connect journal fall 2013
DESCRIPTION
Connect Journal is published by the ELCA Youth Ministry Network 3-4 times per year. The Fall, 2013 Journal theme is: ScienceTRANSCRIPT
FALL 2013
1
Fall 2013 • $8.95
Journal of Children, Youth & Family Ministry
Scscience
3
2
MASTER of DIVINITY | MASTER of ARTS Residential program | Distributed learning program (online and intensive on-campus courses)
www.luthersem.edu/cyf
CHILDREN, YOUTH and FAMILY MINISTRY
MISSIONAL ENGAGING EXPANSIVE INNOVATIVE FAITHFUL
Looking for Change?Sign up for our Youth Ministry Coaching Cohort at www.firstthird.org
FirstThird.org
A powerful new resource packed with tools, ideas and strategies to help you cultivate youth who are passionate about following Jesus.
Ignite ministry in the first third of life
Luther_ExtravaganzaAd_2012.indd 1 11/13/2012 5:03:46 PM
MASTER of DIVINITY | MASTER of ARTS Residential program | Distributed learning program (online and intensive on-campus courses)
www.luthersem.edu/cyf
CHILDREN, YOUTH and FAMILY MINISTRY
MISSIONAL ENGAGING EXPANSIVE INNOVATIVE FAITHFUL
Looking for Change?Sign up for our Youth Ministry Coaching Cohort at www.firstthird.org
FirstThird.org
A powerful new resource packed with tools, ideas and strategies to help you cultivate youth who are passionate about following Jesus.
Ignite ministry in the first third of life
Luther_ExtravaganzaAd_2012.indd 1 11/13/2012 5:03:46 PM
FALL 2013
PUBLICATION INFORMATIONPublished by: ELCA Youth Ministry Network www.elcaymnet.org
Subscription Information: call 866-ELCANET (352-2638) or visit: www.elcaymnet.org [email protected]
Contributing Writers:
George Baum, Cindy Blobaum,
Heidi Smith Ferris, Kjell Ferris,
Colin Grangaard, Elizabeth Lucht,
Dawn Rundman, Clint Schnekloth
Design and Layout:
Michael Sladek
Impression Media Group
www.impressionmediagroup.com
Contributing Editor:
Debbie Sladek
Connect Editorial Board:
Rachel Alley, Chris Bruesehoff,
Todd Buegler, Tim Coltvet,
Nate Frambach, Sue Mendenhall,
Jeremy Myers, Dawn Rundman,
Clint Schnekloth, Michael Sladek
Cover Design & Photo ©2013 Michael Sladek
Welcome! 4 Todd Buegler
Faith and Science in Community 5 Colin Grangaard
Interviews With Scientists 7 Clint Schnekloth
Your Science Playlist 9 Dawn Rundman
Calendar of Events 10
Faith and Science 16 Heidi Smith Ferris and Kjell Ferris
Science on Sundays 18 Cindy Blobaum
Eight Ways to Infuse Science in Your Church 19 Dawn Rundman
Lutheran Out Loud 20 Elizabeth Lucht A View from Somewhere Else 23 George Baum
CONTENTS
3
The ELCA Youth Ministry Network exists to strengthen and empower adult youth ministry leaders in service to Christ as a part of God’s mission.
Julie Miller: Board Member
Rev. Ben Morris: Board Member
Dr. Jeremy Myers, AIM: Board Member
Yvonne Steindal, AIM: Board Member
Valerie Taylor Samuel: Board Member
Erik Ullestad: Board Chairperson
Rev. Mike Ward: Board Member
Rev. Todd Buegler: Executive Director
ELCA YOUTH MINISTRY NETWORK BOARD
The Church in the Public Sphere (Winter ‘14)
How Do We Teach Stewardship? (Spring ‘14)
The Link Between Youth Ministry and College (Fall ‘14)
UPCOMING CONNECT ISSUE THEMES:
According to David Kinnaman, the president of Barna Research, one of the six primary reasons that young people are leaving the church is that the church is unwilling or unable to engage science. 1
Young people perceive the relationship between the Christian faith and science, with which they engage every day at school, to be an “either/or.”
In fact, according to Kinnaman’s research, • 35%ofyoungpeoplebelievethatChristiansare“tooconfidenttheyknowalltheanswers”• Three out of ten young adults with a Christian background feel that “churches are out of stepwiththescientificworldwelivein”(29%)
• Another one-quarter embrace the perception that “Christianity is anti-science” (25%)• And nearly the same proportion (23%) said they have “been turned off by the creation-
versus-evolution debate.”
I read statistics like this and I want to shout “That’s not us!” We’re not anti-science. Science is not the enemy, and there is no campaign to ignore, or close our eyes to the wonders of science. There may be denominations that take this approach, but we’re not one of them!
Science is not the enemy. Science is how we explore and explain the work of God in the world. EveryscientificdiscoveryrevealsanotherlayerofGod’screation.
But does this belief affect our ministry?
The statistic that Kinneman quoted that really startled me was that less than 1% of youth minis-try leaders have talked about science regularly as a normative part of our life and faith. Less than 1%. And then I checked the mirror: How much time do we spend talking about the intersection between faith and science in the ministries of my congregation. Answer: not much.
It’s not that our beliefs don’t make sense, it’s that we’ve given up our voice. We don’t name for young people the way that science describes the work of God. We’ve given up the opportunity to tell them that every time they walk into a science class in school, they will be learning about the work of God in their world.
We don’t need to change the way we think about science…we need to change the way we talk with young people about science.
This issue of Connect gets at these important questions. What is the intersection between science and faith like? How do we talk about it? How does science enhance our faith formation? The more insular and closed off we appear to those who are asking the questions, the more opportunities for great faith-talk we will have forfeited.
Blessings!
Todd BueglerExecutive Director – ELCA Youth Ministry NetworkPastor —Lord of Life Lutheran Church, Maple Grove, MN
1 You Lost Me: Why Young Christians are Leaving the Church...and Rethinking Faith, by David Kinnaman;
The Barna Group, 2011.
Thanks to Lisa Gray (Region 1) and Molly
Haggerty Brewster (Region 5) for serving
as a Network Regional Facilitator. We are
grateful for your time and energy!
We are grateful to Luther Seminary for
renewing it’s Gold Partnership, Lutheran
Retreats, Camps and Conferences of
California for its new Gold Partnership,
Lutherans Outdoors in South Dakota
for our new Silver Partnership and Youth
Encounter for renewing its Silver Partner-
ship! We’re grateful for your support of
those who work in faith formation!
The Network received an Organizational
Sustainability Grant from Thrivent Finan-
cial for Lutherans. We will use the grant
to develop and strengthen our develop-
ment efforts, and to create new partner-
ships. Thank you to Thrivent Financial for
Lutherans!
Podcast? Why yes, I think we will!
The App: Back!
You might have been following the saga of
the Network’s mobile app! Weird legal is-
sues forced our app development company
to suspend operations and our app has
been “down” over the summer. By the time
you read this, we should be all back up and
running at 100% and our new updates in
the pipeline. Thanks for your patience in
the process!
Journeys for Youth
Journeys For Youth was a publication of
the ELCA that listed summer service and
high adventure trips and opportunities.
When the ELCA could no longer publish it,
Lutheran Outdoor Ministries took it on. It’s
a great resource, and it’s all online. You can
access it by going to www.elcaymnet.org/
journeys
WELCOME! NEWS BITS
4
FALL 2013
In the summer of 2011, our proposal from Trinity Lutheran in Moorhead, Minn. won us a $30,000 grant award from “Scientists in Congregations,” a new initiative funded by the John Templeton Foundation. To kick off the programs and events that we’d be doing throughout the year for members from Sunday school through senior citizens, we had invitedDr.TedPetersfromPacificLutheranTheological Seminary to preach and pres-ent from his book, Can You Believe in God and Evolution? As the 9 a.m. service ended, we greeted people at the door and heard all kinds of responses. One of the old faithful grabbed my hand, shook it vigorously, clapped me on the shoulder and said, “I may not have agreed with everything that man said, but this was so much better than sex!”
Well, that wasn’t where we started the discussion. We had started months before we were able to welcome Dr. Peters, with a steering group of “churchy people” and members whose work brought them in con-tact with science every day. From the outset, one of the biggest unexpected surprises was the way that the science professionals came out of the woodwork to brainstorm with us. Nurses and computer technicians, college professors from nearby Concordia College who had children in elementary programs, engineers and doctors, local middle and high school science and math educators—all came to imagine what we could do together. More than one person at each meeting mentioned thatitwasthefirsttimetheyhadbeenrec-ognized in their vocation in all the years they had been members, and not just for the work they did volunteering at church.
