May 2024 Newsletter
In this Clergy Letter Project update you’ll find the following 18 items:
- The 20th Anniversary of Religion and Science Weekend;
- Astrobiology News for May 2024: Citizen Scientists Identify a Unique Exoplanet;
- Remembering Philip Hefner;
- Genetics and Spirituality;
- Tucker Carlson on Evolution;
- Sinai and Synapses Fellowship;
- Faith & Science 2024;
- Record-Breaking Ocean Temperatures;
- Orthodox Christian Books About Environmentalism;
- Inspiration from a Man of Science;
- The Future of Creation Care;
- Support for Evolution Steady in Canada;
- The Meaning of Atheism;
- Criticizing West Virginia’s New Creationism Law;
- The Development of Gen X’s Attitudes Toward Evolution;
- Good News for Science Education in Maine;
- Good News for Science Education in Wisconsin; and
- If You Thought Fundamentalists Had A Problem with Evolution Before….
1. The 20th Anniversary of Religion and Science Weekend
Although it’s difficult for me to believe, this coming February will mark the 20th anniversary of Religion and Science Weekend. It began 20 years ago as Evolution Sunday, then morphed into Evolution Weekend as many who worshiped on days other than Sunday wanted to be involved, and then evolved into Religion and Science Weekend as membership recognized that the topic of religion and science extended beyond the teaching of evolution. Over the course of the past 19 years, we’ve reached well over one million parishioners with the message that religion and science can be compatible and that together they can promote a stronger message than either can alone.
It's time to begin thinking about the theme of our 20th Weekend, perhaps something that looks retrospectively at this issue. Along these lines, I encourage you to take a look at how we presented our 10th Anniversary in 2015.
So, please think how we should frame our 20th anniversary and please think about signing up to participate at this early stage. While I’ll put out a formal request for theme proposals in a couple of months, if you have any ideas now, please share them with me. Similarly, if you know that you plan to participate, drop me a note and I’ll add you to the web page I’m already beginning to build. Let’s do something special for year 20!
2. Astrobiology News for May 2024: Citizen Scientists Identify a Unique Exoplanet
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 an important discovery made by a citizen scientists and calls for answers to a critical question about Harry Potter.
“Every time I spot a possible transit, I can feel my heart beat faster and my excitement rise extensively,” says Simon Bentzen, a Danish citizen scientist who has volunteered with Planet Hunters TESS(1) since 2018.(2) Those of you who read my monthly column know that I’ve often encouraged participation in citizen science (or the “participatory sciences,” which is becoming the preferred designation.(3)) The quote I cited comes from one of the volunteers co-credited with the discovery of an exciting new exoplanet that happens to orbit in the habitable zone of a binary star system. Bentzen is one of the volunteers who achieved co-authorship on the resulting academic publication in the Astronomical Journal.(4)
An increasing number of exoplanets are being identified in planetary systems that contain more than one star, and this exoplanet is particularly interesting for a number of reasons. It is much easier to spot exoplanets on tight orbits about their stars using the transit method; however, this exoplanet has a 272-day orbit that makes it the second-longest orbit of any planet discovered thus far in TESS data, and the star itself is the brightest star currently known to harbor an exoplanet in its habitable zone. Although the exoplanet itself has been classified as a “mini-Neptune,” roughly three times the size of the Earth and not likely to have a solid surface, were it to have a moon, in principle that moon might have a solid surface and water.
By the way, Harry Potter fans may appreciate the fact that the new exoplanet, formally known as TOI 4633 c, has been nicknamed ‘Percival;’ however, I can’t seem to figure out why volunteers chose to name the planet after the father of Albus Dumbledore, so I invite anyone who might have some insight here to email me!
Finally, although I intend to keep my column focused at least broadly on astrobiology, future columns will increasingly highlight science and education at the Planetary Science Institute (PSI), a unique and multi-disciplinary organization that promotes collaborations between scientists and science educators around the world. I encourage you to check out PSI’s webpage,(5) consider subscribing to PSI’s weekly briefings,(6) and to follow PSI on social media.(7)
Until next month,
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.zooniverse.org/projects/nora-dot-eisner/planet-hunters-tess
2. Quote taken from a recent article posted by the Simons Foundation: https://www.simonsfoundation.org/2024/04/30/citizen-scientists-help-discover-record-breaking-exoplanet-in-binary-star-system
3. https://participatorysciences.org/
4. https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/1538-3881/ad1d5c
p>6. https://www.psi.edu/subscribe/ p>7. https://twitter.com/planetarysci; https://www.facebook.com/planetarysci; https://www.instagram.com/planetary.sci; https://www.linkedin.com/company/planetary-science-institute/mycompany/
3. Remembering Philip Hefner
The Reverend Philip Hefner, a Lutheran theologian long-known for promoting the relationship between religion and science and a member of The Clergy Letter Project, passed away at age 91 in late April. Grace Wolf-Chase described Phil as “one of the brilliant luminaries in the field of science and religion.” Please take a look at a wonderful obituary for Phil that was published by Zygon, the journal he edited for 20 years.
