November 2023 Newsletter
In this Clergy Letter Project update you’ll find the following seventeen items:
- Religion, Science and the Common Good;
- Astrobiology News for November 2023: Community-Driven Climate Solutions;
- Speaker of the US House – Part 1;
- Speaker of the US House – Part 2;
- Speaker of the US House – Part 3;
- What Different Faith Traditions Believe About Climate Change;
- Race Isn’t Real;
- Preaching with the Sciences;
- Is Evolution Just the Beginning?;
- Climate Change is an Emergency;
- The Rev. Jeff Johnson Elected Bishop;
- Interacting with Extraterrestrials;
- Perspectives on Evolution – Part 1;
- Perspectives on Evolution – Part 2;
- Banquet of the Cosmos;
- The Role of Naturalism in Christian Traditions; and
- Our Annual NON-Fundraising Drive.
1. Religion, Science and the Common Good
Religion, Science and the Common Good
Religion and Science Weekend 2024
9-11 February 2024
The Reverend Larry Ort, Rector of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Brookings, SD and a member of The Clergy Letter Project, was the author of the theme for Religion and Science Weekend 2024 selected by membership.
Here’s how he explained the importance of the theme:
The long-term survival of our planet may well depend on our desire and our ability to employ religion and science in pursuit of a shared vision of the common good!
Few would dispute the thesis that classical education sought and promoted a vision of the common good, for classical education strove to develop every aspect of our being – intellectual, physical, psychological, moral, and spiritual.
Many ancient religious texts also set forth a vision of the common good, e.g., the shalom community envisioned in the ancient Hebraic prophets – a community characterized by peace, wholeness, wellness, and prosperity. Here one may be reminded of the prophet Amos' proclamation: "But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream." There can be no peace or wholeness apart from justice.
Similar visions of the common good are found in the world's great religious traditions. These visions share a common unifying theme – we are to treat others as we would be treated. Such visions are grounded in love and justice.
Contemporary education emphasizes the mastery of information and skills required for success in the job market. In part, this may be a reflection of false worship – the worship of the ever-appealing idols of wealth, power, and prestige – worship which leads to rampant individualism and egoism.
Religion and science address disparate questions. Religion helps us to wrestle with questions of meaning, value, and morality, i.e., the "why" questions? Why things exist as they are. Why we ought to live one way as opposed to another. Science primarily addresses the "how" questions – How is it that events occur as they do? How are things organized as they are? How do things work? How can we better control nature and natural events?
Can religion and science work collaboratively to promote the common good? Might science not only discover new knowledge, but also study what people consider to be the common good, the best socio-economic-political arrangements in furtherance of the common good? Might religion and morality serve to question (or check) the end uses of knowledge and technology in service of the common good?
_____ I’m excited by this theme! Please sign me up to participate in Religion and Science Weekend 2024.
Name of Congregation (or other group):
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2. Astrobiology News for November 2023: Community-Driven Climate Solutions
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 the National Academy of Medicine’s (NAM) Climate Communities Network's (CCN) efforts to combat climate change on the local level. I hope you take Grace’s words to heart and get involved in this critical effort.
Life in the Universe includes life on Earth, and life on Earth includes communities impacted by climate change. This month, the National Academy of Medicine’s (NAM) Climate Communities Network (CCN)(1) announced the first cohort in community-driven strategic partnerships to address climate-related health inequities.(2) This initiative brings together leaders representing community-based organizations that serve areas disproportionately affected by health-related impacts of climate change and representatives from government, academia, industry, and philanthropic organizations to innovate, inform policy, drive resources, and co-design solutions.
The CCN is one of a growing number of initiatives dedicated to mobilizing local expertise to co-create solutions to 21st century challenges. In contrast to models where local voices have little say in decisions that directly affect them, CCN was established to engage communities as equal partners in developing solutions to critical issues that impact their health and well-being. CCN members share their community’s stories, expertise, and experience to influence the direction of climate work.