One of the directors of Scientists in Congre-gations, David Wood, invited us to consider the way our churches model this invitation for people to consider the intersection of faith and science in their lives. “There is a siz-able consensus that religion is a subject that should not be taken up in our public schools. Many of us act as if science does not belong in our churches and religious houses.” So, why should we wonder why children grow up assuming that religion and science don’t mix and why their parents assume that religious life occupies a small, private compartment oftheirlives?Thefirstandmostsignificant
thing that happened from the very outset of participating in the Scientists in Congre-gations initiative was the opportunity to explicitly celebrate and bless everyone from our elementary school kids to their parents as they do the work of integrating science and faith in their lives by virtue of being Christians in our modern world.
There were three main ways that Trinity committed to engaging Faith and Science in Community over the course of the next year and a half. Here’s a quick overview:
First, our Children’s Ministry would develop a new unit for the 5–6th grade rotational Sunday school classes on New Life and Creation (one of six units the kids learn).
Second, our Youth Ministry would help middle and high school kids to see that faith and science can be complementary instead of contradictory by incorporating the theme into our retreats, even organizing a special Rocks, Wind and God retreat.
Finally, we organized four major public events—A lecture, two public dialogues, and a science and faith fair, all made possible by the generous investment of time and energy by science and faith educators from Concordia, North Dakota State University and beyond.
At Trinity there are several ministries that we are very proud of, and the children’s ministry is certainly at the top of the list for many. There is strong parental participation. Many of the active parents are science professionals. So, our children’s minister, Sandra Anderson, sug-gested that we adjust one of our rotations for ourfifthandsixthgraderstoincludeascienceconnectionineachoftheunits.Atfirst,theaddition seemed pretty ambitious. But Sandra has said and would likely tell you that once she started looking for complementary activities, she started seeing them all over.
She drew from all kinds of sources; some that may be familiar and some less familiar. For instance, when the kids were learning about Jacob and Esau, a natural connection that the Spark Curriculum draws in one of its les-sons (this is not included in the 5–6th grade
curriculum) leads us to the concept that each of us solves problems in different ways. Jacob has to be creative in order to get what he wants. So kids used problem solving to separate a mixture. When we looked further afieldforconnectionsandactivities,connec-tions seemed natural. We had an astronomer talk about the stars, including the Star of Bethlehem, at Christmas time. When we learned the story of the feeding of the 5,000, the kids did experiments that showed rapid expansion. When they learned the story of Pentecost, they made anemometers which measure wind speed. The habit of looking for a natural world and natural science connec-tion became so much a part of the planning process that it has become one of the lasting legacies of the initiative.
One of the other real gifts of Trinity is the confirmationandyouthprogram.Besidesbeing an amazing person with an awesome program, Kathy Hunstad sets up retreats and summer trips that the youth talk about every time they get together (for years after they graduate!). We tried to imagine what a retreat or a trip around the topic of science and faith might look like, and it took us two attempts tofindaformatthatworked.Thediscussionreally transformed when we changed our focus. When we stopped trying to make sure we taught the youth the right information and looked at what inspired us to think about what God was already doing in the natural world around us, we started to hit on something that worked. We returned to the kinds of experi-ences we looked forward to, which author and naturalist John Muir put into words many years ago:
Hiking—I don’t like either the word or the thing. People ought to saunter in the mountains—not hike! Do you know the origin of that word ‘saunter?’ It’s a beautiful word. Away back in the Middle Ages people used to go on pilgrim-ages to the Holy Land, and when people in the villages through which they passed asked where they were going, they would reply, “A la sainte terre,’ ‘To the Holy Land.’ And so they be-came known as sainte-terre-ers or saunterers. Now these mountains are our Holy Land, and we ought to saunter through them reverently, not ‘hike’ through them.
NEWS BITS FAITH AND SCIENCE IN COMMUNITYby Colin Grangaard
5
(Albert Palmer quoting John Muir from his essay, “A Parable of Sauntering” published in 1910 in The Mountain Trail and Its Message)
We live in the Red River Valley, which was the bottom of Lake Agassiz thousands of years ago, formed from an inland sea which existed millions of years before that. We decided that a mystery trip to some favorite places, all within about 8 hours of our church, might be exactly what we were hoping for. We called this Rocks, Wind and God. We learned about geology and the history of the land, visited wind farms, visited Native American holy sites and talked about homesteading. And through-out, our trip book brought our devotions and conversation back to the lens of awe and won-derthatwefindinPsalm8:3–4,“WhenIlookatyourheavens,theworkofyourfingers,themoon and the stars that you have established; what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?”
The aspect of the grant initiative that received the most public visibility in our community was ourfivemajorpubliceventsoverthecourseofa year. At the beginning we followed the model of other churches who had hosted this kind of initiative before. We invited Dr. Ted Peters for our kickoff. We tried to accompany his afternoon lecture with discussion groups that asked different questions in different small groups. But we found that the groups and top-ics garnered the attention of the same group of faithful attendees that came to most other discussion gatherings. Since we had hoped for a slightly more eclectic appeal, we took this opportunity for a little experimentation of our own. We tried a couple of non-traditional approaches and rather than making the events more broad and general, we tried to make themmorespecific.
The activities and lessons in Sunday school seemed to really take off. When we decided togetmorespecific,theconversationwentsomething like this:
“You know, Mark and Graeme are the Concor-dia professors who go out and do the science fairs at schools.”
“Mark Jensen?”
“Yeah, what if we tried to open up something for all the kids? Like a science and faith fair?”
“Where would the faith part come in? I mean, besides hosting it at the church?”
“We would incorporate the experiments into a story . . . We could do something around the themes of the six days of creation with journals and stations and a kickoff and wrap up.”
We called the science and faith fair Six Days of Wonder to give it a sense of story and cohesion. It was a runaway success. Kids from other area churches, homeschool families and our own elementary-aged kids from Sunday school packed in for a full day led by two sci-ence professors, a small army of Concordia students and parent guides. When it came time to ask the kids what they had enjoyed most, they had some great comments, but my favorite one showed the contrast of the day: “My favorite part was bugs and how God created everything. The whole thing was ‘tov’ (Hebrew for ‘good’).”
After that event we really started getting bold andalittlemorespecificinwhatwewantedtodo. One of our members, Concordia Professor Dr. Per Anderson, helped to draft the ELCA Statement on Genetics. We felt we had the resources to choose a topic close-to-home for our area. We gathered a panel to discuss “Faith, Food and Biotechnology.” We had local Minnesota Public Radio Correspondent Dan Gunderson moderate a discussion between an agronomist, a former Monsanto repre-sentative,acertifiedOrganicfarmerandDr.Anderson. When we got into the discussion aboutgeneticallymodifiedorganisms(GMOs)and organics, we began by talking about the shared priority and responsibility for
ecological stewardship and care for our neigh-bors as food producers.
We recognized this would be a lively and ac-tive discussion for adults, and also saw an op-portunity because there is a lot to learn and do for kids too. So, we organized a parallel event during the public discussion for kids. No, the kids didn’t argue about GMOs and organics; they did activity stations and learned where our food comes from. They participated in planting and growing activities, a station about bees and pollination (honey sticks of course!) and then a discussion about nutrition and how foodfromthefieldgetstothegrocerystore.
We started the public events by inviting Dr. Ted Peters to share about his book, Can You Believe in God and Evolution, and we concluded the public events with a dialogue. We invited Dr. Terry Fretheim from Luther Seminary to join our co-director Dr. Heidi Manning in a conversation about creation from Genesis and the Psalms. Dr. Manning had been working with NASA on the Mars Rover and had a great deal to say about awe and wonder, curiosity and inquiry. Dr. Fretheim has a great deal to say about our being created to be co-creators with God and stewards of a world and cosmos that invites our participation.
In my mind, the best thing that came out of the initiative was the recognition within the congregation that studying the natural world is one of our vocations as Christians. It was an experience that didn’t need grant funding to create. It was an experience that might not even have required a special initiative to inspire. Kids and adults alike saw and experi-enced that the awe and inquiry of a scientist can be fueled by holy wonder.
Colin Grangaard is beginning his second year as Senior Pastor at Our Savior’s Lutheran in Barnesville, MN. He moved to Barnesville from Trinity in Moorhead where he was the Associate
Pastor for Young Adults, Evangelism and Global Mission. His wife Jeni is a creative and dynamic partner and friend, also an ELCA pastor. Together they continue to explore awe and wonder at God’s creationhavingjustwelcomedtheirfirstchild,Josephine, into the family.