Additionally, the latest issue of Covalence was dedicated to Phil. You can access it here.
4. Genetics and Spirituality
A one-day conference entitled “Genetics and Spirituality: Conversations at the Nexus of Science and Faith” will be held in Omaha, Nebraska on 22 May 2024. Conference organizers describe the event as follows: “This one-day conference will explore CRISPR, a new technology that allows geneticists to selectively modify the DNA of living organisms. Although it has the potential for much good, CRISPR also raises cultural, spiritual, and ethical challenges. Everyone interested in a dialogue between science and spirituality is welcome to attend, regardless of their religious, spiritual, or cultural identity.”
You can learn more about the conference and enroll here.
5. Tucker Carlson on Evolution
Although I’m not excited about providing a platform for Tucker Carlson to express his ideas, he does have a wide audience and thus it is worthwhile to see what he recently had to say about evolution. In this short clip, he says that “there’s no evidence for evolution. I think we’ve kind of given up on the idea of evolution. The theory of evolution as articulated by Darwin is kinda not true.” He goes on to dismiss the fossil record. Take a listen – the clip is only a bit over 2 minutes long.
6. Sinai and Synapses Fellowship
Applications are now open for the next iteration of the prestigious Sinai and Synapses Fellowship. Sinai and Synapses Fellows comprise a select interfaith group of clergy, scientists and writers who are committed to elevating the discourse surrounding religion and science. Participants will gather six times over two years and receive a yearly honorarium of $1,500. Stimulating conversations and skill development will enhance participants’ understanding and communication about religion and science. Applications are due by 25 June 2024. You can learn more and apply here.
7. Faith & Science 2024
Faith & Science 2024, the fourth BioLogos Conference, concluded last month. Our good friends at BioLogos have put together a video showing the highlights of the conference. You can watch it here.
8. Record-Breaking Ocean Temperatures
I’ve presented striking data showing dramatic and dangerous increases in ocean temperatures in previous newsletters, but a new, unsettling record has just been set that is well worth sharing. As this new article reported by the BBC notes, ocean temperatures continue to rise: “not only has every single day since 4 May 2023 broken the daily record for the time of year, but on some days the margin has been huge.” The article discusses the dire consequences arising from the ecological impacts of this pattern. Action needs to be taken now. At the very least, if you’ve not yet signed our Climate Crisis Letter, please send me a note asking to have your signature added.
9. Orthodox Christian Books About Environmentalism
Religion Unplugged recently ran an article discussing five orthodox Christian books about environmentalism. In addition to providing some good suggestions for reading, the piece is a solid reminder that environmentalism is not limited to supposedly “liberal” denominations.
10. Inspiration from a Man of Science
Our good friends at Science for the Church provide a profile of Ray, a WWII veteran approaching his 100th birthday. He is also an elder in his church and an electrical engineer. As the piece notes, “Ray is frustrated with the church’s response to mainstream science. Despite decades of leadership in his local congregation, they do not endorse an understanding of Scripture that is consistent with what science is telling us about God’s amazing creation.” Read about how Ray has taken steps to spread the word about the compatibility of religion and science and how he is working to ensure that people don’t leave religion because of the way it envisions science.
11. The Future of Creation Care
The April issue of Covalence is devoted to a retrospective look at the ELCA Social Statement from 30 years ago entitled “Caring for Creation” and a look at the future of creation care. Take a look; you’ll not be disappointed.
12. Support for Evolution Steady in Canada
The National Center for Science Education reported on a survey of thoughts about evolution held by Canadians. The results indicate that support remained constant since last year with almost two thirds of Canadians thinking that human beings evolved from less advanced life forms over millions of years. What’s not quite as positive is the fact that an equal percentage of respondents thought that creationism should be taught in schools as those expressing the belief that it did not belong in the curriculum.
