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Fri, November 04, 2011
Peace Breaks Out Between Religion and Science
By Michael Zimmerman, Ph.D
If you're one of those who believe that religion and science have been at war (and I'll explain below why some believe that that "war" is actually a manufactured conflict), you might want to know that peace increasingly seems to be breaking out.
The message that people do not need to choose between many religious beliefs and scientific understanding is not new -- but it has been spreading. Let me provide a series of examples of what has happened on this front in the recent past, and then tell you about an exciting new initiative.
- The largest, and perhaps most important, scientific association in the United States, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), has been working diligently in this field for an extended period of time. The explicit goal of the AAAS Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion (DoSER) is to "facilitate communication between scientific and religious communities."
- The US National Academy of Sciences, probably the most prestigious scientific honorary organization in the world, published a book in 2008 entitled "Science, Evolution, and Creationism." The book couldn't have been any clearer about the conflict between religion and science: "Attempts to pit science and religion against each other create controversy where none needs to exist."
- The Clergy Letter Project, the organization that I founded, now consists of more than 13,000 religious leaders who promote the teaching of evolution and more than 1,000 scientists who are comfortable working with those religious leaders.
- There are a host of additional organizations operating in all corners of the world designed to foster better dialogue about the relationship between religion and science. These organizations arise from many different traditions but they all recognize that religion and science need not be in conflict. Here are links to a handful of these groups to provide a taste of their breadth: The BioLogos Foundation; the International Society for Science and Religion; the Metanexus Institute; the Not Mutually Exclusive initiative of the United Church of Christ; the Society of Ordained Scientists; WesleyNexus: Science and Religion within the Wesleyan Tradition; and the Zygon Center for Religion and Science.
There are many, many other equally impressive examples I could point to, but I think this list makes my case. Instead, let me point to an exciting new initiative that is just getting started. Funded by the Templeton Foundation, this project will bring scientists into congregations with the goal of creating meaningful conversations about faith and science. The Templeton Foundation put up $1 million for this initiative, providing up to $30,000 to each of 37 congregations. You can read more about how some of these projects are playing out within the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in a good article written by Susan Barreto. In summary, though, it is fair to say that the individuals involved will explore how it is possible to retain faith while appreciating science -- without compromising either.
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Please click HERE to see the rest of the article
Please see Truthbook's topical study about "Science vs Religion" to learn some Urantia Book teachings about this most timely subject...
Link to External Source Article
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