“Science without religion is lame; religion without science is blind” – Einstein
“Science gives man knowledge which is power; religion gives man wisdom which is control. Science deals mainly with facts; religion deals mainly with values. The two are not rivals. They are complementary.” – M. L. King Jr.
On any Sunday morning at First Presbyterian Church Waco, Texas, you will find a group of seekers gathered in person and on Zoom, engaged in energetic conversation at the interfaces of religion and science. Adult women and men across generations bring experience and wisdom from life and professions: farming, journalism, administration, psychology, physical therapy, education, and others. Participants’ most common characteristics are compelling curiosity and deep respect for each other. Most are present in person; some join through Zoom. Perhaps the integration of technology for Christian Formation is tangible evidence of the weaving of science and faith.
History
What is now called the Weaving Science and Faith class emerged seven years ago from a long-standing class: The Seekers. Members of the Seekers class were inquisitive and several had careers in the sciences, including medicine, neuroscience, developmental psychology, geology, and physics. In 2018, the class evolved and began to intentionally focus more on the relationship between faith and science. In 2020, a public health emergency and scientific challenge interrupted the flow when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down in person gatherings. As was true in many churches, schools, and other locations, technology provided a new method for meeting, studying, and worshiping together: the Zoom room. The class restructured, took a new name — Weaving Science and Faith — and continues to faithfully engage the contradictions, intersections, anomalies, and congruencies in the study of science, faith, and religion.
The class, now offered in a hybrid format, typically includes 25 or more who participate in person and a few who join on Zoom. Through the years the class has covered a wide array of topics, including geology, memory, the Western medical model, mortality, Braiding Sweetgrass and the study of Native American botany, yoga, the Enneagram, the James Webb space telescope, canonization of scripture, the science of creation, Genesis, and the concept of original sin.
A Process Example
There are often reading opportunities, specific to the topic, to be completed before the class. A recent study of Process Thinking and Process Theology was led by researcher Dr. Chris Hughes, who joined online from Canada. That six-week series included pre and post surveys, outside preparation, including videos and readings, and robust discussions. Conversation was cofacilitated in person by our pastor, the Reverand Doctor Leslie King. Most weeks, though, the topics and discussions are led by Rev. King, who provides resources, facilitates conversations, brings in guest speakers, and somehow makes it to the 10:30 service in time.
A gentle underlying theme of trust
Member Observations
Members of the class gathered one Sunday morning and discussed our experiences in the class, including its history, leadership, methods, topics, impact, and lessons learned. Members’ observations and responses to each other’s recollections are offered here as the most significant data to answer the question: Why have a Sunday study of science and faith? These themes emerged from our conversation: the role of scripture, the impact on faith and belief, the impact on relationships, and next steps.
Role of Scripture
The study and role of scripture in the class varies in prominence, depending on the topic and the curiosity of the class members. One topic we pursued was the canon of scripture and the process of canonization. Who decided what became “scripture” and what did not? How were the decisions made, codified, and institutionalized? Of what significance are the different versions of the Bible and why are there apparent contradictions in scripture? How are editorial comments distinguished from historical discussions that are recorded differently in various places in the Bible?
The application of scripture to different situations and issues was also addressed. One member noted: “There has been less focus on thinking about particular scriptures and their application and more discussion on scripture as the backdrop against which all of the conversations take place. … Even if we are not consulting a particular text, we approach the subject with our religious history in mind and what we think about God and how God might be involved.” That statement generated a discussion about salvation history as the backdrop of other conversations and one member’s understanding about what salvation means: “For me it is the hope that the will of God wins out in the end and that the Kingdom of God will come about in some fashion,” to which another person responded: “Isn’t that fate?” This is another example of faith and science and the commitment of the group to live into the questions as well as answers.
Impact on Faith and Belief
Perhaps one factor that makes space for this openness in our discussions is the honesty we share about faith, doubt, and seeking. A member observed, “This class helps me to understand my doubts and seeking and leads me to explore more.” Another member recalled a philosophy professor from MIT who helped our member understand his own search: “this class stimulated me to find and grow in my own faith in order that I can be more comfortable and honest about what I believe.”
Someone else noted that “The structure of the class contract is the push against the ‘sage on the stage’ understanding; and while we hold space for that and for expert opinion, we also a have rich conversation that brings important value. We have fundamental respect for discourse and understand that we can agree to disagree.”
Impact on Relationships
There is a gentle underlying theme of trust in the room, i.e., confidence to offer thoughts and beliefs without fear of judgment or rejection as well as an expectation of safety and space to wonder, to question, and even to disagree. A member recalled having read about the intersection of science and faith and struggled “to find a curriculum that didn’t abdicate to one or the other.” In this experience with class members, she has found space to “hold those in tension.” Another member described it as also “holding two things in harmony.”
