I read with interest this article by Dr. Murdo MacDonald Policy Officer for the Society, Religion and Technology Project for the Church of Scotland on that church’s stance on stem cell research. I then started asking about how this, and issues like it, are being explored in OC/IC communities. However, I have as yet, seen no discussion of stem cell research and similar issues in other OC/IC places (other than here) – have you?

Come to think about it – I cannot recall seeing many (read “any”) discussions of the interplay of science and religion, contemporary ethics, and similar contemporary issues in OC/IC settings – can you?

This leads me to ask: why? Why is it that in our forums issues gravitate towards the same, predictable, limited set: ordination of women, same sex marriage, ordination of LGBT, ritualism, and oh, lets not forget – the all holy “puppy pedigree” monster? Are we that . . . . intellectually, and spiritually “stunted” that we are incapable of intelligent discussion on other, more pressing, indeed more interesting matters?

I know based on knowing the backgrounds of many OC/IC folk, that we have a large cadre of highly intelligent, thoughtful, interesting, well educated people in the movement today – so why are we not enjoying the benefit of their insight, research, and expression of OC/IC ideas on a larger scale than a few clandestine phone calls, or quiet emails passed under the table?

What is interesting to me is the realisation that this narrow “set” of regularly regurgitated issues has a direct effect on how our members perceive this tradition, and how outsiders see us. Don’t you think it is time we make a concerted effort to speak to a wider audience, to cultivate voices of faith, thoughtful, and engaged with issues that matter? What are you, and your local OC/IC community doing to bring about a broader, more in-depth conversation about the OC/IC praxis of today (rather than that of a century ago)?

I’m fascinated by the whole “God does [does not] exist debate” raging between militant atheists like the Dawkins cabal, and the shrill screamings of Fundamentalist-Creationists. So like a crow drawn to shiny things, I’m drawn to read essays and articles about this debate – and usually fall over laughing. Ocasionally, however, there is a refreshing breeze in the thick miasma of hystrionic shrieking and name-calling. Here’s one I found this morning from HE Baber at Guardian CIF Belief:

Does God exist? I don’t know and neither does anyone else. But Science has not, will not, and cannot disprove the existence of God. Scientific hypotheses can only defeat other scientific hypotheses. Theological claims, however, are not scientific hypotheses and do not purport to explain natural phenomena.

I’ve been thinking quite a bit about this debate lately – largely because of the many articles, essays, exhibits, and documentaries now swirling about celebrating the 200th anniversary of Darwin. How does this science and religion debate fit within our OC/IC context?

One thing that stands out, and proud, for me is a central pillar of our tradition: free enquiry and good scholarship. A surprise to some given our history over the the past 85 years but it is indeed the case that our OC/IC tradition emerged largely due to the defence of free enquiry and scholarship.

I would even go so far as to suggest that it is a religious duty to engage in, or support scholarship within our OC/IC community, and wherever else it might be found. Thus, since evolution is the best factual description of the mechanics of the natural world we’ve yet found – it is our religious duty to accept it, defend it, and indeed celebrate our curiosity, our desire to understand the world we live in.

We are “signatories” to the Clergy Letter Project – an effort started by Michael Zimmerman of Butler University to give voice to believers (not just Christians) who think that the war over evolution and faith is misguided to say the least. I should add that Michael would like to see more OC/IC representatives on the letter. You can find out more about it, and how you can participate at the above link.

This year is the 200th anniversary of Darwin’s birth, and the 150th anniversary of the publication of his Origin of Species, and has been marked by congregations of various denominations as Evolution Weekend for a number of years now.

As part of our participation – and our effort to create resources for OC/IC communities interested in this topic we’ve collected a few useful links that might help your community or mission to explore/discuss “science and religion”.

From NPR

From Religion & Ethics News Weekly

From Speaking of Faith

From Pew Forum

From the Washington Post