6
FALL 2013
There are many scientists who are members of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The University of Arkansas is a land grant college, so lots of research and scientific work is focused on the agricultural and horticultural sciences. Here, one pastor asks a young professor, and a 20-something researcher, about the intersection between their commitment to science and their commitment to Christian faith.
The Researcher (Hal Halvorson)
Clint Schnekloth: How do you see your faith and your scientific inquiry intersecting and rein-forcing or challenging each other?
Hal Halvorson: I think that my faith and my passionforscientificinquiryintersectatmul-tiple levels. On one level, I see my faith as call-ing me to pursue science. We live in a world of so much need, and among the greatest (and unfortunately too often overlooked) needs is that of the natural world. We collectively demand so much of our environment and have already negatively altered so much of God’s creation. My research focuses on how human-caused nutrient pollution is altering stream ecosystems, with the ultimate goal that we understand how organisms are negatively af-fected by human impact, as well as how we can prevent future impact. I see each species and each process (think: the still-poorly-under-stood intricacies of the global carbon cycle!) as a beautiful result of God’s love for this world. Our faith should call us to take action in pre-servingbiodiversityandrespectingthefiniteresources God has given us. My small way of doing this is by boldly pursuing my research.
On a similar level, my faith informs my pas-sion for science. We joke in science that the more we know, the more questions we have. As with any good research project, inter-estingfindingsonlybegfurtherquestions:what mechanism(s) drive the patterns I am observing in the natural world? What are the potential policy implications of my conclu-sions? The complexity of our world is truly awe-inspiring, and we are only on the brim of understanding how this world works. To me, there is great beauty in the unexplained phenomena: the origins of life, the chaos of the global climate system, and the size of the universe all come to mind. Also inspiring is the unifying theme of biology: evolution. The evo-lution of life is a fascinating topic and one of
very active research. But the theory of natural selection? True beauty, in terms of its ability to explain so much of what we see in the world in relatively simple terms. I do not see evolution and my faith as contradictory; in the processes thathavedriventhediversificationoflifeandthereby profoundly shaped our planet, I see God’s presence.
Attimesitcanbedifficulttoreconcilemyscientific/empiricalmindsetwithscripture.For example, it is hard for me to believe that Jesus turned water into wine if I also believe in (or, indeed, my very career depends upon) the law of conservation of mass. I see two approaches: one is to resolve that Jesus was divine, and that the miracles and other acts of God truly did happen because God is above all laws of the natural world. The other approach, which I personally choose, is a metaphorical interpretation of scripture: the details of the gospel do not matter as much as the message, and a message of the water-into-wine story is that the best is yet to come through Jesus’ teachings and our faith in his message.
Pastor Clint, I am wondering about your views on how to reconcile passages, such as the above, when well-studied natural or physi-cal laws are ‘broken’ in the Bible. Are we to believe that these events truly occurred? Is there only one correct way of interpreting the miracles?
CS: That’s a great question. My short answer is “no.” We can view these events that seem to contradict our sense of natural causality in any number of ways that are still faithful. Scripture may be like myth or legend as much as anything else, which doesn’t make it any less true. Personally, I hold out on the idea that many of the miracles in Scripture that seem to contradict science may yet be true on a literal level as well. Science explains a lot, but it does not yet explain everything, and it could equally be the case that what we know from a scien-
tificperspectiveweknowonlyinpart.Perhapsfor all we know all water is actually wine.
CS: Tell me about your colleagues who are agnosticoratheist.Whathasinfluencedthemintheirreligious/scientificperspective?
HH: Many of my fellow scientists are agnostic or atheist. There is a wide range of views on religion among scientists, from refreshingly open to downright hostile. Fortunately, I do not personally know many in the hostile camp. Many of my colleagues have surprisingly similar views to myself: much like me, they believe that science can coexist with faith (i.e. you can be religious and also subscribe to science) and that too often we render a gray area into black and white or either/or. Some of them would even call themselves spiritual or religious, although they do not attend church. A few trends stand out to me. (1) Many scien-tists believe that matters of faith and science should be kept separate, especially in the pub-lic and/or teaching sector. This is to address the debate over teaching evolution in biology classrooms: evolution is a testable and well-studiedscientifictheory,whereascreationismcannotbescientificallytestedandisamatterof personal belief or faith. I think that this dichotomy is essential, because it ends debate over whether or not we should teach religious principles in science classrooms. (2) Many of myagnosticscientificfriendsfeel‘turnedoff’from modern Christianity. They view Christi-anity as being totally opposed to the pursuit of science, a roadblock to their careers and to the furthering of science. Many of them also believe that Christians are hypocritical, often acting in opposite to Jesus’ teachings of action, humility, forgiveness, or unconditional love. (3) Many of my agnostic colleagues are also very surprised when I explain to them that my church actually does not defame evolution or global warming, and that we actually have em-braced progressive ideas like environmental-ism. (4) Many of them are comfortable talking
INTERVIEWS WITH SCIENTISTS Interviews by Clint Schnekloth
7
about faith, but feel little need to pursue it, at least via organized religion. In their childhood they may have been exposed to Christianity at Sunday School or through their parents, but they have since drifted away. In some ways, they have drifted away because they felt forced to attend church and continue to asso-ciate ‘church’ with unhappy Sunday mornings.
CS: What if anything do you think might attract your colleagues who have drifted away to affiliate with intentional Christian community?
HH: I like your response to my question. The scientificstoryisn’tcompleteandIdon’tthinkever will be.
I can think of a few steps that would attract atheist/agnosticcolleaguestobeginaffiliatingwith Christian community. First, I think that we could be more explicit about informing them that science and faith do not have to be opposed to one another and can go hand-in-hand. For example, science can tell us that our global climate is changing at unprecedented rates, and our faith and scripture can inform us that this is not God’s vision for creation. Both will inspire us to take action to emit fewer greenhouse gases, mitigate the effects of climate change, et cetera, and together the two perspectives may be especially potent. From my perspective, our denomination (and most mainline Protestant denominations) of-fer a very different but often overlooked inter-pretation of science/faith compared to other formsofChristianity.ItbafflesmypeersandIhow many people in America seem to take for granted sophisticated technologies such as airplanes,microwaves,orevenfluvaccinesyetstill refuse to accept foundational concepts like natural selection or the possibility that our species could change the composition of our atmosphere. I do not understand how these ideas go against God. Unfortunately, some of my colleagues group these people and gain the impression that all Christians are skeptical of science.
I think that a church that openly embraced current science would be a big draw. Just to take it one step further, imagine churches funding research under the premise that this would save or improve lives, especially of impoverished or oppressed people...do you know of instances where Christian groups
have done this? Does the ELCA malaria cam-paign include funding for malaria research, for example?
I also think that every biologist will admit there is so much about the intricacies of life that we do not understand - for example, the origin of life or the million different contingen-cies that have led to our present existence in the modern world. These are the ideas that can inspire people to turn to a higher being for potential answers or inspiration. A church that opens dialogue to address these ideas and accepts room for doubt (i.e. not simply stating that the earth is only 6,000 years old, without compromise) would be attractive to this group of people.
The Scientist (Andy Alverson)
CS: How do you see your faith and your scientific inquiry intersecting and reinforcing or challenging each other?
Andy Alverson: After reading these and thinking about them a bit, I realized that I might not be the best person to ask about this stuff, mainly because I’m not all that introspec-tive about the faith/science intersection. It’s never been that big of an issue for me person-allybecauseIjustdon’tseetheconflictthatsomany others do. That isn’t to say I don’t have opinions about different issues, but on the “big”questions,youmightfindmyresponsesto be less philosophical than you had hoped for. But they’re honest. Over the years I’ve read a lot of recycled answered to these ques-tions. My responses aren’t earth-shattering, but they’re not canned either.
The biggest challenge I see for the Church is fightingtheperceptionthatwe’reallabunchofflateartherswithourheadsinthesand.That we’ll ignore mountains of data that the whole world sees for what it is, and instead call black white because of the misguided notion that evolution, climate change, stem cell research, and even embryology are fundamentally at odds with Biblical teachings. With respect to science, these are the kinds of people shaping the image of the Church:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/06/paul-broun-evolution-big-bang_n_1944808.html
The general response to this question by Christian scientists (not Christian Scien-tists) is that the insights into the complexity of life afforded by their science reinforce and strengthen their faith in God. This has not been my experience, perhaps because I haven’t actively sought to make these connec-tions. Instead, I see science and faith as two separate aspects of my life. For matters of faith, I look to God. To understand the natural world, I look to science. I haven’t sought any type of reciprocal reinforcement, nor have I found any. I’m an evolutionary biologist, so somepeoplefindtensionbetweenevolution-ary theory and a literal reading of the Bible’s creation story. I can see how one could get hung up on this if he or she views the Bible as a scientificdocument.
