools. Additionally, they found that younger teachers are less likely to present creationism in a positive light relative to teachers who have been working for more than 20 years.
8. When Scientists Experience Awe
In our compartmentalized world, too many believe that the sense of awe may only be associated with religion. Scientists should be unemotional and thus divorced from awe, many believe. Our good friends at Sinai and Synapses have shared an essay by Megan Powell Cuzzolino that explores “what we can learn from scientists’ awe experiences.”
Along these lines, I’d like to share a similar essay I wrote in 2017 upon the invitation of the editors of Huffington Post. The essay is entitled “Science and Awe: With Plenty of Room for Religion if You So Desire” and it can be read here.
9. Decoding Science
The National Academies of Science has produced an interactive web page entitled “Decoding Science: How does science know what it knows” that you’ll likely want to review. The page addresses such questions as “What if scientific studies disagree?,” and “Can science help people make decisions?”
10. Marjorie Taylor Greene and Evolution
Although I hesitate to wade into fringe politics by discussing Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) in this newsletter, some of her recent comments are so central to the mission of The Clergy Letter Project that I don’t think I can ignore them. Speaking on Stephen Bannon’s podcast Greene staked out her position clearly, pitting religion against science: “I don’t believe in evolution. I don’t believe in that type of so-called science. I don’t believe in evolution. I believe in God.” Her comments have received a great deal of attention and, unfortunately, she has many followers. Our work is clearly not close to being done!
11. Rev. Pan Conrad Featured on CNN for Mars Work
The Reverend Pamela (Pan) Conrad, a member of The Clergy Letter Project, was featured in a recent article on CNN. Pan is Rector at St. Alban's Episcopal Church in Glen Burnie, MD as well as a research scientist at the Carnegie Institution of Science in Washington, DC. As CNN put it, “A member of the tactical operations team for the Mars Perseverance rover mission, she is a co-investigator for two scientific instrument suites, acquiring and analyzing data,and collaborating in team planning, withcolleagues at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, and other scientific institutions around the country.” The article explores Pan’s career paths, discusses the relationship between religion and science and allows Pan to speak forcefully about the value of both. "There's no clash between science and religion," she said. "Both investigate the wonder of the world and our place in it."
Enjoy this piece and please join me in congratulating Pan for her work and for receiving the attention she so rightfully deserves.
12. Good News from Maine
As reported by the National Center for Science Education, a dangerous bill that might have been used to promote creationism and a narrow perspective on religion died in the Maine legislature. The bill would have required teachers to present “both sides” to any “controversial issue” with “controversial issue” being defined as "a point made in an electoral party platform at the local, state[,] or federal level." Language of this sort has increasingly been introduced as a way to bring creationism and attacks on climate change into public school classrooms. Happily, for now, Mainers don’t need to worry about this occurring in their schools.
13. Miss the DoSER Celebration Conference? It’s Now On-Line
As I mentioned in last month’s newsletter, DoSER, Dialogue on Science, Ethics, & Religion, celebrated its 25th anniversary by hosting a half-day virtual symposium entitled, “Forward Together: Where Science, Ethics, and Religion Intersect in a Changing World.”
The symposium was fabulous with sessions on evolution, climate and the environment, public health, race and racial justice, genetics and being human, and artificial intelligence. The entire conference, including the opening session entitled “Why is the dialogue between science and religion important” and the closing session entitled, “Shared Values: Building trust and connections between scientific and faith communities,” was recorded and is now available for viewing.
14. Covalence for June: Raising the Faith and Science Profile
Covalence is the journal of the Lutheran Alliance for Faith, Science and Technology. Not surprisingly, it often focuses on issues directly related to those at the heart of The Clergy Letter Project. Susan Barreto is the editor of Covalence and a good friend of The Clergy Letter Project. She describes the contents of the current issue far better than I ever could:
"This issue of Covalence highlights the Templeton Prize winners past and present in addition to looking at the "truth-telling" aspects of the faith and science dialogue.
"Well-known conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall wrote in one of her more recent books, "And always I have this feeling – which may not be true at all -- that I am being used as a messenger." What will she do with that important message? Despite a pandemic, leaders such as Goodall and last year's Templeton Prize winner Francis Collins are each still actively promoting the idea of faith and science working together in the public good, as we look more closely at in this month's feature.
"We also consider the need for truthfulness is not only society, but also in science and in faith, with a unique essay from retired teaching elder Jim Miller. Throughout his career, he has been a leader in the Presbyterian community in reflecting on ways faith and science work together and was often seen on the sidelines of AAAS meetings. Since 2008 he has co-chaired the Broader Social Impacts Committee of the Human Origins Program of the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of Natural History."
I hope you find the reading as enjoyable and thought-provoking as I did.
Concluding Thoughts
Here in the United States, it feels like many people are putting the pandemic behind them. I fear that this may be a bit premature given three things we’re seeing. First, the pandemic is (obviously) a world-wide phenomenon and until vaccines are readily available in all parts of the world, illness and death will remain with us. Second, by all accounts the United States is dividing into two populations, the vaccinated and the unvaccinated. These populations are divided geographically, along political lines and, to a lesser extent, along age lines. Those choosing to remain unvaccinated are increasingly putting themselves and those in their community at increased risk. Third, the Delta variant is spreading far more rapidly than any earlier type and it is more deadly. While vaccinations do provide protection from this variant, there is increasing evidence that breakthrough infections, including death, have been occurring. Only increased vaccination rates globally will put an end to the misery we’ve experienced. Please spread the word that vaccination is essential both for personal health and for the well-being of those in the community – that it is the best thing to do from both a scientific and a religious perspective.
Finally, as always, I want to thank you for your continued support and 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.
Stay safe and healthy.
Michael
Michael Zimmerman
Founder and Executive Director
The Clergy Letter Project
www.theclergyletterproject.org
mz@theclergyletterproject.org