Purpose To understand historical and current issues in the relationship between science and the various forms of the Judeo-Christian religious tradition.  In the words of Dr. Francis Collins, soon-to-be Director of the National Institutes of Health, “In this modern era of cosmology, evolution, and the human genome, is there still the possibility of a richly satisfying harmony between the scientific and spiritual world views?” In his book, The Language of God, Collins answers his own question with a resounding “YES!” Through readings, discussion and understanding we hope to reinforce for ourselves Collins’ “resounding yes.”  Come and join a fun and rewarding learning experience.

 

Concept Copernicus’ discovery of our heliocentric solar system initiated one of the very early conflicts between science and the Roman Catholic Church (1543). This was followed by Isaac Newton's mechanistic worldview (1687), followed by Charles Darwin's theory of evolution (1859). At present the major differences revolve around two extremes, the atheistic materialism of some scientists on the one hand, and those religious faiths that hold to a strict literal or inerrant view of the Bible. These issues are often seen in the press as Scientific Materialism at one extreme, and Creationism or Intelligent Design at the other. Developments in cognitive science seem to be leading toward even more serious differences in the decades to come. By studying the interface between science and religion we seek to understand these issues and thus understand how to exploit commonalities through dialogue. There is no requirement for previous understanding of science or of theology. We adhere to the language of the layperson.

 

Process A text is selected by group consensus. The group leader, who rotates among members on a voluntary basis, emails suggested discussion questions from pre-selected portions of the text to the group for each meeting. Members come to meetings prepared to discuss these questions as well as others of interest. Books covered to date include:

We are about to start a new book, God After Darwin: A Theology of Evolution, by John F. Haught. Click here to buy the book from Amazon.

 

Please join us.  With our new more spacious facility we have been able to find space at a much more convenient time than heretofore.  We meet from 7 to 8 PM in the Carwithen Parlor every Monday evening.  We hope this time will be invting to those whose working hours have prevented attendance at our previous time of 5 PM.

 

For more information call or email Ken Simmons (703-823-9378 or kensimmons02@comcast.net) or Bill Ryon (703-451-7062 or wryonjr@verizon.net).