CS: Tell me about your colleagues who are agnos-tic or atheist. What has influenced them in their religious/scientific perspective?
AA: Scientists are a diverse bunch, so I hesitate to make broad generalizations. Ev-eryone comes to these things with individual perspectives, life experiences, and cultural and family histories. That said, scientists are, bydefinition,naturalskeptics.Scienceisadiscipline that demands all things be viewed and interpreted with a critical and skeptical eye.Thescientificmethodisoneinwhichwecontinually try to disprove things. We estab-lish hypotheses and come up with the best ap-proach possible to try to reject them. Nothing is ever proven, and there are no truths or laws in biology. From the perspective of a skepti-cal biologist, God is an untestable hypothesis. This is hard, if not impossible, for some people to accept.
In addition, fair or not, the loudest voices (I’m thinking, for example, of outspoken religious politicians here) paint a picture of a Church bodyfullof“flatearthers”whorejectsciencethat the rest of the world sees as uncontro-versial. These voices are, in many cases, the only ones many people ever get a chance to hear. Imagine working 60-80 hours per week for your entire adult life in passionate pursuit of some important research question only to have the very nature of your work, science itself, questioned or even mocked in some cases.I’mnotsuggestingthatthisdrivesflocks
8
FALL 2013
of people to atheism, but it certainly doesn’t help attract rational people into the Church.
CS: Andy, you know I think I would argue that God is an untestable hypothesis from the theo-logical perspective as well. In this sense theology and science are more similar than dissimilar.
So, two additional questions.
CS: What if anything do you think could contrib-ute to scientists not misunderstanding theological inquiry and assuming it is antithetical to Christian faith?
AA: I don’t think there’s a broad misunder-standing of theological inquiry. Rather, there might be a misperception about the existence of “theological inquiry” at all.
CS: Are there any loud Christian voices on the other side you have noticed? To notice them, how loud and outspoken would they have to be, and where would they have to speak?
AA: The loudest voices seem to be the most irrational ones, and these will almost always dominate. For the same reasons people slow
down to glimpse at a car accident, they’ll almost always click on the link to a story of someone describing evolution as “a lie from the pit of hell.” It’s outrageous, and people, includingme,findoutrageoustobeinterest-ing. Jim Wallis is a voice of rapprochement on a broad range of issues. And he’s not loud, he’s reasoned, which itself strikes non-Christians as unusual. As a result, he’s been given some big platforms for his ideas. I see him on the HuffingtonPostallthetime.Mayberationaland reasoned is the new loud.
YOUR SCIENCE PLAYLISTTune in to some great tunes about science. Download these songs, or page through your nearest green or cranberry hymnal.
“Earth and All Stars,” (lyrics by Herbert F. Brokering, music by David N. Johnson). Whether you prefer page 558 in LBW or 731 in ELW, where else can you sing about loud boiling test tubes?
“LordoftheStarfields,”(BruceCockburn).Themastersongcraftersaidhewas“tryingtowritesomethinglikeapsalm”whenhecraftedthisacoustic song about the universe.
“TheGalaxySong”(EricIdle).Thistune(alsoabouttheuniverse)takesamorecomedicapproach.ItfirstappearedinMonty Python’s The Mean-ing of Life.
“She Blinded Me with Science” (Thomas Dolby). Gen Xers can’t resist dancing (and yelling “Science!”) to this 80s new-wave classic. (Honorable mention goes to “Weird Science” by Oingo Boingo, another 80s hit.)
“The Big Bang Theory Theme Song” (Barenaked Ladies). It rhymes astronomy with Deuteronomy. How can you go wrong?
“Fly Me to the Moon” (Bart Howard). This 60s hit with aeronautic lyrics has been covered by many artists, but Frank Sinatra’s version is best-known.
“Norman Borlaug Polka” (Jonathan Rundman). Jonathan wrote this rollicking instrumental tune inspired by Nobel Laureate Norman Borlaug, an agronomist widely credited with saving over a billion lives.
And if you have kids around, you may have already memorized the entire Here Comes Science album by They Might Be Giants.
Hal Halvorson is a graduate student in biology at the University of Arkansas and studies stream ecology. He is fascinated by insects, especially in regard to how they shape and are shaped by carbon and nutrient cycling in streams
Andy Alverson graduated with a B.S. in Biology from Grand Valley State University; M.S. in Entomology from Iowa State University; and PhD in Plant Biol-ogy from The University of Texas at Austin. He is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at the University of Arkansas, where he teaches and carries out research on the evolutionary genomics of marine and freshwater algae.
by Dawn Rundman
9
Start Date End Date Name Location Contact Person Web Site Targeted to:
Oct 31, 2013 3:00 PM
Nov 3, 2013 12:00 PM
ELCA Youth Leadership Event Camp Carol Joy Holling (Askland, NE)
Ed Kay Sr High Youth
Nov 3, 2013 1:45 PM
Nov 3, 2013 3:00 PM
AK Synod: Going Public Central Lutheran Church Jane Hanson Sr High Youth, Adult Volunteers, Adult Professionals, Parents
Nov 9, 2013 8:00 AM
Nov 9, 2013 2:00 PM
N/W Lower MI: Breaking The Mold
Mt. Pleasant, MI Rev. Sue Hand mittensynod.org Adult Volunteers, Adult Professionals, Parents
Nov 9, 2013 12:00 PM
Nov 9, 2013 4:00 PM
Faith Formation Support Lord of Life Heidi Cryer Adult Volunteers, Adult Professionals
Nov 22, 2013 6:00 PM
Nov 24, 2013 12:00 PM
Lutheran Youth of Nebraska (LYON) Assembly
Holiday Inn & Convention Center-Kearney
Lisa Kramme www.nebraskasynod.org Sr High Youth, Adult Volunteers
Nov 22, 2013 6:00 PM
Nov 24, 2013 12:00 PM
Lutheran Youth of Nebraska (LYON) Assembly West
Sullivan Hills Camp-Near Lodgepole
Lisa Kramme www.nebraskasynod.org Sr High Youth, Adult Volunteers
Nov 23, 2013 8:00 AM
Nov 23, 2013 2:00 PM
NGL Synod Breaking the Mold Messiah, Marquette, MI Rev. Katherine Finegan
www.nglsynod.org Adult Volunteers, Adult Professionals, Parents
Nov 23, 2013 9:00 AM
Nov 23, 2013 2:00 PM
SEPA Synod - Dog Eat Chicken & Theories of Culture
St. Luke, Devon Molly Beck Dean www.sepayouth.org Adult Volunteers, Adult Professionals, Parents
Dec 27, 2013 6:00 PM
Dec 30, 2013 9:00 AM
N/W Lower MI: Breaking The Mold
Lansing, MI Rev. Sue Hand mittensynod.org Adult Volunteers, Adult Professionals, Parents
Jan 18, 2014 10:00 AM
Jan 19, 2014 4:00 PM
Nebraska Synod Middle School Gathering
Bethany Lutheran Church-Elkhorn
Lisa Kramme www.nebraskasynod.org Jr High Youth, Adult Volunteers
Jan 25, 2014 9:00 AM
Jan 25, 2014 2:00 PM
SEPA Synod - Inculturating the Gospel & When Necessary Use Words
St. Luke, Devon Molly Beck Dean www.sepayouth.org Adult Volunteers, Adult Professionals, Parents
Jan 25, 2014 6:00 PM
Jan 27, 2014 11:00 AM
RoadTrip Ocean City, MD Ed Kay demdsynod.org Sr High Youth
Jan 30, 2014 1:00 PM
Jan 31, 2014 3:00 PM
Extravaganza 2014 Intensive Care Courses
Hyatt Regency; St. Louis, Missouri
E-Team www.elcaymnet.org Adult Volunteers, Adult Professionals
Jan 31, 2014 7:00 PM
Feb 3, 2014 12:00 PM
Extravaganza 2014 Hyatt Regency; St. Louis, Missouri
E-Team www.elcaymnet.org Adult Volunteers, Adult Professionals
Mar 29, 2014 9:00 AM
Mar 29, 2014 2:00 PM
SEPA Synod - Walking Together in Solidarity & Going Public
St. Luke, Devon Molly Beck Dean www.sepayouth.org Adult Volunteers, Adult Professionals, Parents
Jan 29, 2015 12:00 PM
Jan 30, 2015 3:00 PM
Extravaganza 2015 Intensive Care Courses
Marriott, Detroit, Michigan E-Team www.elcaymnet.org Adult Volunteers, Adult Professionals
Jan 30, 2015 6:00 PM
Feb 2, 2015 11:00 AM
Extravaganza 2015 Marriott, Detroit, Michigan E-Team www.elcaymnet.org Adult Volunteers, Adult Professionals
Jul 15, 2015 6:00 PM
Jul 19, 2015 11:00 AM
ELCA Youth Gathering Detroit, Michigan ELCA Gathering Office
www.elca.org Sr High Youth, Adult Volunteers, Adult Professionals
CALENDAR OF EVENTS: www.elcaymnet.org/calendar
10
FALL 2013
11
January 30 - February 3, 2014Intensive Care Courses: January 30 - 31
Main Event: January 31 - February 3
Hyatt Regency at the Arch
St. Louis, Missouri
www.ELCAYMNet.org/Extravaganza
REGISTRATION NOW OPEN!
frame
12
EXTRAVAGANZA 2014: FRAMEFour frames will shape the 2014 EXTRAVAGANZA.