CCN is part of NAM’s Grand Challenge on Climate Change, Human Health & Equity,(3) a global initiative to improve and protect human health, well-being, and equity by working to transform systems that both contribute to, and are impacted by, climate change. Check out the Opportunity Grants(4) site for information on funding interdisciplinary efforts at the intersection of climate change and human health. Climate change impacts all life on Earth, but disproportionately hurts the most vulnerable among us. Successful innovations and lasting solutions will likely be achieved only through efforts that don’t exclude the most affected stakeholders.(3)
There are many ways to take action on issues related to climate change – if you haven’t already done so, please consider signing The Clergy Letter Project’s Climate Crisis Letter.(5) Also, remember you can assist scientific studies online by searching for climate projects on Zooniverse(6) or Scistarter.(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://nam.edu/programs/climate-change-and-human-health/climate-communities-network/
2. https://nam.edu/network-focused-on-community-driven-climate-solutions-announces-members-and-strategic-partners/
3. https://nam.edu/programs/climate-change-and-human-health/
4. https://nam.edu/programs/climate-change-and-human-health/climate-change-human-health-opportunity-grants/
5. https://www.theclergyletterproject.org/Climate_Letter/ClimateLtr.html
6. https://www.zooniverse.org/projects?discipline=climate&page=1&status=live
7. https://scistarter.org/finder?phrase=climate&active=true
3. Speaker of the US House – Part 1
As you likely know, Representative Mike Johnson has been chosen to be the Speaker of the US House of Representatives. While there has been an enormous amount written about him since his ascension, there are a number of truly troubling issues related to the mission of The Clergy Letter Project. In this item, and in the following two items, I’ll share three such issues.
Although Johnson’s office refuses to comment on the issue, it appears that he is not only a creationist but a young Earth creationist. He has worked for and defended Answers in Genesis (the owner of The Ark Encounter as well as the Creation Museum) over the years, perhaps the world’s leading young Earth creationist organization. In case you think that Johnson’s position was something he held years ago and that he has moderated his position in recent years, please note that he hosted a Christian radio show on 7 June 2021 in which he argued, “The Ark Encounter is one way to bring people to this recognition of the truth, that what we read in the Bible are actual historical events.” You can read more about Johnson’s belief in creationism here.
4. Speaker of the US House – Part 2
Like a frightening number of other fundamental extremists, Johnson has blamed school shootings on the teaching of evolution. He’s said, “People say, ‘How can a young person go into their schoolhouse and open fire on their classmates?’ Because we’ve taught a whole generation — a couple generations now — of Americans, that there’s no right or wrong, that it’s about survival of the fittest, and [that] you evolve from the primordial slime. Why is that life of any sacred value? Because there’s nobody sacred to whom it’s owed. None of this should surprise us.”
In response to a creationist activist who complained about being forced to learn about evolution in school, Johnson replied, “The concern that you’re articulating should be of concern to more than just creationists. All freedom-loving Americans ought to have grave concerns about these government abuses, regardless of their perspectives on Genesis or even the Christian faith, for that matter.”
5. Speaker of the US House – Part 3
Finally, for now, and perhaps most significantly, there’s good reason to believe that Johnson is not a fan of the separation of church and state that is enshrined in the First Amendment to the US Constitution. The title of an article in The Texas Tribune makes the case quite clearly: “Texas activist David Barton wants to end separation of church and state. He has the ear of the new U.S. House speaker.” The full article is well worth reading.
6. What Different Faith Traditions Believe About Climate Change
Religion Unplugged ran a summary of a recent survey conducted by The Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) exploring what different faith traditions believe about climate change. There’s a great deal of interesting material including the following two items:
PRRI’s survey found that 35% of Americans “agree that the severity of recent natural disasters is evidence that we are in what the Bible calls ‘the end of times’” — compared with 63% who disagree, including 37% who strongly disagree.
Nearly 19% of White evangelical Protestants said they “believe there is no solid evidence of climate change” — higher than other religious traditions PRRI surveyed.
7. Race Isn’t Real
The Clergy Letter Project has long articulated the position that, based on both scientific and religious grounds, the concept of race in humans is not a meaningful construct. The Washington Post recently published an article making the case that race isn’t real. The article’s headline and subhead, explain: “Race isn’t real, science says. Advocates want the census to reflect that. A small but vocal group of professionals and academics imagine a future where categories don’t matter.” Take a look at the gift article provided.
8. Preaching with the Sciences
The Reverend Edward Foley, Duns Scotus Professor Emeritus of Spirituality at the Catholic Theological Union, a member of The Clergy Letter Project, and the director of the Preaching with the Sciences program, shared some incredibly exciting news with me. The Lilly Endowment has awarded the program a $1.25 million grant to expand their efforts. You can read more about the specifics in this press release. Additionally, the program has expanded their website and has included a great deal of material I suspect you’ll find useful. Do take a look.
9. Is Evolution Just the Beginning?
Reuters recently ran a news report describing a scientific paper arguing for an expanded view of evolution. The paper claims “that complex natural systems evolve to states of greater patterning, diversity and complexity.” The contention is “that evolving systems, biological and non-biological, always form from numerous interacting building blocks like atoms or cells, and that processes exist – such as cellular mutation - that generate many different configurations. Evolution occurs, it holds, when these various configurations are subject to selection for useful functions.”
