September 2024 Newsletter
In this Clergy Letter Project update you’ll find the following 18 items:
- You’ve Voted: We Have a Theme for Religion and Science Weekend 2025;
- Across the Cosmos for September 2024: How to Live on Mars (and not Die);
- Should We Make an Endorsement in the Presidential Election?;
- Gen X Attitudes Toward Evolution;
- Biology Textbooks Mislead Students;
- Is the Teaching of Evolution Illegal?;
- Protecting the Separation of Church and State;
- Biblical Literalism in Texas Public Schools;
- The Gish Gallop Enters Presidential Politics;
- Political Attacks on Science Increasing;
- The Centennial Anniversary of the Scopes Trial;
- Combating Creationism in West Virginia;
- Wondering About Life and Origins;
- A Biblical Parable;
- Opening the Eyes’ Window to the Soul;
- Have We Broken the Climate?;
- Dangerous Record-Breaking Winter Temperatures; and
- Sea Level Rise Viewer.
1. You’ve Voted: We Have a Theme for Religion and Science Weekend 2025
Religion and Science: Living in Awe Religion and Science Weekend 2025 14-16 February 2025 Members of The Clergy Letter Project have voted and have selected a theme for Religion and Science Weekend 2025: Religion and Science: Living in Awe.
Thank you to all who participated in the vote and particularly to Reverend Glen Bengson who suggested this theme. Please remember that while this is the theme for this year, participation in Religion and Science Weekend can focus on this theme or on any other aspect of the relationship between religion and science. The important point is that we raise the quality of the discussion about the compatibility of these ways of viewing the world.
_____ Yes, I’m very excited about this theme for Religion and Science Weekend 2025. Please sign me up as a participant.
Name of Congregation (or other group):
Location:
Your Name:
2. Across the Cosmos for September 2024: How to Live on Mars (and not Die)
In this month’s essay, Grace Wolf-Chase, Senior Scientist and Senior Education & Communication Specialist at the Planetary Science Institute as well as a Clergy Letter Project consultant, invited a colleague of hers to share information about a course he’s offering about living on Mars.
This month’s column is provided by my PSI colleague, Dr. Nicholas Castle, who teaches a class on Mars (well, not ON Mars, but rather ABOUT Mars…) He writes:
Greetings space enthusiasts and future astronauts! I hear that you’re interested in Mars? Well, I’ve got news for you recruits - Mars is a blood-thirsty hellscape just waiting for the victims to start rolling in. You think the sea is cruel or the Moon is a harsh mistress? Wait until you try walking across a frozen dune field in the Martian night surrounded by toxic gas so cold that it freezes onto the ground in the winter and so thin that you’d think it was a vacuum if it were on Earth. And you’ll only get to that if you survive the trip there! Let me tell you, Hohmann transfer orbits are not for the faint of heart. Still interested? Alright, you gluttons for punishment, there are a few things that you should know if you’re going to survive on the Red Planet.
What is “How to Live on Mars (and not die)?” It’s a science leisure course, intended for anyone with at least a high school education. The goal is to have some fun talking about Mars, from the perspectives of planetary science, spacecraft engineering, and the history of spaceflight. We welcome scientists, authors, lawyers, medical doctors, and enthusiasts of all sorts. We won’t be doing much math, but we will be talking about the challenges that would face us if we wanted to not just visit, but to actually live on the Red Planet.
The course is scheduled to last for four weeks, and has been designed to maximize engagement. Participants will have access to a Discord community for discussions between the classes. Classes take place remotely on Zoom, and are intended to be collaborative discussions more than lectures. I will present a subject for about an hour each week before facilitating an open discussion with the class. The current schedule is from 1:00pm Eastern (10:00am Pacific / 6:00pm London) to 2:30pm each Saturday in October, with an extra half-hour before class for open conversation. Tuition is $100 USD, but please contact me (through Eventbrite) if finances are an issue. Class size is limited to 16 to maximize participation.
Each week will focus on a different subject, building towards a view of what a future settlement on Mars might look like.
Week 1: Mars is Definitely Going to Kill You: the How and the Why
Week 2: Why Should We Go to Mars Anyway?
