The Department of Lifelong Learning at Virginia Theological Seminary has been awarded a $24,000 grant to create a new program to help congregations talk about science and faith. The money was awarded by the American Association for the Advancement of Science Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion (AAAS DoSER) program as part of its Science Engagement for Congregational Flourishing initiative.
The funding will support the development of a new Being With Science program to engage Episcopal congregations in the science behind familiar, but not well understood, contemporary topics that challenge their understanding of being fully human and created in the image of God, such as the science that supports artificial intelligence, or the causes of dementia.
AAAS DoSER’s Science Engagement for Congregational Flourishing project supports the development of continuing education and lifelong learning programs for pastors and congregational leaders with an emphasis on engaging critical issues at the intersection of science and society within their congregations and communities. Being With Science is one of four funded initiatives in the first cohort.
Inspired by the proven story-sharing, small group learning of Being With, a 10-week course exploring Christian faith and life developed at St. Martin-in-the-Fields parish, London, Being With Science will employ a similar invitational process. The intention is that Being With Science will be a replicable course and offer resources to equip leaders across The Episcopal Church with language and knowledge to lead congregations in critical conversations at the intersection of science and faith.
The Rev. Sarah Colvin, M.D., will serve as the Being With Science project director. She is an Episcopal priest and pathologist, who previously served as the Deputy Chief Medical Examiner for Washington D.C. She earned a M.Div. degree from Virginia Theological Seminary and a M.A. in Religious Studies with concentration in Ethics from the University of Virginia. In addition to the Rev. Colvin, 30 Being With Science leaders will be recruited and trained to facilitate the program, each representing different regional, racial, economic, gender, and theological backgrounds that exist within The Episcopal Church.
Leading scientists are being invited to develop the Being With Science curriculum which will be delivered through 10 weekly guided sessions. Each scientist will contribute a written “story” for use in an individual weekly session.
Project director the Rev. Dr. Sarah Colvin said: “The stories will be designed to spark personal story sharing from participants. It’s through that sharing that those participating in the program will come to honor the truth they already know, be invited to shed their fears of not knowing, and discover scientific truth through new information and the experience of others.” Each session will end with an invitation to go further in personal study and community action through a network of local Science and Faith teams being formed as part of the Being With Science project.
Current Virginia Theological Seminary students were asked to identify potential topics for the weekly Being With Science sessions. These include the science of artificial/augmented intelligence and its relationship to consciousness; the neuroscience of dementia, empathy, and violence; molecular and gene therapy; chronic illness and diet; trauma and its impact on human development; loneliness and mortality; and human flourishing and nature.
The Department of Lifelong Learning anticipates forming a sustained relationship with the Being With Science teams and is committed to expanding its science-based resources and programming beyond the period of the grant.