10. Climate Change is an Emergency
Many scientists now believe that we have reached a new and dangerous point with respect to climate change. As you can see in this gift article from The Washington Post entitled “Why many scientists are now saying climate change is an all-out ‘emergency’,” the situation is dire. The article’s subheading says it all: “Escalating rhetoric comes as new study shows there are just six years left to keep global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius at current CO2 emissions rate.” As Grace Wolf-Chase suggested in her Astrobiology News piece in item 2 above, you might want to add your signature to our Climate Crisis Letter if you haven’t yet done so.
11. The Rev. Jeff Johnson Elected Bishop
The Reverend Jeff R. Johnson, pastor of University Lutheran Chapel of Berkeley and a member of The Clergy Letter Project, has been elected to serve a six-year term as bishop of the Sierra Pacific Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). He is the first gay man to be elected bishop of the Sierra Pacific Synod. You can read more about his election here. Please join me in congratulating Jeff on his new position.
12. Interacting with Extraterrestrials
There have been many items in our newsletter about extraterrestrials over the years so it seems fitting to include a short one about the way contact with extraterrestrials might play out. Here then is an Academic Minute presentation by Dr. David Shorter, professor of world arts and culture at UCLA. He argues that such contact might not go well, based on our history.
13. Perspectives on Evolution – Part 1
There has been some recent poling on the views Americans hold on evolution. This item and the next present links to two such analyses. The first set of data comes from a survey conducted by the Survey Center on American Life and our friends at the National Center for Science Education provide a great summary. They note that when presented with "Evolution is the best explanation for the origins of human life on earth," 29 percent of respondents completely agreed, 32 percent somewhat agreed, 15 percent somewhat disagreed, and 22 percent completely disagreed, while 2 percent refused to answer. There’s a great deal more in the survey. Do take a look and realize that our work is far from over.
14. Perspectives on Evolution – Part 2
Our friends at the National Center for Science Education also reported on a recent Suffolk University/USA Today poll that surveyed opinions about human evolution. The results are striking, including the fact that women were more likely to be creationists than were men and that creationist beliefs are negatively correlated with amount of education received. Philip Bump of The Washington Post takes a deeper dive into the data here.
15. Banquet of the Cosmos
The Rev. Rex Hunt, a member of the Uniting Church of Australia and a member of The Clergy Letter Project, has written a liturgy for Religion and Science Weekend entitled “Banquet of the Cosmos.” He wrote to me saying:
Some folk might be wanting to include Communion in their service during Religion & Science Weekend. Here’s a liturgy I am offering to any who may like to use it. If it is used it would be great to get an indication and any feedback.
I hope some of you make use of Rex’s work in your Religion and Science Weekend programming. If you do, please let Rex know by dropping him a line at rexae74@gmail.com.
16. The Role of Naturalism in Christian Traditions
The October issue of Covalence, a publication of the Lutheran Alliance for Faith, Science and Technology, is focused on the role of naturalism in Christian Traditions. There’s a good deal in this issue that you’ll want to read.
17. Our Annual NON-Fundraising Drive
The Clergy Letter Project is almost 20 years old and during that time we’ve never solicited funding from our members – and we’re not going to start now! Instead, we’re simply asking members to take some simple actions. First, please invite a clergy member (or two) you know to join our ranks. The magnitude of our impact is a function of our numbers, so please help us grow. It’s that simple. Second, if you’ve not yet done so, please sign up to participate in Religion and Science Weekend 2024 – or encourage your congregation to do so. Third, if you’ve not already done so, please add your signature to our Climate Crisis Letter. These actions are simple, cost-free, and impactful. Please take a minute to help us extend our reach. Together we are making a difference – but with your help we can make an even greater difference.
Concluding Thoughts
This has been a troubling month. The war between Hamas and Israel is leaving untold dead and has produced a level of world-wide antisemitism that is truly horrifying. The amount of Islamaphobia rearing its ugly head is equally troubling. While I don’t have a solution, and I don’t believe that there are easy solutions, I certainly can and do mourn all of the deaths while recognizing that there is nothing that can condone the terror and brutality that Hamas perpetrated on Israeli citizens on 7 October. Amid the death there are occasionally glimmers of hope. One such glimmer was provided by Rabbi Maurice Harris, a member of The Clergy Letter Project, in a blog post he made discussing the possibility of a two-state solution.
Amid this carnage, the war in Ukraine continues with innocent Ukrainians dying every day from Russian bombs and artillery attacks, the planet continues to set global warming records, and we, in the United States, have a creationist second in line to become president. It’s easy to become paralyzed with depression in the face of these realities but we must continue to push back – to demonstrate how, building on what we know of religion and science, it is possible to construct a better, a fairer, a more just and a greener world. Thank you for your efforts to promote these ideals.
To those of you in the United States, I wish you and your families a very Happy Thanksgiving and hope the holiday provides an opportunity to reflect on what we have that is good while enabling us to envision how to improve the situation for others not so lucky.
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