November 2020 Newsletter
As we enter the deadliest phase yet of the Covid-19 pandemic, I hope that you, your families, your congregants, and your communities are staying as healthy as possible. I also hope that you are caring for your psychological well-being in addition to your physical well-being. I hope that some of the resources below are useful in this effort. Similarly, I hope that our collective activities demonstrating that religion and science, working together, have an important role to play in defeating this pandemic eases the pain so many of us are feeling. Be vocal, be safe, and be compassionate. Thank you for all you are doing.
In this Clergy Letter Project update you’ll find the following nine items:
- Free Book Offer to Help with Evolution Weekend 2021;
- Astrobiology News for November 2020: The Continuing Search for Earth-like Planets;
- Scientists in Synagogues Investigate Noah’s Ark;
- Great DoSER Resources;
- The Climate Crisis Letter;
- Share Your Evolution Weekend Pictures;
- Climate Change Denial;
- Science Denial; and
- Religious Naturalism.
1. Free Book Offer to Help with Evolution Weekend 2021
I’m delighted to say that our good friends at Church Publishing have donated a number of copies of their newly released book entitled We Shall Be Changed: Questions for the Post-Pandemic Church for distribution to Clergy Letter Project members to prepare for Evolution Weekend 2021. This volume is edited by Bishop Mark D.W. Edington, bishop in charge of the Convocation of Episcopal Churches in Europe.
As the publisher notes, the overarching question addressed by the book is, How will we regather the church after the pandemic?
“The Covid-19 pandemic is an inflection point for the church everywhere—and certainly for the Episcopal Church. The sudden flowering of creativity, connection, and collaboration is an expression of the Holy Spirit’s relentless presence within the church; yet ongoing distancing creates difficulties to be overcome on the other side of the present crisis.
“We Shall Be Changed is a gathering of brief essays from thought leaders around the church on pressing topics that the church needs to be considering now—in preparation for the end of this pandemic. The book is designed to spur conversation within parishes, fellowship groups, and clergy gatherings about how to embrace the gifts this time has given while anticipating and addressing the very real challenges the church will confront in its wake.”
If you think this thoughtful book will help you prepare for Evolution Weekend 2021 (12-14 February 2021), let me know and I’ll award a free copy to every fourth person until all copies are distributed.
_____ The book sounds great, please enter my name to receive a free copy and please add my congregation (or other group) to the list of those participating in Evolution Weekend 2021. I agree to pay $3 for postage and handling.
Congregation (or related group):
Location:
Your Name:
If the book doesn’t fit into your plans for Evolution Weekend, that’s fine. You can still sign up now to participate in a manner that’s appropriate for you and your congregation. What’s important is that, together, we advance the position that religion and science have the ability to make a difference in the life and health of our communities – especially during these terribly trying times. Please sign up now.
_____ Yes, I want to be a part of this effort. Please sign us up to participate in Evolution Weekend 2021.
Congregation (or related group):
Location:
Your Name:
2. Astrobiology News for November 2020: The Continuing Search for Earth-like Planets
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, discusses the continued search for Earth-like planets and notes the impact that citizen scientists have had and will continue to have on this effort.
In April 2018, I wrote about the launch of NASA’s Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) for The Clergy Letter Project.(1) In December 2018, Zooniverse(2) launched Planet Hunters TESS(3), a citizen-science project that asks volunteers of all ages and from all walks of life around the world to help identify exoplanets orbiting “nearby” stars using data from the TESS mission. Citizen-science volunteers search for telltale dips in time series of brightness measurements (known as “light curves”) as an exoplanet passes in front of its star. A research paper describing the properties of the first exoplanet discovered by citizen scientists working on Planet Hunters TESS was published earlier this year.(4) The Saturn-sized exoplanet (TOI813 b) orbits an aged star (TOI813) with a period of 84 days. As stars mature, they expand; TOI813 is on its way to becoming a “red giant,” and is predicted to engulf TOI813 b in less than one billion years. Several citizen scientists are co-authors with the researchers on this publication.
