January 2026 Newsletter
In this Clergy Letter Project update you’ll find the following 20 items:
- Religion and Science Weekend 2026;
- Across the Cosmos for January 2026: The Search for Habitable Worlds;
- A New Interfaith Clergy Letter: Please Sign on Now;
- How One Congregation Has Embraced Religion and Science Weekend;
- Intelligent Design Proposed for Arizona Schools;
- Climate Change and Flooding;
- Ohio is Bringing Religion into Public Schools;
- Is There Purpose In the Universe;
- Safeguarding Sound Science;
- The Judge in the Intelligent Design Trial Reminisces;
- Test Your Knowledge About the Intelligent Design Trial;
- Covalence Examines The Year that Challenged Science;
- Does Creationism in the Classroom Matter?;
- Is Creationism At the Heart of the Culture War?;
- The War on Science;
- Grounded in Science, Guided by Faith;
- Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology;
- Signs, Symbols and Brands;
- The New Role of the Military Chaplain Corps; and
- On A Lighter Note: Scientific Christmas Carols.
1. Religion and Science Weekend 2026
Religion and Science Weekend 2026, 13-15 February 2026, is quickly approaching. As I previously reported, members voted for a wonderful theme for our 21st anniversary celebration: Truth Matters. Please take a look at our website listing all participating congregations and groups to see if you’re listed. If you don’t appear, please drop me a note and I’ll get you listed.
A surprising number of members remain confused about how Religion and Science Weekend works, so let me explain. Each congregation acts independently to undertake an activity that promotes our theme or the general idea of the compatibility of religion and science. Activities can take place on the weekend of 13-15 February or anytime in the temporal vicinity. Similarly, activities can include anything a local congregation (or other group) believes is appropriate. A simple activity is to place a note in a weekly bulletin, but some have done more; sermons, lunch discussions, classes for children or adults, guest speakers, etc. Each and every activity counts since the goal is to advance the idea of the compatibility of religion and science while pushing back against those who think otherwise and who are attacking science and attempting to redefine religion. With each congregation (or other group) acting independently, we have reached well over 1.5 million people directly over the years. This year let’s expand on that number. If you’ve not yet signed up, please do so now by dropping me a note.
_____ Yes, my congregation (or other group) and I plan to participate. Please add us to the growing list of participants.
Name of Congregation (or other group):
Location:
Your Name:
Simply reply to this email or send me a separate note indicating that you plan to participate and I’ll add you to our growing list.
2. Across the Cosmos for January 2026: The Search for Habitable Worlds
In this month’s installment of Across the Cosmos, Grace Wolf-Chase, Senior Scientist and Senior Education & Communication Specialist at the Planetary Science Institute as well as a Clergy Letter Project consultant, reviews some highlights in our search for extraterrestrial life.
More than two decades ago, I began teaching a class in the Epic of Creation series(1) at the Zygon Center for Religion and Science entitled “The Ongoing Creation of Stars, Planets, and, Possibly, Life.” The Epic of Creation presents scientific, biblical, and theological perspectives on our origins. For many years, individual classes were attended by interested members of the general public as well as seminary students at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, who took the entire series for course credit. When I started teaching my class, there were roughly 135 recognized exoplanets (compared to over 6000 today). Many of these were so-called “hot Jupiters” – giant worlds that orbited very close to their stars. There was much excitement when, in 2004, two Neptune-sized worlds were discovered.(2) At the time, NASA was talking about future missions then known as the Terrestrial Planet Finder (TPF), the Life Finder, and the Planet Imager.
The TPF was envisioned to take “family photos” of exoplanetary systems that would identify Earth-like exoplanets and study the composition of their atmospheres. Its proposed launch date, which was initially around 2012, kept being pushed back until the proposed design of a space interferometer was abandoned.(3) The Life Finder and Planet Imager were pie-in-sky concepts that would have built on TPF results. As you can probably infer from the names, the Life Finder was – you guessed it – to be designed to find signs of life, and the Planet Imager was to obtain resolved images of exoplanets.
While mission designs have changed considerably over the past 20 years, astrobiology, particularly the search for habitable worlds, remains an area of intense scientific interest. JWST has been yielding very interesting results on “nearby” exoplanet atmospheres through the technique of transmission spectroscopy,(4) and of course the Kepler and TESS missions identified many terrestrial-sized worlds.(5) Just this month, NASA announced the selection of industry proposals to advance technologies for the Habitable Worlds Observatory concept – the first mission that would directly image Earth-like planets around other stars similar to our Sun and study the chemical composition of their atmospheres to search for signs of life.(6)
I encourage any of you who might be interested in keeping up on current events in planetary and exoplanetary science to sign up for PSI’s Weekly Briefing(7) – it’s a great way to get short news clips about what’s going on!