1. The Biblical Frame. Scripture
has many layers. We cannot
spend enough time reading,
studying, praying with, and con-
templating the power of God’s
word.
2. The Theological Frame. Our
Lutheran understanding of how
God works in the world provides
a distinct worldview of how we
interact with community and
with creation.
3. The Discipleship Frame. One of
the ‘frames’ we are living into is
the framework provided by the
Practice Discipleship initiative.
Discipleship is nothing unless it
is practiced.
4. The Children and Youth Sub-
culture Frame. This fluid and
dynamic frame is always in
transition. But viewed through
the other frames, and tended by
those who give attention faith
formation, this frame has deep
relevance to the stories of those
we minister among.
Since The Extravaganza is framed
within the Network, AND the Net-
work if framed within the church,
AND the church is framed within
God’s mission...E 2014 will use the
FRAME as a way to see ‘into’ a vari-
ety of ministries.
SPEAKERSThis year’s Extravaganza main stage speakers are going to take a new and different format. Styled after TED Talks, each general session will have several dynamic, concise talks, that will last no longer than 10-15 minutes. Speakers will come from the depth and breadth of the church, and will describe the frame in which God has called them to do ministry.
Catherine Anderson (Preaching)Brenda Bos Jennifer Chrien (Preaching) Raul Garcia III (Segue)Jonathan HemphillRachel HunstadIan McConnellRafael Malpica PadillaTuhina Rasche (Presiding Pastor)Andy RootDawn Rundman Erik Ullestad
MUSICIANS
Jonathan RundmanJonathan Hemphill
FALL 2013
13
INTENSIVE CARE COURSESThe Network is committed to being a learning community. The Extrava-ganza provides a great opportunity through the workshops and the main stage to learn. But folks were ask-ing for more...more time and more in-depth. So we created “Intensive Care.” It is 2 days of going deep into a single subject. It digs into topics that you just can’t cover in 60 or 90 minutes. It connects you with experts in the field and helps you to grow in your vocation.
Course Dates:Day 1 - January 30, 1pm-6pm Reception, 9pmDay 2 - January 31, 8:30am-3pm
Course Titles:Children’s and Youth Ministry and Theology: Oxymoron or Possibility Dr. Andrew Root$150 per participant
The Bible: Beginning to End Dr. Phil Ruge-Jones$150 per participant
The First Two Years Kathy Hunstad and Heather Hansen$50 per participant
Note: “The First Two Years” is being underwritten by the ELCA Youth Ministry Network, because of its deep commitment to supporting those new to ministry.
A FEW OF OUR EXTRAVAGANZA WORKSHOP TITLES*:• Compassion, Fatigue and Self Care
• Confirmation via the Faith Practices
• Grief and Loss: A Peer Ministry
Approach
• Equipping Congregations to
Worship Well with Kids
• Faith Webbing
• Framing Youth-Led Congregational
Hospitality
• I am a Mom of Young Children and
Still Called to be a Youth Minister
with Teens
• Prayer: Practical Ideas for Group
• Preventing and Responding to
Abuse in Ministry
Plus, 30-40 more workshop titles!
The complete list will be available at
www.elcaymnet.org/workshops
* Workshop list subject to change.
14
frame
REGISTER NOW!www.ELCAYMNet.org/register
Network Members:
Early Bird: July 1 to Oct. 31, 2013 - $250
Standard: Nov. 1 to Dec. 31, 2013 - $275
Late: Jan. 1 to Jan. 31, 2014 - $305
Full-Time Students: $140
Retired Members: $140
Spouse Rate: $75 (participate in all materi-
als and programs)
Non-Members: $525
Day Rate: $100 (for Network members
who can only be with us for a single day of
the event.)
Book your housing NOW at www.elcaymnet.org/housing
ELCA YOUTH MINISTRY NETWORKwww.ELCAYMNet.org
FALL 2013
Join the conversation!www.elcaymnet.org/3tc
3rd Tuesday Conversations are monthly gatherings of
friends. They are great continuing education events. They
are opportunities to hear from, and interact with experts in
the field. 3TC conversations are free for Network members.
Our schedule:
Stay tuned at www.elcaymnet.org/3tc for Fall schedule!
Times:
All 3TC conversations begin at:
2:00 p.m. Eastern, 1:00 p.m. Central
12:00 p.m. Mountain, 11:00 a.m. Pacific
Our conversations:
We use online webinars. You can log
in to a special webinar site and listen
to the conversation while watching
images on your screen. Or, you can
watch on the computer while calling
in and listening on your phone.
You will have opportunities to ask
questions as well.
Here’s our belief:There is an amazing amount of talent,
expertise and skill within our community.
And we have all developed resources for
use in our congregations.
Many of us are willing to share those
resources that we have created. MartinsList
is a place to do that. Here, we can share our
work with each other...and can create a
community of mutual support in our ministry.
It’s open source ministry.
It’s MartinsList.
open source youth ministry
www.MartinsList.org
15
Faith and science live together in our house on
a daily basis—actually they are married. Kjell
is a Lutheran pastor while Heidi is a science
teacher. For us, the relationship between faith
and science makes sense and stems from the
abundance of God’s love, stewardship for
creation and wonderment of the unexplained.
Science and faith have a lot of common
ground.Onewaytodefinescienceis“prob-
lem-finding”plus“problem-solving.”Oneofthe
pillars upon which Martin Luther reformed
the church was the doctrine of vocation—the
idea that we are called by God to use our
strengths in making this world a better place.
What if this means learning about the world
aroundus,findingwhat’snotworkingand
discovering solutions? Yes, science can be a
calling, a way to make the world a better place
for all.
When our two preschool-aged daughters are
asked what they want to be when they grow
up their answers include pastor and science
teacher along with mom, grandma, swimmer,
artist and nurse. Modeling science and faith,
often together, is something we are intention-
al about. Here are some around-the-house
examples:
• Starting seeds indoors then planting
them in your home garden
• Encouragingkidstotryfivetimestosolve
a problem
• Reducing waste by asking if items are
“wants” or “needs”
• Creating a family energy conservation
plan for your home that reduces air pollu-
tion while saving money
• Measuring then building things together
• Figuring out why something is broken
thenfixingitratherthantossingitinthe
garbage
• Encouraging questions about everything
then researching answers together in
scripture, books or online.
A common misconception is that you can’t be
a faithful Christian and competent scientist
at the same time. Often people believe they
must choose between the two. The power of
this misconception is highlighted in the book
You Lost Me by David Kinnaman, in which he
summarizes almost thirty thousand interviews
with 18–29 year olds in the United States who
were once active Christians and now, to vary-
ing degrees, have left the church.
This research shows the church is perceived
as anti-science, but at the same time young
adults “see the mostly helpful role science
plays in the world—medicine, personal
technology, travel, care of the natural world
and others. Because science has come to play
suchadefiningroleinourculture,itisshaping
perceptions of the church and it is these per-
ceptions we must deal well with if we desire
to make young disciples.1” We need to break
down the false dichotomy between faith and
science and emphasize the common ground in
order to engage younger adults.
Faith and science are both full of curiosity,
questions and wonderment. At church and in
Heidi’s science classroom young thinkers have
asked: “Where are dinosaurs in the Bible?”
“How can the Bible’s stories of creation and
thescientifictheoryofevolutionbothbe
true?” “Are there billions of years between
earth forming and fossil evidence of people?”
How might we respond in a fashion that
empowers questions? Hopefully, teachers in
school and church settings are willing to be
vulnerable and respond, “Tell me more.” “Keep
askingquestions.”“Let’sfindareliablesource
or ask an expert.”