Along with discovering 74 exoplanets and 1,200 exoplanet candidates, TESS produced images of about 75% of the sky during its primary two-year mission. Now in its extended mission, TESS will reobserve exoplanets discovered earlier, find new ones, and fill in coverage gaps from its initial survey.(5) This month, Planet Hunters TESS added 20,000 new light curves for citizen scientists to inspect. Any one of these light curves might reveal previously unknown planets, and any one of you reading this could be the first to identify a truly Earth-like planet by participating in this project! So far, about 25,000 citizen scientists have sifted through 15% of the new data, so there’s plenty left to do.
As I’ve asked before, if you use the Zooniverse platform, either individually, as a family, or as part of a group or class project, would you mind taking just a few minutes to fill out a pre-participation(6) and/or post-participation(7) survey if you haven’t done so already? These will help us evaluate and improve the Zooniverse experience for everyone! If you’d like to learn more about Zooniverse, you can check out my September 2020 webinar to the Institute on Religion in an Age of Science, which is available on YouTube(8).
Finally, I’m also excited to tell you about a just-released volume in the Routledge Science and Religion Series. Intersections of Religion and Astronomy(9), edited by Aaron Ricker, Chris Corbally (of the Vatican Observatory), and Darry Dinnell, presents a comprehensive exploration of how our views of the cosmos and religion interrelate and matter for real people. This volume includes chapters written by an interdisciplinary team of international scholars. I wrote the chapter, “Astrobiology, Astroethics, and Astrotheology in Conversation,” which examines how the search for Earth-like exoplanets and extraterrestrial life has provided rich content for dialog among scientists, theologians, and ethicists.
Until next month,
Grace Wolf-Chase (gwolfchase@gmail.com)
Senior Scientist and Senior Education & Communication Specialist, Planetary Science Institute (http://www.psi.edu)
Vice President, Center for Advanced Study in Religion and Science (CASIRAS: http://www.casiras.org)
1. http://www.theclergyletterproject.org/pdf/abnews42018.pdf
2. https://www.zooniverse.org/
3. https://www.planethunters.org
4. DOI:10.1093/mnras/staa138
5. https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/goddard/2020/nasa-s-tess-creates-a-cosmic-vista-of-the-northern-sky
6. Pre-survey: https://forms.gle/x5TezWJEqAZnLb39A
7. Post- survey: https://forms.gle/opYzTKSxK3PFJtv9A
8. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoeJ9d5ShVY&feature=youtu.be
9. https://www.routledge.com/Intersections-of-Religion-and-Astronomy/Corbally-Dinell-Ricker/p/book/9780367369460
3. Scientists in Synagogues Investigate Noah’s Ark
As you likely know from items in previous newsletters, our sister organization, Sinai and Synapses, runs a Scientists in Synagogues program. This program funds congregational-based programs that bring religion and science together.
As Sinai and Synapses noted, as part of the latest iteration of this effort, “Congregation Etz Hayim in Arlington, VA hosted a multidisciplinary program looking at the flood from both a geological-historical and a comparative-literature perspective.”
The first presentation was made by Dr. Helmut Brückner, Professor Emeritus of Physical Geography at the University of Cologne, Germany, and was entitled “Noah’s Flood: Probing an Ancient Narrative Using Geoscience.” You can watch his presentation here.
The second presentation was made by Dr. Kristine Henriksen Garrowa, Visiting Assistant Professor of Bible at Hebrew Union College Jewish Institute of Religions Los Angeles Campus, and was entitled “Why the Gods Destroyed Humans: The Biblical and Mesopotamian Flood Narratives.” You can watch her presentation here.
4. Great DoSER Resources
The American Association for the Advancement of Science’s Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion (DoSER) has a host of resources that you will find incredibly helpful. I’d like to bring two of their efforts to your attention.
First, the DoSER website explains that “AAAS, in collaboration with Fourth Line Films, has produced an exciting series of 13 films to spark classroom discussion of forefront science topics.” You can review information about all 13 of these films here. Discussing any of these offerings your congregation might make a superb Evolution Weekend event.
Second, is the DoSER annual Holiday Leture. Again, I’ll let DoSER speak for itself: “Take a break from reality with AAAS DoSER for a virtual discussion on science, ethics, and faith in science fiction. This year's holiday lecture, "Imagining Different Worlds: Science, Ethics, and Faith in Science Fiction," will consider how works of science fiction can foster reflection, dialogue, and action to spur positive change for humanity. Our speakers include Br. Guy Consolmagno, Director of the Vatican Observatory, and Nnedi Okorafor, Hugo and Nebula Award-winning author. The virtual holiday lecture is free and open to the public. Pre-registration is required. More information is available on DoSER's website at www.aaas.org/events/2020-holiday-lecture.” This event also might be a great way to celebrate Evolution Weekend (a bit early) with your congregation!
