Luther Seminary has received a $1.2 million grant from the John Templeton Foundation to fund a three-year project called Science for Youth Ministry: The Plausibility of Transcendence. The project will catalyze faith-and-science conversations with young people through youth ministry and will produce materials to encourage those discussions.
More information on this project can be found on the Luther Seminary website and has a great introductory video from lead collaborator Andrew Root. https://www.luthersem.edu/research/templeton_grant.aspx
I cannot count how many conversations with students I have had over my 15 years of youth ministry when they ask the daunting question: Can Faith and Science be connected?
Concept of science and faith locked in battle, or harmony, depending on one’s perspective.
They really want to know whether or not their Christian faith (worldview and convictions) can be reconciled with scientific discoveries or “truths” they are learning in school. In many ways, I suppose this is not a brand new phenomenon or challenge facing youth ministers. I suppose that ever since the Scopes trial in the 1920’s, issues of faith/region vs. science/technology have surfaced. Then it was the creation and evolution debate. Now it might range from gender/sexuality biological findings to theories of time-space travel or the possible discovery of life on other planets.
I am honored to be a part of this conversation and will be attending a writing symposium at Luther Seminary with Andrew Root and other youth workers/thinkers/writers. Initially, we will base our pieces on the book Galileo Goes to Jail: And Other Myths About Science and Religion edited by Ronald L. Numbers.
I will write about my observations and reflections in later posts, as well as publish my article on this site. For now, I will say that throughout the history of humankind there have been misconceptions about how religion and science coincided in culture and in the hearts and minds of people of faith. So, in many ways, what we are facing today is really not new or unique. The actual questions and scientific discoveries may alter over time, but the general premise remains unchanged.
How, if at all, can my faith coexist with science? Can “ancient” religious views hold up against “modern” scientific discoveries? Are those terms fluid or fixed..and for that matter, is one’s faith fixed or fluid?
For more information, and to get your hands on the forthcoming resources to help youth workers embark on this great journey, please visit the Science for Youth Ministry website http://scienceym.org/
Also, join the online discussion and network by connecting on the Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/scienceforYM/?fref=ts
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