Whatifweusedthescientificmethodto
structure a Bible study or solve a problem
around the church? Say we run the story of
King David and Bathseba through the scien-
tificmethod:
1) Define the problem—King David had an
affair with Bathsheba and killed her husband
to cover it up.
2) Create a hypothesis—We also use our
power to get things we want even if it costs
someone else a great deal.
3) Test the hypothesis with an experiment—
Think of ways we have hurt our neighbor by
getting what we want.
4) Collect and analyze data—Some of the
heavy metals in my cell phone are mined in
Indonesia at a great cost to the people and
environment.
5) Draw conclusions—I have some of the
same faults King David did.
You could run the process again and ask ques-
tions like: “How do David’s faults affect his
relationship with God?” “Does God still work
throughDavid?”Intheenditisn’taboutfind-
ing right or wrong, rather we want to know if
our hypothesis holds true, does not hold true
or is inconclusive. And no matter what naming
youruseofthescientificmethodinachurch
setting is a subtle yet powerful way to show
church and science working together.
When I look at your heavens, the work of your
fingers, the moon and the stars, and when I
consider the atmosphere, water cycle, the rocks
beneath our feet recycling for 4.6 billion years,
that you have established; what are human be-
ings that you are mindful of them, mortals that
you care for them? 2
This adaption of Psalm 8 gives a modern day
spin to the spirit of amazement and wonder
people of faith have had for creation.
Our church camps and summer trips have
often provided wilderness or outdoor experi-
ences that give kids the chance to see inter-
connected systems, where faith and science
are present for play, amazement and commu-
nity. Whether you call it ecology, outdoor play
or building relationships in God’s creation, it
FAITH AND SCIENCEby Heidi Smith Ferris and Kjell Ferris
16
FALL 2013
turns out that research supports a number of
benefitstoexperiencingtheoutdoors.
Researcher Louise Chawla studied urban
communities around the globe and their
engagement in the environments they lived.
She found that having basic needs met, time
outdoors and opportunities to practice
resourcefulness leads to positive mental,
physicalandemotionalhealthbenefits.3 In
the bestseller, Last Child in the Woods, Richard
Louv writes “Children need nature for the
healthy development of their senses, and
therefore, for learning and creativity. This
need is revealed in two ways: by an examina-
tion of what happens to the senses of youth
when they lose connection with nature, and
by witnessing the sensory magic that occurs
when youth—even those beyond childhood—
are exposed to even the smallest direct
experience of natural setting.” 4
While a Boundary Waters trip or week at
campmaynotfitintoeveryone’sbudgetor
schedule, connecting people with nature is
profoundly important for their ability to thrive.
Even energy conservation and recycling activi-
tiesareanaturalandeasyfitforyouthgroups
interested in the science, economics and faith
connections with creation care. What may
seem like small science connects to greater
good. Examples include: using cloth napkins,
composting, conducting energy audits, using
mass transit, holding garage sales, reading
library books, insulating attics, tending a gar-
den, using carbon footprint calculators, host-
ing a Bible Study outside and going for hikes.
Science and church can coexist and, in fact,
they can strengthen each other’s mission.
Wewantandneedscientific-mindedpeople
in our churches. First, Jesus commissions us
“go to all nations” including the “nation” of
science. Second, science-minded people are
great problem solvers and add breath and
depth to our communities. Third, it is estimat-
ed that 52% of our youth will have careers in
sciencefieldsandneedlesslyalienatingthem
won’tbebeneficialtothesustainabilityof
our congregations. 5
Finally,thescientificcommunityisbetter
off having people of faith in its ranks since
advancing technologies will continually be
askingdifficultethicalquestions.Thereis
aneedtoreflectuponnotjust“Canwedo
this?” but also “Should we do this?” Food
supply, changing climate, cures for diseases,
energy demands, conservation efforts and
other social justice problems are waiting for
bright thinkers of today to discuss, address,
research, serve and solve. Faith and science
benefiteachother;theycanlivetogetherand
maybe even be married.
Heidi Smith Ferris has overadecadeoffirst-hand experience through teaching middle and high school level science courses and curriculum writing for classrooms, faith-based groups and secular
nonprofits.HeidistartedGrowingGreenHeartstoshareup-to-datescientificknowledge,supportteachers with educational techniques and engineer on-site solutions for today’s environmental issues: climate change, local nutrition sources, natural re-source conservation, childhood health and creation care. www.GrowingGreenHearts.com
Kjell Ferris Is the Associate Pastor at Christ Lutheran Church in Blaine MN.
1 Kinnaman, David, You Lost Me, Barker Books, 2011 pp 92, 136.2 Psalm 8:3-4, NRSV3 Chawla, Louise 4 Louv, Richard, Last Child in the Woods5 Kinnaman, David, You Lost Me p 139
17
A number of years ago, I replied to an ad look-
ing for a curriculum writer for a new Sunday
school program. After receiving the project
overview, I developed my sample, sent it in,
and waited. When the project leaders got in
touch, they told me although they selected
a different writer for that particular assign-
ment, they would be happy to keep my name
onfileforfuturework.Whatweremyareas
of strength and interest? Science activities for
kids, I wrote back.
“You like SCIENCE?!” they replied. You could
almost hear the incredulity rippling through
the computer cable. I was a bit surprised by
the response. According to Elaine Howard
Ecklund, author of Science vs. Religion: What
Scientists Really Think (2010), about half of the
scientists at top American universities identify
withsomeestablishedreligiousaffiliation.And
nearly 75% say “there are basic truths in many
religions.”
I have to wonder: does the same percentage
of religious education programs believe in
teaching science? From my limited experience,
and the reactions I get whenever I mention I
write science activities for religious education
programs, I doubt it. And I have to wonder—
why not?
Actually, I didn’t wonder much about any of it
until I was asked to write this article. You see,
eversincethatfirstcontact,Ihavebeenkept
quite busy putting science into Sundays. And
Vacation Bible Schools, Wednesday classes,
andwhereeverelsetheycanfindawayto
work it in—because I don’t like science, I love
it. You’d have to ask the program develop-
erswhytheyfirstdecidedtoincludescience
because I’ve never asked. For me, it’s a natural
fit,ano-brainer.
Quite honestly, I see some parallels between
the two areas. Both are based on questions,
the search for “why.” Why are we here? Why
do I have blue eyes? And I have always been
a questioner. Both are universal. It doesn’t
matter whether you believe in gravity or not,
or whether or not you understand why there
is gravity (we don’t). You are still affected by
it. In my mind, this is like the commandments.
Killing is wrong, whether you believe in God or
not. Both include very personal stories. God
spoke to Abraham, Joseph, Jacob and many
others through dreams. DNA model pioneer
James Watson said he dreamed of the double-
helix model. Elias Howe credited a dream for
his invention of a sewing machine. There are
more similarities, but you get the idea.
Here are a few reasons I think some people
shy away from science:
1. Scientific study isn’t in the Bible.
The Bible mentions history, arts, music,
farming,fishingandawholelotofother
disciplines. A few references to a bit of basic
science, like astronomy, can be found, but not
many. Why not? Looking historically, science
as rudimentary discipline didn’t start until
around the time of Aristotle in 384 B.C. Not
muchscientificstudyhappenedafterthat
until Copernicus came along and challenged
the order of the universe in the 1500s AD. So
when Jesus was living, he wasn’t going to use
science to explain things to people. He was
going to use what they were familiar with, and
that was stories. Thus we have parables. If he
were around today, I wouldn’t bet against him
using some science to illustrate his points!
2. Some scientists try to find an alternative
explanation for miracles.
I don’t read the Bible as a science text, and I
don’t use science to prove or disprove biblical
teachings. My goal is to help people make
connections with the Bible, to make it real. So
I cherry-pick what I present. Activities about
sound resonance created a number of aha!
moments when used in conjunction with the
tumbling walls of Jericho. Talking about blood
and scabs and making fake samples of these
was a hands-on way to get kids involved in
the story of the Good Samaritan. One hope
in having kids create mock gene-based glyphs
was to connect kids from blended families
with Joseph’s family of one father and
many mothers.
3. Group leaders are concerned they will
need to know all the answers, to be able to
explain everything.
Science in the one discipline I can think of
where people feel they have to know it all in
order to lead a lesson. Just as I can’t explain
everything in the Bible, or how to solve every
math problem, or explain the theme of books
I haven’t read, I’m perfectly comfortable in
saying, “I don’t know the answer.” to a science-
based question. I have discovered that work-
ing to combine science and religion has made
me delve deeper into my study of the Bible,
looking for connections.
