wfn.org | [ENS] Episcopalians join ecumenical partners seeking to celebrate

["Matthew Davies" <mdavies@episcopalchurch.org>]

Daybook, from Episcopal News Service

April 18, 2005 -- Monday Mission

[FEAST: Faith, Environment, Action, Science, Technology]

Episcopalians join ecumenical partners seeking to celebrate creation

Keggi first recipient of Genesis Award

By Phina Borgeson

[ENS, SANTA FE, New Mexico] -- The Episcopal Network for Science,
Technology
and Faith honored the Rev. Dr. J. John Keggi when their steering
committee
met April 9 at Ghost Ranch in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

The citation for the first Genesis Award for Science and Religion
recognized
Keggi, a priest of the Diocese of Maine now retired in Massachusetts, as
a
"prophet and pioneering leader" in the field.

Keggi, whose scientific background includes a Ph.D. in organic
chemistry,
had served as convener of the Episcopal Fellowship of Ordained
Scientists
and of the Episcopal delegation to the Ecumenical Roundtable on Science,
Technology and the Church. He continues as co-convener of the North
American
Chapter of the Society of Ordained Scientists, an Anglican fellowship
which
meets annually in Britain, and assists with the newsletter and other
communication ministries of the Network.

Reflecting on his service over the years, Keggi noted that the
companionship
of fellow theologian-scientists has been most important to his ministry.

Catechism of Creation is just the beginning, committee notes

The Committee on Science, Technology and the Church met April 7-10 at
Ghost
Ranch in Santa Fe, New Mexico, building on its restructured approach as
a
resource to the Episcopal Church.

Co-chair Robert Schneider, Ph.D., noted encouraging feedback from around
the
church on the Catechism of Creation. He charged members of the committee
to
identify supplementary resources to link electronically to the document.
Executive Council member Bonnie Anderson commented that the Catechism of
Creation "is a gift to the Church."

Committee members reported using the Catechism in adult forums and
confirmation classes. They look forward to posting suggestions for using
it
in a variety of Christian education and formation contexts.

The Rev. Barbara Smith-Moran suggested that the Catechism and its
related
documents by no means exhaust the topics in science and religion about
which
Episcopalians are concerned. Members committed to write and review
thought
pieces on topics ranging from the ethical implications of nanotechnology
to
how to read the science news which will be added to the web-based
resource
center monthly.

The committee met in conjunction with parallel meetings of other
denominations, and after completing its work joined in the program of
the
Ecumenical Roundtable on Science, Technology and the Church.

Denominational representatives engage challenges

"Venture Science and Venture Capitalism"-wedding unbridled capitalism to
science-poses dangers to the scientific community, the faith community,
and
the health of planet, according to Larry Rasmussen, Reinhold Niebuhr
Professor of Social Ethics Emeritus, Union Seminary.

Rasmussen's lecture kicked off the annual meeting of the Ecumenical
Roundtable on Science, Technology and the Church, meeting at Ghost Ranch
conference center in Santa Fe, New Mexico. When asked during the
question
and answer period where listeners might read more, Rasmussen admitted
that
while many of the situations he described were familiar, the theological
framework is part of a book he is writing.

The following afternoon participants again felt privileged to be part of
theological work in progress when Antje Jackelén spoke on "Cognitive
Sciences Considered." Jackelén, Associate Professor of Systematic
Theology
at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, and Director of the Zygon
Center for Religion and Science, suggested that beyond the
Evolution-Creationism debate the next major theme to rock theology will
be
problems posed by learnings in the cognitive sciences, and particularly
the
cognitive sciences of religion. Believers will need greater "literacy in
both science and religion" and there is the possibility that
understandings
of mind and body will be brought "together in a way we haven't seen
since
Descartes."

Jackelén pointed out that researchers tend to pick one aspect of
religious
life to focus on, which yields unsatisfying results for believers. She
asked, "Could theologians and scientists work together on equal footing"
in
researching religious dimensions of the cognitive sciences? Jackelén,
ordained in the Church of Sweden, is active in European and
international
societies dealing with science and theology.

Meeting with the local Santa Fe Theologians Institute and interested
members
of the public, Roundtable participants also heard "Mislabeling,
Miscalculating and Misunderstanding: The Scientific Community and the
Challenge of Intelligent Design" by the Rev. James B. Miller.

Miller's concluding challenge to scientists in the Christian community,
to
be active advocates of the compatibility of good science and good
theology
in their congregations, scientific communities, and civic participation,
reflected his extensive experience with the Dialogue on Science, Ethics
and
Religion of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

This year's meeting of the Ecumenical Roundtable included members of
relevant committees in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the
Presbyterian Church USA, the United Methodist Church and the Episcopal
Church, as well as individual members of the United Church of Christ,
the
Greek Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church.

-- The Rev. Josephine Borgeson of the Diocese of Northern California is
an
educator, writer and consultant specializing in intersections of faith,
science and the environment. Ordained a deacon in the Episcopal Church
in
1974, she has also served in diocesan staff positions in Nevada and Los
Angeles.

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