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)2. https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/scientists-discover-first-of-a-new-class-of-extrasolar-planets/
3. https://science.nasa.gov/photojournal/proposed-missions-terrestrial-planet-finder/
5. https://exoplanetarchive.ipac.caltech.edu/
7. https://mailchi.mp/psi/weeklybriefing (or just click on “Subscribe”) on the PSI main page: https://www.psi.edu/
3. A New Interfaith Clergy Letter: Please Sign on Now
Please read this item and add your name to our newest initiative:
The Interfaith Clergy Letter
The theme for our 2026 Religion and Science Weekend, Truth Matters, so resonated with Rev. Vern Barnet that he drafted a statement that, if enough of you sign on, will become our latest Clergy Letter. As Vern, who works with the Center for Religious Experience and Study, explains it, the statement is designed to be an interfaith statement about the intersecting value of religion and science.
The Interfaith Clergy Letter opens by stating, “Science and Religion both explore truth, but in mainly different domains, often using different methods and language. In some ways, within each domain, truth can be considered sacred.”
And the Letter concludes by saying, “The mysteries of the universe -- the electron spin, the Krebs cycle in metabolism of the cell, the migrations of early hominids, stories of service and even sacrifice on behalf of others, episodes of wonder at the birth of a child, rituals that bring people together in a shared sense of decision-making or even destiny -- may typically lie in different domains of science and religion. Nonetheless, the increasing overlap of the various disciplines of science and the interpenetration of the worlds faiths as they come to know each other more clearly, bring religion and science together. We believe that there is no conflict between these great domains of humanity encountering the astonishing phenomena of existence.”
Please take a look at The Interfaith Clergy Letter and drop me a note indicating that you’d like your signature to appear on our latest initiative. Additionally, please think about making use of The Interfaith Clergy Letter in your 2026 Religion and Science Weekend activities.
4. How One Congregation Has Embraced Religion and Science Weekend
First Presbyterian Church in Elizabethton, TN has fully embraced Religion and Science Weekend over the years and in doing so has created a robust and meaningful tradition for it community. As the Reverend Brian Wyatt explain to me, their celebration has grown to a 3-4 weekend event. I asked Brian to share his thoughts on this evolution with newsletter readers and here’s what he had to say. I hope his words encourage some of you to sign on to participate in Religion and Science Weekend 2026! Drop me a note and I’ll get you listed.
Since the late 2007, congregation of First Presbyterian Church, Elizabethton, TN, has intentionally embraced the relationship between faith and scientific inquiry through what was began as Evolution Sunday and has expanded for us into an annual Religion and Science Festival usually spanning several weekends around the official date. This initiative was originally spearheaded by longtime member Dr. Julie Wade, a biology professor who offered a one-hour educational lecture each year exploring the science of evolution, followed by worship that carried forward those same themes. These weekends reflected a core conviction of our church: that scientific discovery and faithful theology are not competitors, but partners in our ongoing search for truth and meaning.
Since my arrival in 2016, this observance has grown beyond a single Sunday into a more expansive series shaped by the insights of multiple scientific disciplines. While the format varies from year to year, the commitment remains strong. Even after Julie's death in 2023, we have intentionally carried her legacy forward. Last year, we devoted all four Sundays in February to Religion and Science themes—featuring guest educators in astrophysics, chemistry, and environmental science, and concluding with a video recording of Julie's final lecture on the evolution of life on Earth. Each week, the sermon and adult education hour were carefully integrated, allowing worship and learning to speak to one another.
Over time, our Religion and Science Festival has become one of the highlights of our church calendar and an event that regularly draws participants from beyond our congregation. It has deepened our witness as a community that values intellectual curiosity, theological openness, and thoughtful engagement with the world and universe around us. For me personally, it has also become an anticipated opportunity to engage new scientific perspectives and weave them into the life of our shared worship and learning.
5. Intelligent Design Proposed for Arizona Schools
As reported by the Arizona Daily Star, a bill was introduced in the Arizona Senate that would require intelligent design to be taught whenever evolution is taught. The bill’s sponsor, Senator David Farnsworth, said that intelligent design is "just another word for creationism," adding that, "If it were up to me, I would just call it creationism." You can read the article here.
6. Climate Change and Flooding
Climate change is leading to increased flooding. The Washington Post provided an investigation into the expected changes and provided a searchable map so you can see what’s likely in your location. You can access the free gift article here.
7. Ohio is Bringing Religion into Public Schools
The Ohio Capital Journal ran a story entitled “Ohio Republican lawmakers continue to pass legislation mingling religion with public schools.” You can read the story here.
8. Is There Purpose In the Universe
Geoff Mitelman, a member of The Clergy Letter Project and the founding director of Sinai and Synapses, recently participated in a conference that addressed the question, “Is there purpose in the Universe?” You can read his fascinating report on the discussion here.
9. Safeguarding Sound Science
The second season of the podcast “Safeguarding Sound Science” produced by the National Center for Science Education is now freely available. NCSE explains that “all nine episodes focused on the everyday impacts of evolution.” Do take a look at the listing of episodes and listen to those that you find of interest. You can do so here.
