praise god from whom all knowledge flows
By Joseph Wolyniak
Amid all of the headline-grabbing actions of The Episcopal Church’s 77th General Convention, Resolution A1356 received comparatively little fanfare. Yet, for many interested in the interplay between science and faith, its passage is hugely significant. The crux of the resolution is encapsulated in its title, “Affirming the Compatibility of Science and the Christian Faith.” The resolution opposes the all-too-common fable that science and religion are (and always have been) locked in inevitable and irreconcilable conflict. In Religion and Science: Historical and Contemporary Issues, Ian Barbour offered a “broad sketch” of the ways that science and religion have been understood to relate to one another.1 On his reading, conflict is but one way of construing the relationship. The others – independence (i.e., science and religion have different methods and/or use distinct languages), dialogue (i.e., science and religion question one another’s presuppositions and limits) and integration (i.e., science and religion can be combined into some kind of systematic synthesis) – all leave open the possibility of science and faith coexisting peacefully. The resolution rejects what historians of science have called the “conflict myth.”2 What it did not do is determine exactly how science and faith are compatible – whether, in other words, they are wholly independent of one another or capable of mutually enriching dialogue, even complete integration. The resolution left open the precise ways in which science and faith do relate while making clear how they don’t, at least in the estimation of The Episcopal Church. Various expert witnesses from across the country testified in support of the resolution, but arguably the most moving testimony came from members of The Episcopal Church’s Official Youth Presence at General Convention. One teen reflected on what the statement would mean as she shared her faith, saying, “I could tell [my peers] that to be a Christian, to be an Episcopalian, you don’t have to choose between science and faith.” Their testimony prevailed. The passage of the resolution established “the complementary and compatible natures of science 20
The North Carolina Disciple | Spring 2013
and Christian faith” as an Act of Convention and, therefore, as a matter of official doctrine in The Episcopal Church. In so doing, the unequivocal statement moves The Episcopal Church to the forefront of conversations about science and religion. BEYOND CONVENTION, INTO THE DAILY LIFE OF THE CHURCH
The Act of Convention isn’t just grist for the doctrinal mill. It also encourages the full participation of laity and clergy in the examination of the multifaceted relationship between science and faith, prompting “dioceses and parishes of The Episcopal Church to establish Christian education programs pertinent to the complementary relationship between science and faith.” What can the average parish or parishioner do? Here are a few suggestions. • Establish a parish science and faith library and study group. Some parishes in the Diocese of North Carolina, such as the Church of the Nativity, Raleigh, are ahead of the game. With an extensive library of addressing the intersection of science and faith, Nativity also has a core of dedicated parishioners who have committed themselves to reading and reflecting as a group on the historical and contemporary interplay of science and the Christian faith. To aid group study at a parish level, The Episcopal Church’s Executive Council Committee for Science, Technology and Faith has developed the “Catechism of Creation,” which may help those looking to start discussion groups in their parishes. • Join The Episcopal Church’s Network for Science, Technology and Faith (episcopalscience.org) which offers fellowship and resources to interested Episcopalians from all walks of life. • Utilize resources available locally and beyond. Countless resources are available online, but the especially eager learner will find the websites of The Faraday Institute for Science and Religion at Cambridge University and the Ian Making Disciples, Making a Difference