In both a study of botany and the study of process thinking and process theology, members mentioned the lessons learned from trees and plants that inform how we treat each other and are able to grow together. This was connected to the interdependence in the class. One member stated: “For me, it entails a different way of looking at things that I wouldn’t have done on my own. We have a three-dimensional world but much more than that if we think about being and becoming, my experience versus someone else’s, and we use the past as a frame of reference to interpret things. We are being exposed to different ways of thinking of things,” a remark met with multiple nods around the room.
One member mentioned: “I can’t really separate science and faith. Science will prove it or you have to have faith.” Another responded: “I want to bring them together for congruence.” Someone else noted: “I want to mention how much I appreciate and benefit from the wisdom, experience, and expertise in the room and how much difference it makes bringing that to bear on the conversations.”
The discussion continued: “We are all searchers. What I hear from you makes me think about what I thought I knew and maybe what I ought to think. … I wish I had had a class like this one earlier.” A different person seemed to sum up the feeling in the room: “This class has freed me to look at science more openly and be able to put the two together. Science is no threat to religion. Is religion a threat to science? If there is a war between the two, people who engage in the war are a threat to both.”
Limitations and Strengths
During the discussion that provided the basis for this article, one person took notes but no recording was made. To address this limitation, a draft was sent to class members and visitors that day for review and corrections were made where possible. This was not a qualitative research study, so the work and writing are presented as thoughts subsequent to a discussion about the topic.
The rich composition of the class, including older members who have been in the class for many years as well as younger members, was identified as a strength by those in both groups. One person said: “Science is a language to describe natural phenomenon. God created humanity and indirectly created science … Given that there is a history of religion threatened by science, like books that say evolution is not true, this is an avenue to go beyond it.” A senior member said: “With the decline in religion, we need more venues like this. Young people might find the approach to be open and honest and be hard to resist.”
Next Steps
There is significant energy to continue the class and its focus. A member who describes herself as being one of the newest members of the group stated: “I want to continue what we are doing. There is something to read and watch individually and then a richer explanation by hearing the perspectives of each other and that is an enriching experience. This provides breadth and depth to a topic.” Sizing up the consensus of members, one person observed “This class is an acknowledgement and celebration that we live in a fascinating world with a lot of interesting people. It is a chance to celebrate that and some of those people are sitting in the room with you.”
As mentioned above, this class is named Weaving Science and Faith. That’s a play on the name Charles (Chuck) Weaver, a Baylor University neuroscientist and a founder of the class, who continues to live his faith in word and deeds. We find the conjunction “and” to be the most important word in the title of the class. In a world where the debate is often about science or faith, the notion of competing perspectives has been the norm. The Presbyterians in this class find that science and faith can exist together with integrity in the lives of scientists, retirees, husbands and wives, friends, journalists, professors, beekeepers, psychologists, mathematicians, doctors, lawyers, theologians, and counselors During the discussion that provided the basis for this article, one person took notes but no recording was made. To address this limitation, a draft was sent to class members and visitors that day for review and corrections were made where possible. This was not a qualitative research study, so the work and writing are presented as thoughts subsequent to a discussion about the topic.
The rich composition of the class, including older members who have been in the class for many years as well as younger members, was identified as a strength by those in both groups. One person said: “Science is a language to describe natural phenomenon. God created humanity and indirectly created science … Given that there is a history of religion threatened by science, like books that say evolution is not true, this is an avenue to go beyond it.” A senior member said: “With the decline in religion, we need more venues like this. Young people might find the approach to be open and honest and be hard to resist.”
Next Steps
There is significant energy to continue the class and its focus. A member who describes herself as being one of the newest members of the group stated: “I want to continue what we are doing. There is something to read and watch individually and then a richer explanation by hearing the perspectives of each other and that is an enriching experience. This provides breadth and depth to a topic.” Sizing up the consensus of members, one person observed “This class is an acknowledgement and celebration that we live in a fascinating world with a lot of interesting people. It is a chance to celebrate that and some of those people are sitting in the room with you.”
As mentioned above, this class is named Weaving Science and Faith. That’s a play on the name Charles (Chuck) Weaver, a Baylor University neuroscientist and a founder of the class, who continues to live his faith in word and deeds. We find the conjunction “and” to be the most important word in the title of the class. In a world where the debate is often about science or faith, the notion of competing perspectives has been the norm. The Presbyterians in this class find that science and faith can exist together with integrity in the lives of scientists, retirees, husbands and wives, friends, journalists, professors, beekeepers, psychologists, mathematicians, doctors, lawyers, theologians, and counselors — and of all seekers of truth. Amen. and of all seekers of truth. Amen.
