Course Review: Religion and Science

 Information about the Course

This is a course offered by BeADisiciple.com called Religion and Science: Pathways to Truth.  This is a course offered as part of the Wesley Academy for Advanced Christian Studies, created in partnership with Wesley Theological Seminary and BeADisciple.  The course instructor Pamela Deck, and it includes videos hosted by Francis Collins with various experts in the field covering nine different topics.  The course is nine weeks long. Each week involves a small amount of Bible Study, viewing a video with Dr. Collins providing an introduction and then 20-30 minutes with a lecture from a person in the field.  Participants then answer at least four questions (2 out of 4 from each section).  Answers to the questions are posted in the online classroom software for discussion.  Each student must post at least two responses per set of questions to demonstrate engagement in the course.

The course can be part of a certification called Certificate in Advanced Christian Study.  The certificate involves completion of six courses such as this one.  The course can also be taken as a stand alone option.

Summary

From the website: Must we reject belief in God to accept the findings of science? 

Dr. Francis S. Collins, Director of the National Institutes of Health, hosts this ground-breaking series in which several leading scientists, theologians, and philosophers explore the contrasts and similarities between religion and science. This group of experts considers if and how religion and science might coexist and even complement one another in the 21st century.

Impressions

This is my sixth course in the Wesley Academy series, and to be honest, this one was the most difficult. By that I mean that the questions were hard to answer; at times  I didn't even understand the questions. Having said that, I persevered, and worked my way through the material. It was engaging and enlightening, and even though I found it difficult, I would recommend the class.

My previous career was in science, and I have been looking forward to this class since I started work on the Certificate. This is the first chance in my schedule I have had to take it. Parts of it were absolutely fascinating, such as the quantum physics week.  Others were more difficult to grasp, but still worth the effort and time. The discussions were excellent, and were enhanced by the instructor, Pamela Deck, who posted responses to the discussion and asked more questions to move us further in our understanding.  All nine lessons were available when we started, which is a great advantage to those who need to juggle their schedule a little; it allows students to work ahead a few days when times get busy.  Not all of the classes provide this advantage.

Topics covered included

• Friends or Foes? The Story of a Complex Relationship — David Wilkinson, St. John’s College, Durham
• Truth in Science and Theology — Philip Clayton, Claremont School of Theology
• God and Nature — Keith Ward, Oxford University
• Creation and Evolution — Darrel Falk, Point Loma Nazarene University
• What Does It Mean to Be Human? — Warren Brown, Fuller Theological Seminary
• The God of Hope and the End of the World — John Polkinghorne, Cambridge University
• Genetic Science and the Frontiers of Ethics — Ted Peters, Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminar
• Creation Care

In preparation for the course, I read Francis Collins book, The Language of God.  I am now reading a new book he wrote called The Road to Wisdom.

Posts about the Class

Posts about the class will have the tag Science and Faith (a wrong tag name, but whatever)

Perspectives: Flower

 

Church Leadership Books

 Last month, in my CLM course, the speaker mentioned several books about Church Leadership. I thought it was a good list, so I'm sharing it here.

• Foster, Richard. Celebration of Discipline. HarperOne. San Francisco. 1998. Cokesbury / Amazon.
• Foster, Richard. Prayer: Finding the Heart's True Home. HarperOne. San Francisco. 1992. Cokesbury / Amazon
• Kotan, Kay and Blake Bradford.  Mission Possible 3+: A Simple Structure for Missional Effectiveness. Market Square Publishing. 2021.  Amazon
• Lewis, Stephen, Matthew Wesley Williams, and Dori Baker. Another Way: Living and Leading Change on Purpose. Chalice Press. St. Louis, Missouri. 2020. Cokesbury / Amazon.
• Nouwen, Henri.  In the Name of Jesus: Reflections on Christian Leadership. Crossroad Publishing Company, New York. 1989.  Amazon
• Ross, Stephan. Leadership and Organization for Fruitful Congregations. 2018 (also known as Simple Governance: Liberating Your Church for Mission) Amazon.
• Weems, Lovett and Ann Michel. Generosity, Stewardship, and Abundance: A Transformational Guide to Church Finance. Rowman & Littlefield. Lanham, Maryland. 2021. Cokesbury / Amazon. 

