This week: The Coexistence of Faith and Science Edited by: Sophy New Year  
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Hi, I'm Sophy New Year ~ your editor for this edition of the Spiritual Newsletter.
The Rev. Scotty McLennan, author of the book Finding Your Religion, compares humanity's innate need for spiritual searching to climbing a mountain. In his view, we are all endeavoring to climb the same figurative mountain in our search for the divine, we just may take different ways to get there. In other words, there is one "God," but many paths. I honor whatever path or paths you have chosen to climb that mountain in your quest for the Sacred.  |
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The second weekend of February, congregations from all all over the world observe "Evolution Weekend," an event hosted by the Clergy Letter Project, which “an endeavor designed to demonstrate that religion and science can be compatible, and to elevate the quality of the debate of the issue.”
The letter has gained thousands of clergy signatures from several religious traditions, and states, in part, that, “While [many] Christians take the Bible seriously … the overwhelming majority do not read the Bible literally, as they would a science textbook. Many of the beloved stories in the Bible convey timeless truths about God, human beings, and the proper relationship between Creator and creation … [but] religious truth is of a different order from scientific truth… We believe that the timeless truths of the Bible and the discoveries of modern science may comfortably coexist.”
Evolution Weekend falls on or near Charles Darwin's birthday, February 12, 1809. (Another famous man was also born on that very same day "across the pond" - President Abraham Lincoln.) Darwin was born in England, entered the University of Edinburgh in the fall of 1825 to study medicine, but found it was not a good fit for him, as he was troubled by the physical suffering of his patients. Instead he graduated six years later with a degree in divinity from Christ's College at Cambridge University. In addition to studying theology Darwin cultivated a keen interest in botany. He expected to become a clergyman and serve a parish, until an unexpected opportunity arose for him to set sail on the famous voyage of the H.M.S. Beagle. The trip lasted five years, wherein Darwin collected the specimens that would become the foundation of his scientific inquiry. He returned home in 1836, never leaving England again.
A common misconception about Darwin is that he was an atheist. He was actually a very religious man who engaged his scientific exploration through the lens of his faith. In fact, Darwin chronicled his spiritual journey in a section on religion in his autobiography, which sheds light on the evolutionary process of Darwin's own faith journey. He was deeply pained at the idea that his observations and theories would trouble people’s religious faith. Yet he had the courage and faith to publish the truth as he understood it. His example of intelligence informing faith is worthy of celebration.
What really strikes me is that Darwin experienced an evolution in his spirituality that resembled the biological processes he inferred from his observations. That is to say, he allowed his spirituality to adapt to a changing intellectual environment which included new and more complicated information, just as successful species evolve by adapting to changes in the physical environment. One of the strongest taboos present in most societies is to challenge the conventions of religious orthodoxy, and I admire Darwin’s courage in publishing a thesis he knew would be very upsetting to the church-dominated culture of his time.
But the best ideas have often been the ones that were most threatening to religious sensibilities and authorities, and Darwin was able to acknowledge by the end of his life that a religious orientation unable to adapt to uncertainty and new perspectives is not worth keeping. That kind of narrow, black-and-white faith just can’t survive in an environment constantly changing with new ideas and information. Thus, Darwin’s evolution as a spiritual creature teaches us that “I don’t know” can be part of a wise statement of faith, and makes his own spiritual journey, and his honesty with himself and the rest of us, a powerful legacy alongside his more well-known contributions to the world of evolutionary science.
Has your faith evolved over time? If so, like Darwin, how has your faith evolved? In other words, what adaptations have you made to your faith in response to the changing world view offered to us by science and other sources of knowledge and perspective? I invite you to write about this - creating a static item you can share with me in the comments section, which I can share next month.
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Below you'll find some spiritual offerings from other WDC members. Please let the folks know if you read their piece by leaving a thoughtful comment or review.
| | | The beggar's eyes (E)
A short story based on real events from my life; a beggar can be a messenger of God.
#2242779 by Ilaya  |
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#2242598 by Not Available. |
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#2243084 by Not Available. |
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Here are some responses to my last newsletter "Spiritual Newsletter (January 6, 2021)" about "Retirement:"
From Alexi  :
Welcome to retirement Sophy. Yes, it will be a new chapter of your life and yes, you will feel strange especially while Covid is ruling our days. The journey of a Christian is a narrow path and each day we will come closer to becoming more like our Lord Jesus until one day we will be like him and see him face to face. That is something to look forward to. In the meantime, getting over the grief of who you were and finding who you are is a journey in itself. I hope that you find your way, walking towards the light.
Thank you. 
  
From Cynaemon  :
Dear Sophy, Happy New Year, and Happy Retirement. I hope you find in it all you are looking for. I personally hate being retired, and will probably never like it. Not that I am not busy, and fairly happy, but there were and are just too many things I hate about it.
Sorry to hear you hate retirement. 
From 🐕GeminiGem🎁  :
You were lucky to have a career that you enjoyed so much. My career is what I do to pay the bills, nothing more. I can't wait to retire and walk away from the workplace hassles and drama. Good luck in finding your retirement groove!
Yes, I was very lucky! Thanks for the well wishes, and hope time flies until your retirement!
Thanks for all your comments - keep them coming!  Until next time, Sophy New Year |
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Spiritual: February 03, 2021 Issue [#10591]
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