Science as the Voice of God
originally published 4/20/17
This Saturday, people all over the country will be participating in science marches to honor the vast contribution of science to our world, and to emphasize the importance of scientific research in equipping us to ensure a sustainable future. As people of faith, we will be marching – not despite our faith, but because of it.
“SCIENCE IS A PATH TO FAITH,” proclaims a reader board at a West Seattle church this week. From glimpses of our intricate biology seen through a microscope to the glorious cosmic displays of light and beauty revealed by the Hubble Telescope, many of us are indeed reimagining our relationship to all of life. We are confronted anew with the question of what it means to be human, part of a vast ecosystem of life, while at the same time brought to tears and amazement by the wonder of it all.
Our church (The United Church of Christ) embraces the challenge that science and technology present to traditional theology. God is a living God, calling us to expand our hearts, souls and minds. One way we see to do that is to listen to what God is saying. “God is Still Speaking,” we say. To be true to that slogan, we must ask ourselves: Are we listening? And what does it look like to listen to God?
God speaks in many different voices, in many different ways. Experience, tradition, scripture and reason have, for centuries, been modes in which people have heard God and come to faith as they wrestled with the mystery of life. Faith is a living response to life and for life.
In the last few decades many people, religious and not, have discovered that God is speaking through science, and a brand new dialogue is emerging between faith and science. Each domain has an important contribution. Like the loyal churchman, Galileo, said, The bible shows the way to heaven, not the way the heavens go. Science provides a language for listening to nature. It reveals worlds of astonishing interconnectivity and complexity. Exploration of creation through scientific inquiry is an exploration of God. Science is a powerful voice of God.
After Mt St Helens erupted in 1980, scientists were amazed at how quickly the decimated landscape recovered. They were surprised at how interconnected and complex the biosystems were. Human beings have everything to gain from contemplating this reality. Our survival now depends on us seeing and appreciating how interconnected our global systems are, and how our political, economic and cultural systems are destroying the fragile ecosystem of our planet. And we must work together to act on what we see.
We appreciate how science gives voice to the natural world, how it helps us make sense of the world’s workings. And we want to listen, ever more closely, to what God is saying through the environment and all its creatures. So! People of faith, come join us this Saturday for the Science March. Let’s express our appreciation for the scientific method and its findings and build partnership for serving and preserving life on the planet.
Joan Henjum is ordained in the United Church of Christ (UCC) and has spent the last two years organizing events that bring science and faith into conversation.
Gary Southerton is an ordained UCC pastor serving Broadview Community United Church of Christ in northwest Seattle.
Citations:
West Seattle Church is Admiral Congregational United Church of Christ (UCC), 4320 SW Hill St, Seattle, 98116
http://www.ucc.org/not-mutually-exclusive_index and click on "A New Voice Arising: A Pastoral Letter on Faith Engaging Science and Technology,"
https://www.facebook.com/scienceasthevoiceofgod/ Scroll down for Upcoming Events
originally published 4/20/17
This Saturday, people all over the country will be participating in science marches to honor the vast contribution of science to our world, and to emphasize the importance of scientific research in equipping us to ensure a sustainable future. As people of faith, we will be marching – not despite our faith, but because of it.
“SCIENCE IS A PATH TO FAITH,” proclaims a reader board at a West Seattle church this week. From glimpses of our intricate biology seen through a microscope to the glorious cosmic displays of light and beauty revealed by the Hubble Telescope, many of us are indeed reimagining our relationship to all of life. We are confronted anew with the question of what it means to be human, part of a vast ecosystem of life, while at the same time brought to tears and amazement by the wonder of it all.
Our church (The United Church of Christ) embraces the challenge that science and technology present to traditional theology. God is a living God, calling us to expand our hearts, souls and minds. One way we see to do that is to listen to what God is saying. “God is Still Speaking,” we say. To be true to that slogan, we must ask ourselves: Are we listening? And what does it look like to listen to God?
God speaks in many different voices, in many different ways. Experience, tradition, scripture and reason have, for centuries, been modes in which people have heard God and come to faith as they wrestled with the mystery of life. Faith is a living response to life and for life.
In the last few decades many people, religious and not, have discovered that God is speaking through science, and a brand new dialogue is emerging between faith and science. Each domain has an important contribution. Like the loyal churchman, Galileo, said, The bible shows the way to heaven, not the way the heavens go. Science provides a language for listening to nature. It reveals worlds of astonishing interconnectivity and complexity. Exploration of creation through scientific inquiry is an exploration of God. Science is a powerful voice of God.
After Mt St Helens erupted in 1980, scientists were amazed at how quickly the decimated landscape recovered. They were surprised at how interconnected and complex the biosystems were. Human beings have everything to gain from contemplating this reality. Our survival now depends on us seeing and appreciating how interconnected our global systems are, and how our political, economic and cultural systems are destroying the fragile ecosystem of our planet. And we must work together to act on what we see.
We appreciate how science gives voice to the natural world, how it helps us make sense of the world’s workings. And we want to listen, ever more closely, to what God is saying through the environment and all its creatures. So! People of faith, come join us this Saturday for the Science March. Let’s express our appreciation for the scientific method and its findings and build partnership for serving and preserving life on the planet.
Joan Henjum is ordained in the United Church of Christ (UCC) and has spent the last two years organizing events that bring science and faith into conversation.
Gary Southerton is an ordained UCC pastor serving Broadview Community United Church of Christ in northwest Seattle.
Citations:
West Seattle Church is Admiral Congregational United Church of Christ (UCC), 4320 SW Hill St, Seattle, 98116
http://www.ucc.org/not-mutually-exclusive_index and click on "A New Voice Arising: A Pastoral Letter on Faith Engaging Science and Technology,"
https://www.facebook.com/scienceasthevoiceofgod/ Scroll down for Upcoming Events
