The American Association for the Advancement of Science's Dialogue on Science, Ethics and Religion (DoSER) Science Engagement for Congregational Flourishing project has selected four seminaries for a second round of grants to help prepare pastors, ministers, and lay leaders to engage issues at the intersection of science and society.
The cohort comprises Brigham Young University, Calvin Theological Seminary, Nashville Life Church, and Wesley Theological Seminary. Engagement areas span physical and mental health, the effects of social media use on the brain, genetics, and biodiversity.
The Science Engagement for Congregational Flourishing project is supported with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. through its Thriving Congregations Initiative. Participants in the program will develop educational curricula for pastors and congregational leaders with the aim of bringing science literacy and communication about science and society topics into the skill set of congregational ministers.
For its part, the DoSER program will connect seminaries with scientists and resources that will support grantees through workshops, cohort meetings, and networking opportunities.
At Brigham Young University, the project aims to engage the approximately 17.2 million members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints through a set of resources that will help their membership integrate science with scripture using a compatibility framework.
Another project by Calvin Theological Seminary of the Christian Reformed Church in North America, "Faith at the Table: Equipping Hispanic Women Leaders to Engage Food Science and Technology for Congregational Health," will host Spanish-language nutrition workshops for women leaders in Texas and an online certificate program through a partnership with the Instituto de Lideres Cristianos.
Wesley Theological Seminary plans to explore questions related to social media such as, "What constitutes vital connections and worship?" and "What [social media] habits and practices best care for individuals and communities?" Participants at the United Methodist Church seminary will receive mini-grants and cohort support for congregation-level initiatives that foster individual and communal well-being amid changes brought on by evolving patterns of social media use. Wesley Theological Seminary will partner with neuroscientists and digital media scholars to create curricula and advise the mini-grantees throughout the process.
Nashville Life Church, which is a non-denominational church, aims to reduce health disparities in its community by developing a health science resource guide integrated with topical Bible study materials and hosting community clinics that increase access to basic services, such as health screenings and vaccinations.
Susan is an author with a long-time interest in religion and science. She currently edits Covalence, the Lutheran Alliance for Faith, Science and Technology’s online magazine. She has written articles in The Lutheran and the Zygon Center for Religion and Science newsletter. Susan is a board member for the Center for Advanced Study of Religion and Science, the supporting organization for the Zygon Center and the Zygon Journal. She also co-wrote Our Bodies Are Selves with Dr. Philip Hefner and Dr. Ann Pederson.