Hopefully, you are open to considering adding
science to your lessons. Here are a few helpful
hints to ease your entry:
A. Keep the science simple. That means
simple equipment, minimal set up and only one
concept at a time. A study of surface tension
to demonstrate how a water strider walks on
water needs cups, water, paper clips and paper
towels. That’s it. Kids learned about differ-
ent kinds of vision using toilet paper tubes,
pennies, yardsticks and index cards. Simple,
engaging, fun and relevant—lessons that will
get them talking and thinking and creating
memorable moments.
B. Reassure your leaders that science
exploration is not memorization or rigidly
following the scientific method. Real sci-
ence is making observations and trying new
things. Let kids make choices. I consider Adam
andEvetobethefirstscientists.Theywere
curioustofindout“whatif?”Ofcourse,there
SCIENCE ON SUNDAYSby Cindy Blobaum
18
FALL 2013
were consequences— there always are! I
think it’s important for kids to realize that the
choices they make have a direct impact on the
outcome. And it’s okay to give second chances,
and sometimes third, fourth . . . Surely you can
relate that to one or more biblical teaching!
C. Sometimes it’s easy to find a science
connection (the ark and buoyancy any-
one?); sometimes it’s more challenging.
Sometimes my inspiration comes from just
one word. For example, for safety consid-
erations, I didn’t develop an experiment
usingfirewhentalkingaboutMosesandthe
burning bush. Instead, I focused on sandals
(or shoes). Moses had to remove his when he
was on holy ground. Believe me, kids related
well to this study. Everything was fair game
here—insulation, tread, protection and dura-
bility were just the starters.
D. Enlist the help of great editors. I have
been so fortunate to have editors who are
supportive, thorough, wise and honest. They
help clarify my thinking and connections, do a
trulyterrificjobofmakingmylooseramblings
into coherent thoughts and always have my
back theologically.
I see the overarching goal in developing
science-based lessons as part of your religious
curriculums as reaching out to more people,
especially younger ones. Churches have
already expanded their methods from simply
preaching from the pulpit on Sundays to using
songs, videos, text messages, tweets, blogs
and more. Why not science?
EIGHT WAYS TO INFUSE SCIENCE IN YOUR CHURCH
As a curriculum developer for over a decade, I’ve worked on several resources that incorporate science into faith formation in amazing ways. But
curriculum content doesn’t have to be the only source of science. Try one or more of these ways to bring science into congregational life.
Science by Vocation: Who are the science teachers, scientists, and others in science professions in you congregations? Invite them to share about
their faith and vocations during a temple talk, Sunday school session, or other congregational gathering.
Science Questions: The kids and adults in your congregation may have questions about faith and science. Provide a forum for people to write their
questions.TakeitpubliconFacebook,orprovideaplacewherepeoplecanpostquestionsanonymously.Thenfindawaytoaddresstheirques-
tions! (See the next suggestion if you need help with the questions that stump you.)
Join the Alliance: Check out the ELCA’s Alliance for Faith, Science and Technology at elca.org. Download their free “Faith and Science” curriculum
for high school students, check out “Faith and science news updates, or invite youth to submit a question to the “Ask a Scientist” feature.
Social Statements: SeveraloftheECLA’ssocialstatementsintersectwithscientifictopics,liketheenvironment,healthandhealthcare,andgenet-ics. Plan a session or two to explore the ELCA’s position on these complex and fascinating topics.
Science Class: Science concepts are typically introduced in preschool curriculum! Science is part of the daily academic life of kids and youth, so you
can ask them what they are learning in their science classes.
Celebrate Science in Daily Life: Imagine asking people in your congregation “How has science saved your life?” What stories could they tell?
Whether it is an account of stents to treat artery blockages or daily medication
World Health Emphasis: Has your youth group, Sunday school, or other congregational group adopted a fundraising goal for an initiative like ma-
laria eradication or clean water? Include information about the science behind these programs. For example, learn how malaria affects red blood
cells or why microorganisms in unclean water breed trouble.
Cindy Blobaum is the authoroffivehands-onsci-ence based activity books for kids and a contributor to multiple Augsburg For-tress education initiatives.
by Dawn Rundman
19
“Science and religion are two windows that
people look through, trying to understand the big
universe outside, trying to understand why we are
here. The two windows give different views, but
both look out at the same universe. Both views
are one-sided, neither is complete. Both leave out
essential features of the real world. And both are
worthy of respect”
—Freeman Dyson, Physicist.
My entire life, church has been my foundation.
Iwasbaptized,receivedfirstcommunion,con-
firmed,andwillbemarriedlaterthisyearin
my childhood congregation. My wedding party
consists of my life-long youth group friends,
the religion “window.” Also from a young age,
the natural world has fascinated me. I asked
how things worked and why they worked, the
science “window.” I did not realize that many
people feel these two “views” are exclusive of
one another.
I received my bachelor’s degree from Agnes
Scott College (ASC). While in college, I served
as the president of the Lutheran Campus Min-
istry (LCM) in Atlanta, biological honor society
and the American Chemical Society. Since ASC
was founded as a women’s seminary, religion
was accepted campus-wide, including in the
sciences. My lab advisor, “Dr. P,” is Catholic
and served as the faculty advisor for the
Catholiccampusministry.Therefore,myfirst
encounter with a Christian scientist showed
no issues with accepting both points of view.
Dr. P and I had wonderful discussions about
God, creation and evolution while performing
experiments at the lab bench. As graduation
approached, I was torn between proceed-
ing to graduate school in science or entering
the ministry. After long talks with my pastors
and prayerful consideration, I decided to be a
strong Christian scientist.
Upon my arrival at graduate school, I quickly
learned that Christianity and science are not
bothacceptedbymostindividualsinmyfield.
An Episcopal colleague of mine from Agnes
Scott was already enrolled in the Ph.D. genet-
ics program when I arrived. She advised me
to keep my Christianity a secret because our
professorswouldpre-judgemyscientificabili-
ties and academic potential negatively if they
were aware of my strong faith. She told me
that many academics feel that Christianity is
a religion based on hearsay, rather than intel-
lectualthoughtlikescientificinquiry.Ichoseto
follow her advice with my professors, but was
my authentic self with my cohort.
I was honest and open with my fellow gradu-
ate students regarding my faith once friend-
ships were established. This honesty provided
me a unique opportunity to share my faith
with my peers, many of whom were against or
uninformedaboutChristianity.Specifically,I
had the chance to witness to a friend, “Jessica,”
who never was exposed to faith. Her parents
wanted their children to feel comfortable to
choose their beliefs without external pres-
sures, therefore they never discussed religion
athome.Insteadoffindingherownfaith,
Jessica now considers herself an atheist. If
you’reraisedindarkness,itisdifficulttoseek
the light alone as an adult. I never hid my be-
liefs from Jessica, nor did I bombard her with
scripture. Instead, whenever the opportunity
presented itself, I gave my view as a Christian
to situations in a nonthreatening manner.
Often, these views led to Jessica verbally at-
tacking me.
While in grad school, I have stayed active
in both my home congregation and LCM in
Atlanta. I invited my grad school friends to
attend the annual LCM Low Country Boil
fundraiser in Atlanta. I was open with them
that proceeds went to LCM, and they opted to
attend anyway. I prepared the pastors present
at the fundraiser for my anti-Christian friends’
attendance, hoping that interactions between
my friends and pastors would be positive ex-
periences. It was amazing to watch my friends,
especially Jessica, interact with my female
pastor and gay pastor; people she assumed
the church shunned. Through their example
and conversations, the pastors demonstrated
the acceptance our church has for everyone.
Since this acceptance was not something my
science friends associated with Christianity
and church, it was an eye- and heart-opening
experience for all of them.
Eventually Jessica’s verbal attacks on me be-
came so frequent that I had to distance myself
from her. During this time, Jessica’s sister took
her own life. I used this opportunity to wit-
ness to Jessica again. I arranged to have grad
students cook Jessica’s family meals and had
flowerssenttohersister’sservice.Without
being invited, I drove several hours to the me-
morial service to deliver the homemade meals
and provide my support to the family. I was
brought to tears during the service; Jessica’s
family elected to use an ELCA pastor! After
theserviceJessicaandIspokebriefly.Itold
her how lovely the service was to her sister’s
memory. Jessica told me that the only church
she felt comfortable with was the ELCA. Jes-
sica found acceptance when discovering God
through our interactions, even if she was and
still continues to be argumentative towards
me. Jessica would not proclaim herself a
Christian, but at least she has been introduced
to an accepting, loving God.
Even though being an “out loud” Christian is
frowned upon in science, I never pretend to
be something I am not. I am a Christian who
relies on grace through Jesus Christ my savior
tosurvivelifeandspecificallythehardtimes
of grad school. Other friends in my program
unfamiliar with Christianity have also been
impacted by my faith through our interactions.