5. The Climate Crisis Letter
Even as we enter an extremely dangerous phase of the Covid-19 pandemic, it is worth keeping in mind that the impact of climate change will have an even greater impact on the Earth and human communities. If you haven’t yet done so, please add your signature to our Climate Crisis Letter. While the response to our request for signatures has been truly gratifying, indeed, we now have over 900 signatures, I know that many of you who voted in favor of having such a letter created have not yet added your signature to it. (If you’re not certain whether you’ve signed the letter or not, please click here and search for your signature.) To add your name, simply respond to this note and I’ll do the rest!
_____ Yes, by all means, please add my signature to the Climate Crisis Letter
Name:
Congregation/Denomination/Religion (optional)
City, State, Country
Additionally, I hope you check out the page we created for clergy members to add personal statements in addition to their signatures. I trust you’ll agree with me that many of our colleagues have written impressive statements. If you’d like your voice to be added, just let me know and I’ll get it posted.
_____ Yes, please add my personal statement to the Climate Crisis Letter:
6. Share Your Evolution Weekend Pictures
Harold Wood, long-time friend of The Clergy Letter Project and Green Sanctuary Chair at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Visalia, CA, suggested that we create a repository of Evolution Weekend pictures that could be used on social media sites to promote our weekend. I think this is a great idea and urge you to send me any pictures you might have from past Evolution Weekends. Thanks for considering this project.
7. Climate Change Denial
Paul Braterman, a member of The Clergy Letter Project’s list of scientific advisors, brought a frightening article to my attention that I thought you’d like to read. The piece is entitled “‘God intended it as a disposable planet’: meet the US pastor preaching climate change denial.” It appeared in The Conversation and tells the story of Pastor John MacArthur. MacArthur is the “minister of the COVID-denying, law-defying Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California – which has encouraged worshippers to congregate as normal despite state COVID-19 restrictions – MacArthur is an impressive figure whose Study Bible has sold almost 2 million copies.”
MacArthur’s position can be boiled down to this statement he made: “God intended us to use this planet, to fill this planet for the benefit of man. Never was it intended to be a permanent planet. Christians ought to know that.”
Perhaps this article will push you to add your signature to our Climate Crisis Letter – if you haven’t yet signed on. Drop me a note and I’ll add your name.
8. Science Denial
Sean Carroll, vice president for science education at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and a member of The Clergy Letter Project’s list of scientific consultants, recently published an excellent essay in Scientific American. The piece is entitled “The Denialist Playbook: On vaccines, evolution, and more, rejection of science has followed a similar pattern.”
Take a look. I’m confident you won’t be disappointed – and you’ll see a mention of The Clergy Letter Project!
9. Religious Naturalism
Clergy Letter Project member Rev. Rex Hunt has just published a fascinating essay on religious naturalism that I suspect you’ll enjoy reading. The piece is entitled “Old Trees, Stardust, and Moments of Wonder: An Introduction to Religious Naturalism” and was published in The Fourth R.
In case you’re not familiar with The Fourth R, published by the Westar Institute, you might want to take a look at it and think about subscribing.
Concluding Thoughts
As I said above, I hope all of you, your families, and your communities are healthy and safe and that you are particularly careful as we enter this next deadly phase of the Covid-19 pandemic. If you haven’t yet done so, I encourage all of you to get a flu shot and to encourage everyone you know to do so as well.
As you will likely remember, a bit over two months ago I wrote an essay explaining why I didn’t plan to take a Covid-19 vaccine promoted by the current US administration. As increased information about vaccine efforts are coming forth, I’m delighted to be able to say that my views are slowly changing. It now appears that vaccine approval will actually be based on meaningful scientific review rather than political demands. If final approval is, indeed, based on science, I’m fully on board and I hope you will be as well. And for the record, this isn’t really a change of opinion on my part! I’ve always said I’d trust the scientists.
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. Together we are making a difference.
Michael
Michael Zimmerman
Founder and Executive Director
The Clergy Letter Project
www.theclergyletterproject.org
mz@theclergyletterproject.org