Nature Imagery

Why did the Psalmists so often turn to nature imagery to talk about God and their relationship with God?

I think it was true for the Psalmist and for us that we turn to imagery that allows us to bring something that is beyond our comprehension into comparison with something we understand so that we can begin to see that which is unseeable. The Psalmists and those who sang the psalms would have been close to nature, so those images would help them to understand God just a little bit.

 

Secondly, I think the Psalmists would have knowledge of sacred thought and writings that had come before that used nature imagery so it would have been easier to build on previously used images.

 

Thirdly, God was associated with creation of nature as explained in Genesis. I think God in our minds has a deep connection with nature, so images from nature seem appropriate.

 

Perspectives: Clowns

 This is one of our neighbors' (many) Halloween decorations. So creepy.  My impression of clowns is that they are meant to be funny - this is probably because they are part of circuses. I looked up the history of clowns and found this on Wikipedia:

The most ancient clowns have been found in the Fifth Dynasty of Egypt, around 2400 B.C. Unlike court jesters, clowns have traditionally served a socio-religious and psychological role, and traditionally the roles of priest and clown have been held by the same persons.

Huh.  

The Christian Ideal

 I'm reading Francis Collin's book, The Road to Wisdom: On Truth, Science, Faith, and Trust. I've just started the chapter on faith. 

Collins quotes G.K. Chesterton, who said, "The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting . It has been found difficult; and left untried." I read that, and though about the reaction people would have if I made that a Facebook post on my page. I think just about everyone would agree with it, no matter how their faith journey is moving. I think they would almost all (not everyone, but many) would think, "Yes, that's what the other side is doing. They have given up on (or are ignoring) the teachings of Christ.

I think this response - to judge others for something we should examine in our lives - is hypocritical.  And it is not lost on me that I am doing it right now! I think a statement such as Chesterson's isn't meant to provide us with more ammunition to battle each other, but instead should be a moment of self reflection. It should be a yardstick against which we should measure our own thoughts and actions - not others'.

Surely we wouldn't say we have found the Christian ideal wanting.  Have we tried the it and found it too difficult?  Or have we completely failed to try it at all? And I don't mean that other guy.  I mean you and me.

Life After Death

Do the possibilities of what lies beyond death make a difference in how you live your life? Discuss.

Truthfully, I think my calling from God is to live a life here, in this creation, following God’s leading. I believe in life beyond death, and am grateful for it, but it doesn’t concern my thoughts very much. I can leave it in God’s hands. What I hope influences the way I life my life is God’s presence, now, here, and how I should respond to it.

 

If anything about life after death makes a difference in how I live it is my gratitude for all of God’s grace, including that. I remember in the Wesley Beliefs class, reading about Wesley’s determination that we should, through grace, have an assurance of God’s saving grace for us. If I have assurance of God’s salvation, including life after death, then I can act out of gratitude.  I can contrast this to the idea of living in fear of hell, and how that might change the way I live my life.  This assurance Wesley talks about can free us from that fear.

Perspectives: November at Snowshoe

 It's not snowing today, but it will.  I'm enjoying the fall.

Moral Decisions

 What is a moral decision? Are such decisions based on inherited factors or are they culturally determined?

One can define morality as “principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong or good and bad behavior.”  A moral decision is one that is choosing what is right as defined by one’s ethical beliefs or faith.

 

C.S. Lewis would tell us that we all are born with a moral law – a knowledge of what is right and wrong. This is expressed across different cultures – so in some ways they are culturally determined, but the common moral law we share is evidence of God’s presence in our creation.

 

That said, I don’t think our moral decisions occur in a vacuum. Our intellectual abilities and how our brain functions have an impact on our decisions. The health and state of our bodies impact those decisions, as well.