Week 3: How Do We Explore Mars, and How Could We Live There?
Week 4: How Do We Prepare for Mars?
The event is facilitated through Eventbrite, an online event organization platform. The website is https://www.eventbrite.com/e/how-to-live-on-mars-and-not-die-tickets-969885964027
For more information about Nick, please check out his PSI Staff Page!(1)
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.psi.edu/staff/profile/nicholas-castle/
3. Should We Make an Endorsement in the Presidential Election?
I recently sent out a note to members of The Clergy Letter Project asking if the Project should make an endorsement in the upcoming 2024 US presidential election. I’ve been impressed by the response to date but want to use this opportunity to encourage those of you who have not yet voted to do so. To vote, simply reply to this e-mail with your choice.
You can read my full note outlining the question here. Please vote by 25 September 2024. Thanks much.
Should The Clergy Letter Project Endorse the Harris/Walz presidential campaign:
_____ Yes, we should make an endorsement.
_____ No, we should refrain from making an endorsement
_____ because doing so goes beyond the mission of The Clergy Letter Prjoect;
_____ because I am not in favor of the Harris/Walz campaign;
_____ for some other reason (please feel free to specify what that might be);
_____ for an unspecified reason.
4. Gen X Attitudes Toward Evolution
Phys.org ran a story summarizing a study on the evolving attitudes Gen X individuals had toward evolution that appeared in the journal Public Understanding of Science. While there’s a good deal of interesting material in this article, one aspect stands out and is particularly relevant to our work at The Clergy Letter Project:
The experience of college-level science courses, the completion of baccalaureate or more advanced degrees, and the development of civic scientific literacy were strong predictors of increased acceptance of evolution.
5. Biology Textbooks Mislead Students
This article from Newsweek is a bit old, from six months ago, but I hadn’t seen it when it first appeared. It summarizes an article from Science that explains how biology textbooks mislead students about sex and gender. Interesting reading.
6. Is the Teaching of Evolution Illegal?
This article from the Deseret News reports on a lawsuit filed in Indiana claiming that the teaching of evolution in public schools promotes “the atheist religion” and thus should be banned. Similarly, the lawsuit argues that books referencing evolution should be banned from public school classrooms. Happily, a federal district court ruled that evolution is not a religious concept and thus can remain a part of the public-school science curriculum.
7. Protecting the Separation of Church and State
A recent article in Politico presents a hint of some good education news in the midst of what often feels like unrelenting assaults on public education. The article reports on the resistance occurring, even in red states, to the extreme attempts to push at one version of Christianity into schools. Our collective voice is more important than ever.
8. Biblical Literalism in Texas Public Schools
Bridget Grumet, a journalist at the Austin American-Statesman, recently published a great column entitled “Texas' Bible-infused curriculum provides all the wrong lessons on religious freedom.” Grumet notes that the elementary school curriculum approved by the state quizzes kindergarteners on Biblical events, supposedly under the guise of instruction in art. She tells readers, “I actually went to Catholic schools, and I never had this much theology packed into an art lesson.” This is frightening stuff.
9. The Gish Gallop Enters Presidential Politics
The Gish Gallop is back! The term was originally coined in 1994 by Genie Scott, then-executive director of the National Center for Science Education, to describe the debate style popular with Duane Gish, a vice president of the Institute for Creation Research. Gish, during debates, would spew a torrent of fast-paced lies, misleading statements and outlandish claims, making it all but impossible for anyone to counter all he had to say. As this article in Scientific American explains, the fact that the Gish Gallop has been adopted by Donald Trump and has entered “the presidential debate stage, and increasingly onto news opinion pages nationwide, exemplifies a dangerous debasement of honest dialogue in American life.” The article notes that the Gish Gallop “leaves the audience less informed than they were before the debate, all at the hands of a debater whose only goal is to discredit their opponent.” Although the Gish Gallop is not an interesting strategy, this is an interesting article.
10. Political Attacks on Science Increasing
The Conversation has just published an interesting article discussing the myriad ways political attacks on the teaching of science have been increasing in recent years. Although attacks on evolution are common, the article demonstrates that evolution is not the only topic under political pressure.
