Science for Ministry RFP Finalist Detail

Calvin Theological Seminary
Science on Sunday: Integrating Science into the Life of the Congregation

Calvin Theological Seminary, under the auspices of its Center for Excellence in Preaching and in conjunction with the Science Division of Calvin College, proposes a “Science for Ministry” initiative that will focus on the ecclesiastical constituencies within the Reformed tradition. The project will encourage pastors to become more scientifically literate, more appreciative of science’s contribution to the life of the faith, and so more able to include science and scientific knowledge in a variety of ministry practices.

To accomplish these aims, the project will focus initially on the development and collection of educational resource materials. These materials will include commissioned essays written by scientists from a variety of scientific disciplines under the rubric “What I Wish My Pastor Knew” in which the essay authors will share a summary of the state of his/her field (astronomy, geology, etc.) and what parts of that field the author finds the most wondrous as a Christian and as a scientist. Additionally, the authors will raise what they see as key questions that may arise when their field of study is brought within a biblical-theological framework and will suggest to their pastor audience ways to deal with difficult questions. These essays will become a key part of a website (under the existing structure of the Center for Excellence in Preaching website) that will include links to helpful articles about science, suggested readings and videos for pastors and church groups, sample sermons and teaching outlines that integrate science into ministry, suggestions for youth seminars and retreats that incorporate science in some significant way, and other similar resources that provide scientific education and ecclesiastical inspiration as to how to weave this key feature of our modern world into the life and ministry of the church.

After these resources are collected, they will be used as a curriculum for the second major phase of the project, which will be the convening of twelve regional groups of pastors. The initial meeting of each group will be a two-day seminar led by a team of two presenters: one from a scientific discipline and another from a theological discipline. These presenters will lead an informative, educational event to help educate pastors on science but also (and more importantly) to start a larger conversation on the place of science in ministry and how to integrate the two. Once formed, these regional groups will meet three more times for continuing education and conversation (with additional curriculum materials provided by the project) and for the opportunity to discuss “best practices” as each participating pastor continues to work at the integration of science into ministry. Participating pastors will also have the opportunity to join a larger conversation of their peers via discussion boards on the website that will be set up for this project. In these ways we aim to widen the conversation in a variety of church settings throughout North America even as participants in the project inspire their peers likewise to integrate science into ministry.