 

So, short answer, God’s gift of moral law, our inherited brain function, our body’s health and function, and our culture all impact our moral decisions.

Wisdom

Hoover Dam

"Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. Wisdom is supreme; it is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline." Proverbs 4:6

I'm reading Francis Collins' new book, The Road to Wisdom: on Truth, Science, Faith, and Trust. I started it today, and in the first seven pages, he starts talking about what wisdom means. 

But what does wisdom mean? It is not the same as knowledge, though it depends on it.  Wisdom includes the understanding and incorporation of a moral framework. But it goes even further. When its's working, wisdom can lead to sober judgement about how to discern truth, and what decision to make when the path is not clear. It includes experience, common sense, and insight.

Do you feel like that sometimes we as a society have devalued knowledge and wisdom? We disparage people who have gone to college. (Understand that I do not mean to downplay those who have not chosen that path - I think we shouldn't sell either way short). We make fun of "nerds." It feels like we have lost sight of the value of study, knowledge, and wisdom.

Not only that, but we have begun to distrust science and logical thought. We do our "research" on Facebook and ignore true research by professionals. One only has to look at the number of people who refused vaccinations in the pandemic to see this at work.

And yet, Collins lines out the value of knowledge and wisdom. It increases our ability to discern truth and to make decisions when the path is not clear. I really think in our society we need to increase our ability to discern the truth and to make good decisions.

I'm looking forward to reading this book.

 

Perspectives: Smithsonian Castle

I have always thought this was a beautiful building and wanted to go inside. When I did, I didn't find that much that was interesting (which is just me - I'm sure it's a favorite for some). It does speak to how we judge "books by their covers," though.

Logos: Job

Then Job answered: "Today also my complaint is bitter; his hand is heavy despite my groaning.  Oh, that I knew where I might find him, that I might come even to his dwelling! I would lay my case before him and fill my mouth with arguments. I would learn what he would answer me and understand what he would say to me.  Would he contend with me in the greatness of his power? No, but he would give heed to me.  There the upright could reason with him, and I should be acquitted forever by my judge.  (Job 23:1-7)

Does anything strike you about this passage from Job? I am interested in the courage Job shows to make his case before God. He is searching for God, and when Job finds God, he is going to ask God why all of this horribleness has happened to him. He doesn't feel greater than God, but he does believe that God will at least listen to him. He's groaning for answers for his pain and loss.

I have spoken to people who believe it is sinful to doubt God or to question God. They believe that whatever has happened is God's will and part of God's plan. I think Job has the way of things. I think God wants us to "lay our case before" God and ask for meaning or at least understanding. I think God wants us to bring our grief and pain to the relationship.

I know that later God comes to Job - God doesn't provide answers, and even reminds Job that he is not God. But God does come to Job and speak with him. God does speak with Job, and I think that would be important to Job. And to us.

 

Nudges vs Shows of Power

List some of the specific ways that the Bible tells us that God led Israel. Which are “nudges” and which are “shows of power”? When was the latter necessary?

A few examples of God leading Israel would include the exodus from Egypt, the Ten Commandments, the giving of the law through Moses, the raising up of judges and the prophets, the selection of Saul and then David as kings, and the rebuilding of the wall and temple, just to name a few.

 

I think God used shows of power – such as the exile and the parting of the Red Sea – when power was necessary.  For example, could the Israelites have escaped from Egypt without God’s powerful intervention? Could the Israelites ever have become monotheistic follows who recognized their disobedience without the exile?

 

A classic example of a nudge would be the calling of Samuel when he was a boy. Another example would be Moses bringing the 10 commandments to the people. Even though we see that experience in our minds as a large and momentous event, it is still God providing choice and freedom to God’s people.  When Moses turned aside to encounter God in a burning bush, it was still a nudge – Moses could have refused. He had that freedom, even though God continued to persuade him.

 

I think nudges don’t curtail freedom while acts of power might.

Perspectives: Entering Fairmont

 Entering the city of Fairmont, West Virginia