The Smithsonian Institution’s Hall of Human Origins (https://humanorigins.si.edu) opened on March 17, 2010, one hundred years to the day after the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History opened to the public on the Mall in Washington, DC. Dr. Rick Potts, Director of the Human Origins Project, has been leading a large team of talented paleontologists with research sites all over the world. In addition to searching for fossils of human ancestors, his team has been developing and testing educational units on human evolution, researching core samples of soil that help us understand the effects of climate change over 100,000 years, and seeking methods of communication between science and faith communities. Potts spent years as a member of many discussion groups hosted by the Dialogue on Science, Ethics and Religion (DoSER) at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). There, he met geologist Connie Bertka, Ph.D. (Unitarian), Director of DoSER, and Rev. James B. Miller, Ph.D. (PCUSA), DoSER Senior Associate, and conferred with them about how to establish a serious, long-term committee to investigate ways to explain the findings of the Human Origins Project to a wide variety of faith communities around the USA.
Before the Hall of Human Origins opened, the Broader Social Impacts Committee (BSIC) was born. From the start, Potts wanted the BSIC to conduct dialogue with the general public in as many ways as possible. Community conversations, “Hot” Topics public programs, web-based lessons, and educational resources all were available as soon as the Hall of Human Origins opened. Potts created a huge exhibit of fossils of our human ancestors, all displayed with one of the most compelling questions on Earth: “What Does it Mean to Be Human?” This question is still asked of every visitor to the Hall of Human Origins, and to this day attracts hundreds of new answers each month. The public thirst for dialogue between scientists and citizens of all ages living across the United States resulted in a traveling Hall of Human Origins exhibit, which has already been made available free to dozens of public libraries and religious seminaries across America. Now, documents are available for free download so that anyone can set up their own traveling exhibit, available at this link: https://humanorigins.si.edu/exhibit/human-origins-do-it-yourself-exhibit
The Hall of Human Origins website includes more information than can be included in a short article. The human evolution timeline and digital archive of fossils are frequently updated. In addition to human fossil evidence, much about human behavior in the past can be ascertained through examining human-made artifacts. The website explains what we know about the record of human genetics and the dozens of methods used to determine the age of fossils and artifacts. Educational materials, developed using a National Science Foundation grant and geared toward teachers and students, grades 9-12, are available online. Titled “Teaching Evolution Through Human Examples,” the curriculum units focus on (1) Adaptation to Altitude, (2) Malaria, (3) Evolution of Human Skin Color, and (4) What Does it Mean to Be Human? The units include one of the best pedagogical tools ever developed for evolution education, The CRS (Cultural and Religious Sensitivity) Teaching Strategies Resource. All these tools and materials are available for free download to all.
The Broader Social Impacts Committee also has its own digital archive of regularly updated material for anyone interested in the interface between their own faith community and the paleontology community. The BSIC materials can be viewed at the website https://humanorigins.si.edu/about/broader-social-impacts-committee
The Human Origins Project states “The Hall of Human Origins is designed to provide a welcoming place where everyone can explore one of the most exciting areas of science — human origins — by seeing for themselves the fossil and genetic evidence. The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History understands that visitors will bring to the exhibition many diverse perspectives, including those averse to the topic of evolution. The role of the BSIC is to offer support and advice regarding the public presentation of the sciences of human origins in light of potential responses by diverse faith communities to the subject of human evolution. BSIC members participate in public forums to explore varied models of how scientific and religious perspectives may develop more constructive relationships. The Committee also explores other topics at the intersection of the evolutionary sciences and American society. These topics include public science education, human environmental impacts, and racism.” The statement is available online: https://humanorigins.si.edu/about/broader-social-impacts-committee/what-we-do From the “What We Do” webpage:
As illustrated on the Members page [https://humanorigins.si.edu/about/broader-social-impacts-committee/members-member-resources], the makeup of the committee is quite diverse. The committee members all agree that a conversation between science and society is necessary and worthwhile, yet we bring to the table many different ideas concerning the character of that conversation and its most positive outcomes. This is particularly true in terms of understanding the most appropriate relationship between scientific and religious perspectives on human origins. As a group we are in favor of contributing to a dialogue that moves beyond the common conflict motif. We are grateful to the Smithsonian for creating opportunities for such a conversation to become a reality.
While the initial focus of the committee was on the relationships between religious and scientific understandings of human origins, it has also engaged the topics of evolution education, humanity’s impact on our surroundings, and human diversity and racism. Today, global humanity faces immense challenges, many of which provoke social tensions and divisions.
Perhaps none is more serious than the divisions surrounding race and racism. There is a growing societal recognition that racism has, and continues to have, an unjust and negative impact on human societies. As one contribution to the work ahead for all of our communities in addressing this fact, the Human Origins Program and our committee seek to make the Statement on Race and Racism by the American Association of Biological Anthropologists widely available. We offer a link here and encourage everyone to read it [https://bioanth.org/about/position-statements/aapa-statement-race-and-racism-2019/].
The “Broader Social Impacts Committee” webpage includes:
- Names of members and educational resources provided by each member
- Video segments highlighting member thoughts on Science, Religion and Human Origins
- A Primer on Science, Religion, Evolution and Creationism
- A frequently updated video and audio archive of BSIC public events
That webpage also provides a list of BSIC members and their religious affiliations, showing they come from a variety of religious traditions, including PC(USA), Unitarian Universalist Association, Assemblies of God, African Methodist Episcopal, Catholic, United Methodist Church, Conservative Judaism, Islam, Humanist, and others. Links for each member bring up webpages with brief comments about their “Thoughts on Human Origins,” “Reflections on The Age of Humans (the Anthropocene),” and other topics, as well as suggested resources.
Each member of the BSIC was asked to address the topic of human origins with brief statements explaining our thoughts on faith and the science of human origins. Some of my own science and faith comments found on the BSIC website appear below, along with many suggestions for teaching evolution. Thoughts on Human Origins (Wes McCoy):
I believe that all natural processes are part of God’s creation. I embrace evolution as God’s simplest and most elegant form of creation. Understanding how humans are intimately connected through our genetic heritage to all other living species fills my soul with wonder. My understanding of evolution does nothing to diminish my faith in God. In fact, my connection to God is deepened when I contemplate the intricate beauty of evolution.
The power of science lies in our ability to quantify observations of the natural world in order to construct natural explanations of what we see. But science cannot measure honor, courage or love. The sacred mysteries of nature can be expressed in music, poetry, art and prayer. Scripture points me to spiritual truth. My faith points me to a Creator of natural processes. Science is one way to understand God’s reality. Faith also provides a way for me to explore the meaning and purpose of my life. Being human allows me the privilege of exploring the mechanisms as well as the meaning of life.
It is vital to me that all of my students understand why scientists call evolution the cornerstone of biology. It is also important that they understand that many people have faith in God, creator of evolution.
BSIC members were also asked to provide their own explanation regarding the role of humans in the Anthropocene Age. In a follow up article, I will discuss my own views on this topic.