“Erin” was raised without religion, although
her mother is Muslim. When Erin and her
live-infiancéneededaministertomarry
them, they did not know where to look. After
asking several members of the clergy and
LUTHERAN OUT LOUDby Elizabeth Lucht
20
FALL 2013
being rejected because they were cohabitat-
ing, she asked me for guidance, knowing our
churchisacceptingofall.Ihelpedthemfinda
wonderful pastor who did not judge them for
their choices. It was humbling to be asked for
assistance with this honor.
Not all my interactions with graduate student
colleagues have been positive. I have been
prejudged negatively because of my faith.
Icompletedmyteachingcertificatewhile
working on my Ph.D. in genetics. My educa-
tion classes were interdisciplinary (sociology
to English to math majors). In these classes, I
did not hide my faith when it came up during
our classroom discussions. I discovered a
year later during a “reunion” of our course
that some of my colleagues labeled me as a
“religious-type” aka someone they didn’t want
to get to know. While enjoying our dinner,
the discussion drifted to gay rights. After I
expressed my belief in equality, one of my
colleagues, “Marcus” said, “Now I can like you.”
When I asked him what that meant, Marcus
told me that he assumed because I was verbal
about being a Christian that I must be narrow
minded and un-accepting of others, as the
church itself is judgmental and un-accepting.
Through our discussion that followed, I helped
Marcusandothersatthetableredefinewhat
being a Christian meant to them.
Graduate school has not been easy as a Chris-
tian or as a scientist. It has been a challenging,
dark place at times; however, I am blessed
with a wonderful support system in my church
family. When my dissertation advisor and
committee have been unsupportive and even
prohibitive of my progression in the program,
I wanted to leave and follow a different path.
Fortunately, my church family rallied around
me through prayers and support. As I am
finishingmydissertationandprepareformy
biology professor position in the spring, I will
continue to live my Lutheran faith out loud.
I strive to be a science professor like Dr. P at
Agnes Scott and share how faith and science
donotconflict.AstheELCAgeneticssocial
statementsays,“Thereisnoinherentconflict
betweenscientificfindingsandtheunder-
standing of God as creator, redeemer and
sanctifier.”IpersonallyhavereconciledChris-
tianity and science in this way: Science looks
at the “how” and religion the “why” behind the
natural world.
“Science without religion is lame, religion without
science is blind.”
—Albert Einstein
Names have been changed for privacy.
Elizabeth Lucht is a
Ph.D. candidate of ge-
netics at the University
of Georgia, Athens. Her
main research centers
on telomeres (aging)
using the study system
K. lactis (a budding yeast). After graduation,
Elizabeth will teach college biology and genet-
ics as a professor of biology.
Elizabeth loves her service as an adult volun-
teer for her home congregation youth group,
Southeastern Synod Summer Leadership
andDiscipleshipCampcalledAffirm,andthe
ELCA Youth Gathering
21
Thrivent Members Can Now Choose
The Network!
The ELCA Youth Ministry Network is now a
recipient of Thrivent Choice dollars! Folks
who have access to these dollars can go to
the Thrivent choice page and designate the
Network as the recipient of your dollars! It’s
a great way to support the Network!
To make a donation, please go to:
www.thrivent.com/thriventchoice . Log in,
and from there you can search for the ELCA
Youth Ministry Network in the listing of
approved organizations, and make your des-
ignation! Thank you to all who have chosen
the Network for your donations so far!
The Network is grateful to its individual donors and organizational partners for supporting its
mission and vision for the future. The Network is funded in 3 ways:
Extravaganza fees cover approximately 2/3 of the cost
of the event. The remaining 1/3 is covered by
organizational and partnership gifts.
Network operational costs are covered by
membership dues.
Funding for developing our future vision comes from
financial gifts from individuals, and organizations.
Theseindividualshavemadeaspecialgiftduringthecurrentfiscalyeartohelpfurtherthemis-
sion of the Network. We are grateful for their support!
These organizations have taken the extra step to become Network partners this year to provide support for the Network. We are grateful for their support!
Gold Partners: ELCA Youth Gathering iGivings Luther Seminary Mission Investment Fund
Thrivent Financial for Lutherans
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT! THRIVENT CHOICE
EXTRAVAGANZA REGISTRATION
MEMBERSHIP DUES
extravaganza
operating expenses
Connect Journal • Staff • Publicity • Etc...
Catherine Anderson
Ascension Lutheran Church Foundation
Kristen Baltrum
Kris Bjorke
Melissa Chaddick
Timothy Coltvet
Carole De Jardin
Dori Fotsch
Desta Goehner
Deborah Grupe
Julie Hagen
Peggy Hahn
Barbara Harner
Daniel Hofmann
Laurie Hoium
Mary Houck
Lisa Jeffreys
Jim LaDoux
Nancy Laskowski
Lynn Leisen
Karla May
Linda McPeak
Julie Miller
Manuel Retamoza
Tom Schwolert
Marilyn Sharpe
Katie VanBeek
David Wolfe
Beth Wolslegel
Silver Partners:Augsburg Fortress PublishingLutheran Outdoors in South DakotaLutheran Colleges.orgLutheridge+Lutherock MinistriesTrinity Lutheran College
Wartburg Theological SeminaryYouth EncounterYouth Leadership, Inc.Mike Ward Stewardship
22
FALL 2013
SCIENCE AND...STUFF
“You don’t see something until you have the meta-
phor to perceive it.”
—Robert Shaw from Chaos: Making a New
Science (1987)
There was a time, a long time in fact, when
people honored the God of the Gaps. In
simple terms, when something could not be
explained, it was Because God. Anything one
could think of that could not be explained was
Because God. Obviously, as people started to
figureoutthatnaturalforcescreatedthings
like rain clouds, the need for praying to a God
to bring rain seemed unnecessary on some
level and—to some people—downright silly.
And thus, the more we learned about our
environment, the less we needed God as an
explanation for the gaps. Hence, the God of
the Gaps began to die a slow and quiet death
with the advent of the Filler of Gaps: Science.
There was also a time when religious folks (i.e.,
nearly everybody) accepted that God was in
everything. (You know, the One in whom we
live and move and have our being?) But over
time we kind of confused being in everything
with being in charge of everything. We lost the
notion that God was everywhere to the steady
advance of knowledge. The more we learned,
thelessweneededGodtofillinthegaps.And
if God wasn’t everywhere, and was only where
we needed an explanation, well, explanations
crowded God out of the picture.
Sadly, to many people, this means God must
be defended from the encroachments of
science, lest God be banished entirely. If God
isn’t everywhere, then the God of the Gaps
gets smaller every year. Sure, people still have
theirpersonalgapstheycanfillinwitha#2
pencil in a pinch. God saved me this parking
spot. God beat back the incurable cancer. God
let the Cubs win the World Series. (Okay, that
one really would have to be God.) But on the
whole, a God of the Gaps is headed for retire-
ment, plain and simple. We only need that
god until we can explain things. And science is
racking up points in the game of explanation,
that’s for sure.
Enter the relief pitcher named Quantum Phys-
ics. On the smallest most intimate level, the
rules are completely different, right? An object
can be two places at once. A cat can be both
dead and alive. An object can move from one
place to another without actually traveling the
distance in-between the two points. And sud-
denly, all that explaining “stuff” doesn’t explain
things at their most basic level. On the sub-
atomic level, things are not made up of matter;
they’re made up of forces holding matter
together. And with all that craziness, maybe
we can get back to thinking about God being
in everything rather than being in charge of
everything. And the reason I can say that is
because of this: It’s all about relationships.
Quarks are the things that make up protons
and neutrons; they live inside bubbles called
hadrons. And the really interesting thing
about quarks—or, I should say, the most
significantthingtomeaboutquarks—isthat
there is no such thing as one quark. They al-
ways come in groups of two or three. Protons
and neutrons consist of a little trinity of three
quarks. They live in that little bubble of life and
make up everything you see. On the absolute
most intimate level, everything is made up of
relationships. There is no individual. There is
no lone gun, loose cannon or self-made atom.
It’s all about community. It’s all about interac-
tion. It’s all about what God has been telling us
all along . . . a dance of life where two or three
are gathered.
Turns out, it seems you don’t have a metaphor
until you can’t see something to perceive it.
George Baum is one half of the band Lost And Found (speedwood.com), and is also a supply priest in the Episcopal Church, the father of two, and the husband of one.
A VIEW FROM SOMEWHERE ELSEby George Baum
23
ELCA Youth Ministry Network
11821 98th Pl. N.,
Maple Grove, Mn 55369
24
Scscience
3