11. The Centennial Anniversary of the Scopes Trial
This coming year is the centennial anniversary of the Scopes Trial – a critical event in framing the relationship between religion and science. A good number of activities are being planned to commemorate the anniversary including symposia at the University of Tennessee and Tennessee Tech University. I’ll share information about these events in the coming months as details get firmed up. In the meantime, I hope some of you think about incorporating a discussion of what we learned from the trial into Religion and Science Weekend 2025 activities.
_____ Yes, that’s a great idea. I plan to use the centennial celebration as a focal point for my Religion and Science Weekend 2025 event. Please sign me up as a participant.
Name of Congregation (or other group):
Location:
Your Name:
12. Combating Creationism in West Virginia
The only thing that’s clear about a new law passed in West Virginia is that it is entirely unclear what the law is supposed to permit being taught in public school science classrooms. Some supporters of the law have said that intelligent design and other forms of creationism can now be taught while others have said that those topics can only be brought into the classroom in response to student questions. Still others have said that all facets of creationism have been ruled to be illegal by the US Supreme Court and various federal district courts. In an attempt to preserve the integrity of science education in West Virginia and to keep teachers from promoting one version of religion in public schools, the ACLU of West Virginia “has launched an online tool for students and their parents to make reports on attempts by teachers to push religious ideology under the guise of science as the new school year begins.” You can read more about this situation in this report from WDTV.
13. Wondering About Life and Origins
Our good friends at Science for the Church just published an essay by Reverend Drew Rick-Miller, co-director of Science for the Church and a member of The Clergy Letter Project. This essay explores the origin of life on Earth and the evolution of intelligence. It’s a piece that’s well worth your time.
14. A Biblical Parable
The Kansas Reflector ran an opinion piece that was presented as “a story for you to read to your children and grandchildren.” The story, a true story, concerns Bibles being handed out to students at a small elementary school in Kansas. One parent spoke up and it became clear that the situation was a violation of the First Amendment to the US Constitution. The author notes that “Some people might say it’s OK to speak up when you see something wrong. Me? I say it’s heroic to speak up. A brave voice makes a big difference.” It’s a great essay, well worth the two minutes it will take to read.
15. Opening the Eyes’ Window to the Soul
Our good friends at Sinai and Synapses, as part of their Scientists in Synagogues program, just shared a talk by David Zakariaie, head of Senseye, coupled with a discussion between him and Rabbi Neil Blumofe, about Senseye’s innovative program that, by analyzing eye movements, could alert doctors to the possible presence of common psychological conditions like anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Rabbi Blumofe makes the ties between this fascinating technology and religion extremely interesting.
16. Have We Broken the Climate?
A recent article published by Capradio asks the provocative question: Have we broken the climate? The piece examines the causes and consequences of the record setting ocean temperatures that have occurred over the past year and a half. It’s well worth your time to take a look at the piece. And, if you’ve not yet added your signature to our Climate Crisis Letter, now would be a good time to do so. Just drop me a line and I’ll do the rest.
17. Dangerous Record-Breaking Winter Temperatures
When we think about climate change, we usually think about summer temperatures. But winter temperatures are also increasing to a frightening extent. This gift article from The Washington Post discusses the fact that winter temperatures in Australia this year have reached record levels, up to 107 degrees F, much more akin to summer rather than winter temperatures.
18. Sea Level Rise Viewer
Are you interested in seeing how sea level rise might impact where you live or other areas in the world? If so, this new NOAA website is just for you. Simply put in a location and adjust the amount of sea level rise you want to examine. It’s fascinating to observe the impacts around the world.
Concluding Thoughts
As the above items indicate, this has been a mixed month for issues we care about. Attacks on education, often in the narrow view of one religious perspective, are continuing, seemingly unabated, but perhaps people are beginning to push back. Similarly, the evidence of global climate change keeps growing before our eyes, but I believe that an expanding percentage of the population is beginning to take notice. All of this is another way of saying that the work of The Clergy Letter Project continues to be critically important. If we can enhance meaningful, civil discussions about the issues we care so deeply about, we can make a difference. 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