Saturday, October 25, 2008

Episcopal and other resources on creation, science, and religion

A while back I posted some science-and-religion resources. They are still alive and kicking and here is the link.

Meanwhile, I am just back from Hillsborough where I met with the candidates (well, three candidates and one postulant) for the vocational diaconate, to whom I teach theology once every few weeks this fall, and I promised them I would post a link or two to the Catechism of Creation. The Catechism of Creation is one of the better efforts of our national Church and comes out of the Executive Council's Committee on Science, Technology and Faith.

So I posted the resources to the Deacon Theology blog, which is not open to the public, and was thinking of making a post here to share the resources with a broader audience.

But first, moving into web-bopping mode as one does in these distracted and curious days, I went over to my friend Paul's (Paul a.k.a. the Byzigenous Buddhapalian) and what should I read but this.

Folks, science is important to our society. If this is the way the Governor of Alaska thinks of research, we are in big trouble if she gets anywhere near Washington. How does she think her lipstick got here? That's chemistry research, Governor, and so is hair dye. And your microphone is technology. So is your SUV. So is your pap smear. Wake up and smell the fruit flies.

Oh, and here is the info I posted to the deacon theology blog. (Deacon Formation Program, Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina. October 25, 2008.) Thanks to TCR for the photos.

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The Catechism of Creation was prepared in 2005 by the Committee on Science, Technology and Faith of The Executive Council of The Episcopal Church. It is a great resource.

Main resource page for the Catechism of Creation with related resources.

The home page of the Episcopal Church Network for Science, Technology, and Faith is here. The page of the Executive Council Committee on Science, Technology and Faith is here.

Text of the Catechism of Creation in pdf.

There are also links to specific sections in the Catechism of Creation via the main resource page at the first link above. You can also find related Bible studies there. It's a fine resource for Adult Forums, Youth Ministry, Christian Education, professional support and study groups, Bible study, or your own edification -- and preaching too!

Here's the Episcopal Ecological Network.

And here's the Society of Ordained Scientists!

Photos by The Cunning Runt of Little Bang Theory. Click to enlarge.

5 comments:

Paul said...

Nice to see TCR's photos in the context of thinking about creation. I'm a huge fan of his photography.

The disrespect for science (a phrase I saw online today as part of the larger discussion) is not simply mind-boggling, it is dangerous and frightening.

Thanks for the linky love.

[Verification word is fierucl - when fiber supplements get proud?]

johnieb said...

You're an astute man, Paul (I had exactly the same thought!)

Thanks again to Jane, who seems to find more neat stuff on the innertubes than anybody I know.

This addendum added after checking on Tante Jane's Chicken Soup.

Jane R said...

Hey, I'm making chicken soup too! (Again.)

Fran said...

This is wonderful and so very much needed in conversations about faith and in development of vocations.

In my class, which you already know so much about Jane, we are deep into the idea of cosmos as primary sacrament.

How can we be in God and not be in all the glory that is... which means keeping science on the table and in a meaningful and life giving way.

The Cunning Runt said...

Jane, I'm so flattered that you found these photographs appropriate to illustrate this post.

The natural world is the only Church I belong to. I celebrate Nature as my God, and can't differentiate the two - not that I've tried all that hard.

It's so interesting to hear a little about how modern theology views science, and so comforting to know that not all "religious folks" think that the Earth is 6,000 years old.

It really does give me a measure of hope!