God and Nature Spring 2020
letter from the editors |
|
By Sy Garte and Aniko Albert
Welcome to the Spring 2020 issue of God and Nature! Since our last issue, the world has been turned upside down. As we write this, the COVID-19 pandemic is near its peak, and the future seems as uncertain as ever. We read dire predictions about health and the economy, and so many of our friends, relatives, and neighbors are suffering and no doubt will suffer.
Most of us are working as best we can from home as our labs, offices, classrooms, and other places of work are closed. Our churches are closed as well, and, for probably the first time for many of us, we were not able to attend Easter services in person to celebrate the rising of our Lord with song, prayer, and praise.
And yet, even in this time of darkness, the light of Christ shines. Countless churches, including our own, held Easter services online. Pastors’ families helped with the setup and the readings, choir members offered musical renditions from their homes, and there were sermons and alleluias and prayers, even sharing of the bread and cup with whatever people had available at home. Whether we celebrated in front of a computer screen, through a phone, or watching a service on TV, dressed in our Easter best or in our comfy pajama pants, we were able to come together to give thanks for the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
As we take our daily walk around our quiet neighborhood, wearing our masks and greeting others from a distance, we take note of the signs of Spring—life and hope surrounds us with budding trees, blooming flowers, with birds great and small diligently building their nests. We stay in touch with friends and family scattered over the planet, and we wish each other the best and tell everyone to stay safe and well.
At this moment, our faith is being tested. Our faith in ourselves, in the future, and in the saving grace of Jesus Christ, who is with us in the storm as He always has been.
These times are also a challenge to those of us in biomedical or biological science, as friends and fellow parishioners seek our counsel and expertise. We, like public health professionals all over the world, can only tell them the little we know and explain that social distancing is at this time the best and only way to combat this disease. There is still so much that we don’t understand about this virus. But we do know that just as in the past, the answers are sure to come, one day the worst will be past us, and we will persevere. For now, we work, we support each other in every way we can, and we pray for deliverance.
The contents of this issue were mostly written before the onset of this crisis, and other than this letter, Mike Clifford’s column, and the photo by Roger Edwards, there is no mention of the pandemic. We think that is a good thing. We all sometimes need a break from the news and be spiritually uplifted. We believe that the essays, poems, and artwork offered here will help us do that.
George Murphy’s writing reminds us to look to the cross of Calvary for evidence of God, while Alan Dickin presents an intriguing view of the flood and creation accounts in Genesis. