Science as a Christian Vocation
Call for Nominations
Please share this call for nominations with others in your church or presbytery.
Along with all Christians, we profess that Jesus Christ is Lord of all aspects of life in our scientific and technological culture. Believing this, each year the Presbyterian Association on Science, Technology and the Christian Faith (PASTCF) seeks to recognize a member of the PC(USA) who has demonstrated excellence in helping the Presbyterian Church (USA) engage science and technology as these bear on its faith and practice.
Nominees will have demonstrated in their Christian life an explicit concern for and development of ways to engage the PC(USA) in attending to the significance of developments in science and technology as they relate to the worship, education and mission of the church at the congregational level and beyond.
Requirements and Nominations
1) Nominees must be living individuals who are members of the Presbyterian Church (USA).
2) Nominees must be members of the Presbyterian Church (USA).
3) The PASTCF Executive Board may honor up to three persons in any one year.
4) Each nominator shall provide a written statement in support of the nominee. This statement should be as explicit as possible in explaining why the nominee deserves to be honored. In considering nominators’ statements, the Board will be looking in particular for two things:
in what ways has the nominee demonstrated personal engagement with science, technology and the Christian faith;
and
in what ways has the nominee helped the PC(USA) at the congregational level or above realize such engagement in its life and work.
In some cases, it may be helpful for two different nominators to write about these two aspects of the nominee’s life and work.
5) Supporting materials such as a curriculum vita for the nominee, lists of the nominee’s publications, records of his or her service on church boards, etc., are not required. The absence of this kind of material will not adversely affect the Board’s evaluation of the nomination
6) Persons nominated but not recognized in a given year will be reconsidered for three subsequent years. A person nominated previously but not recognized does not need to be nominated again to be reconsidered.
Those selected for recognition will be announced on the Association’s website and honored at the PASTCF luncheon during the next Presbyterian Church (USA) General Assembly. Those who are able to attend will be presented with a framed certificate at that time. Those not attending will receive their certificates by mail. Persons honored will also receive a monetary award and they and their nominators will receive complimentary memberships in PASTCF for one year. In addition, the honoree will receive a one-year membership in the Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences that will include a subscription to its journal, Theology and Science.
Nomination Forms, the Call for Nominations, and FAQs about the recognition may be downloaded from the PASTCF website or submitted online.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does PASTCF choose people to be recognized?
Anyone can send a nomination to PASTCF. The PASTCF Board considers nominations in a timely fashion when they are received, and decides whom to recognize.
Who is eligible?
To be considered for this honor, an individual must be a member of the Presbyterian Church (USA). The candidate should have demonstrated engagement of his or her Christian faith with developments in science and technology and have explicitly sought to foster such engagement in the Presbyterian Church (USA).
What about retired people?
Retired scientists, engineers, science teachers, and other science or technology professionals, are eligible.
Does the candidate have to be a member of PASTCF?
No, but she or he does have to be a member of the Presbyterian Church (USA).
Does the candidate have to be a scientist or engaged in a science related profession (e.g., engineering, medicine, science education)?
No. But they need to be attentive to developments in science and technology and concerned about how these developments relate to Christian faith and life.
I had this wonderful scientist friend who died a few years ago. Can I nominate him or her?
No. Only living persons can be recognized.
An elder in my church is a pediatrician who has served several times on session, been on many mission trips, and leads a popular Bible study. Would she be a good candidate?
Maybe yes, maybe no. Does she clearly engage her Christian faith with developments in science and technology? Does she encourage her congregation or other levels of the church to have such engagement? For the McCall honor, a strong “yes” answer to both of these questions counts more than being a “pillar of the church.”
My church has been wonderfully creative in incorporating scientific ideas into worship, educational programs, and outreach. Can it be recognized?
No. The present recognition is intended to honor individuals, not institutions. If there is a person in the congregation who has led in this effort, he or she might be a good candidate. Perhaps in the future PASTCF will establish an award to honor Presbyterian congregations and other Presbyterian-related institutions.
How do I nominate someone?
There are two options.
1. By mail: Download a call for nominations and a nomination form in .pdf format. Read carefully the requirements listed on the call for nominations, then complete the nomination form and send it, along with a written statement of support, to the person listed on the from.
2. Online: Read the call for nominations and submit your nomination on our website.
Please be as explicit as possible in your statement of support. The Board has no source of information about the person you nominate other than the information you provide.
Do I have to be a Presbyterian or a member of PASTCF in order to nominate someone?
No. Your nominee must be a member of the Presbyterian Church (USA), but you do not have to be. Neither you nor your nominee need be a member of PASTCF.
Is there a deadline for nominations?
No. Nomination Forms and supporting documents may be sent at any time and will be reviewed and acted upon by the Board in a timely fashion.
I nominated someone last year, but she was not recognized. Do I need to nominate her again this year?
No. If someone nominated in any given year is not recognized that year, the nomination will be reconsidered for three consecutive years.