13. The Meaning of Atheism
The latest issue of The Freethought Society News has an article by Margaret Downey, former President of Atheist Alliance International and founder and president of the Freethought Society. Her piece explores the meaning of atheism and argues for respect for the view of others. Here’s a sense of her message: "Since I’ve been an atheist from the age of nine, I’ve learned that religion can be very divisive, but conversations about what we all love, desire to achieve, and what we respect brings us together as one human family."
14. Criticizing West Virginia’s New Creationism Law
As I reported in last month’s newsletter, West Virginia just enacted a law permitting various forms of creationism to be taught in the state’s public school science classrooms and laboratories. This law is truly problematic for science education and conflicts with the teachings of most major religions. Pushback has begun. Scientific American ran an opinion piece by Amanda Townley, executive director of the National Center for Science Education. Amanda explains how, based on two misconceptions, the law is seriously flawed.
The first misconception is that learning about evolution threatens students’ faith. Evolutionary biology, like any area of modern science, is simply a body of knowledge about the natural world and a set of methods and procedures for attaining, refining and testing that knowledge. Nothing in evolutionary biology denies the existence of God or places constraints on divine activity. Evolutionary biologists include people of many faiths and of none, and evolutionary biology is routinely taught in institutions of higher education, whether public or private, secular or sectarian, as the well-established area of modern science that it is.
A second misconception is that exposing students to “intelligent design” promotes religious freedom. (The proponents of “intelligent design” often claim their views have no religious motivation, but frame it otherwise when it suits their purposes.) On the contrary, because “intelligent design” reflects a narrow sectarian rejection of evolution, teaching it in school actually harms religious freedom.
Both of her points are at the heart of what The Clergy Letter Project is all about!
The second piece, published behind a paywall at the Charleston Gazette-Mail, was written by Herman Mays, associate professor of biology at Marshall University and a member of The Clergy Letter Project’s list of scientific consultants. You can read a very nice summary of his comments offered by the National Center for Science Education. Herman wrote, “A problem with SB 280 is its deliberate ambiguity, an ambiguity designed to hide the imposition of religion in the science classroom from constitutional accountability," He went on to say, "Promoting religion seldom ends well for school districts, even in West Virginia…. In a state with the third-lowest teacher pay in the nation, where students rank well below national averages in mathematics, reading, writing and science, and among the lowest percentage of residents with college degrees, we cannot afford to dilute public education with stealthy religious indoctrination."
15. The Development of Gen X’s Attitudes Toward Evolution
A 33-year longitudinal study of members of Generation X yielded interesting results about the acceptance of evolution. The study found that acceptance of evolution changed significantly toward evolution over the years from middle school to middle age. You can read more about the study here.
16. Good News for Science Education in Maine
A bill that would have mandated teaching that a misunderstanding of evolution was responsible for the Holocaust, the Rwandan genocide, and the mistreatment of indigenous people in Maine was defeated. The Maine Science Teachers Association made it clear that it is not philosophically opposed to expanding middle school content in these proposed areas but argued that civics and social studies classes are better suited than science classes to be the places to deliver the content. You can read more about the issue here.
17. Good News for Science Education in Wisconsin
A bill adopted by both the Wisconsin House and Senate that was designed to make it easier for parents to have their children opt out of lessons they found objectionable was vetoed by Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers. Proponents of the bills were particularly focused on the teaching of evolution and climate change. You can read more about the issue here.
18. If You Thought Fundamentalists Had A Problem with Evolution Before…
Alex Vishio, a Ph.D. student in systematic theology at Southern Methodist University, brought a Daily Kos post to my attention that I thought I’d share with all of you. The piece is entitled “If You Thought Fundamentalists Had a Problem with Evolution Before...” and it summarizes an article that appeared this fall in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. The thrust of the article is that evolutionary processes are inherent in all aspects of nature and in all parts of the universe. The nine member team conducting the original research, “scientists from the Carnegie Institution for Science, the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and Cornell University, and philosophers from the University of Colorado, two astrobiologists, a data scientist, a mineralogist, and a theoretical physicist, as well as three philosophers of science," concluded: “We suggest that all evolving systems—including but not limited to life—are composed of diverse components that can combine into configurational states that are then selected for or against based on function.” I think it’s well worth your time to take a look at the posting.
Concluding Thoughts
I’m delighted to say that there are more good news items than usual in this month’s newsletter! That’s not to say that we don’t have work to do to protect high quality science education, to ensure that a narrow religious perspective doesn’t permeate our schools, and to increase the understanding about the compatibility of religion and science. We do, but it’s refreshing to see some progress being make. Thanks for all your efforts.
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