10. The Judge in the Intelligent Design Trial Reminisces
On the 20th anniversary of the decision in the Intelligent Design trial retired Judge (now the president of Dickinson College) John E. Jones III reminisced about the trial with a reporter from WHTM in Harrisburg, PA. You can read what he had to say here.
11. Test Your Knowledge About the Intelligent Design Trial
The National Center for Science Education has created a quiz to test your knowledge of what transpired in Kitzmiller v Dover, the legal case known as the Intelligent Design Trial. You can see how much you know here.
12. Covalence Examines The Year that Challenged Science
The latest issue issue of Covalence Magazine, a publication of the Lutheran Alliance for Faith, Science and Technology, as is the case every month, is filled with important material. This month I bring to your attention a piece entitled “The Year that Challenged Science – And What’s Next.” You can read it here.
13. Does Creationism in the Classroom Matter?
Paul Braterman, a retired professor of chemistry, a member of our list of scientific consultants and a frequent contributor to this newsletter has been busy this month. I’m sharing three of his items with you. First, you’ll want to read his long and thoughtful piece entitled “Creationism in the classroom: does it matter? Kitzmiller 20 years on.” You can do so here.
14. Is Creationism At the Heart of the Culture War?
Second, Paul brings to our attention a quotation from Jason Lisle’s book The Importance of Genesis: "Creation vs. evolution is not merely some academic issue of science. It is the heart of the culture war." Lisle is a frequent contributor to Answers in Genesis and is the founder of the Biblical Science Institute which states that “Evolution is nothing but a scientifically bankrupt conjecture. My conviction is that no one on earth believes in evolution for rational reasons. The Biblical Science Institute stands ready to expose the silliness and irrationality of those who stubbornly refuse to bow the knee to Christ.” Additionally, as Paul notes, Lisle “is associated with the argument that our currently receiving light from 10 billion light years away doesn't prove the existence of deep time, because on his model the speed of light can be vastly different in different directions.”
15. The War on Science
Third, Paul points us to a blog post by The Grumpy Geophysicist entitled “War on Science: 2025 casualty report.” The short post is well worth your time and can be found here.
16. Grounded in Science, Guided by Faith
Calvin University ran a very nice profile of Kwabena Bediako, an alum who is currently an associate professor of chemistry at the University of California, Berkeley. The piece notes that “Deep faith, nurtured throughout his life, plays a vital role in Bediako’s career,” and quotes him as saying, “If humanity is to profoundly alter its environmental footprint in the twenty-first century, it is imperative to meet the challenge of escalating global energy demand with the innovation of unprecedentedly efficient renewable energy conversion and storage systems,” You can read the profile here.
17. Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology
The Yale Forum on Religion and Ecology consistently provides important and incisive articles discussing the intersection of religion and ecology. I’m certain that even a quick scan of the site will yield interesting items that you’ll find useful. You can access the publication here.
18. Signs, Symbols and Brands
The Rev. Ken Olson, a member of The Clergy Letter Project and a frequent contributor to this newsletter, has shared another one of his wonderful essays with us. In this one, entitled “Signs, Symbols and Brands,” Ken, as usual, ranges broadly referencing the film Missouri Breaks, the historical origin of the swastika and Federalist Papers #47 in his commentary on the state of current affairs. You can read his essay here.
19. The New Role of the Military Chaplain Corps
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has issued orders to overhaul the role of the military’s Chaplain Corps claiming that he wants to restore its focus on religious ministry. He argues that what he calls "new age notions" in the Army Spiritual Fitness Guide alienates religious soldiers. You can read more about his misguided efforts here.
20. On A Lighter Note: Scientific Christmas Carols
The Rev. Jackie Ziegler, a member of The Clergy Letter Project, shared a Youtube link with me, writing, “Below is a link to traditional Christmas melodies with scientific lyrics. The scientific lyrics are so funny AND so true.” Having listened to the link, I agree with her! You can listen for yourself here.
Concluding Thoughts
Each month the global situation seems to get a bit darker. The war in Ukraine continues unabated with an increased number of Russian bombs falling on Ukraine every night. Despite a supposed cease fire in Gaza, hundreds are still being regularly killed. The United States is flexing its colonial powers and illegally kidnapping Venezuela’s head of state (who is an evil despot) while threatening to invade or take over parts of the land owned by our allies. And, here at home, ICE continues on its unholy mission, including killing unarmed citizens. I’m pleased to see that a growing number of religious leaders, including Pope Leo XIV, have begun to speak out about these horrors. We deserve to live in a better world – and it is up to us to envision and work to bring into existence just such a world. I’m heartened by the fact that so many of you won’t give up and continue to do what you can to help move us forward. I applaud 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
https://bsky.app/profile/mzclergyletter.bsky.social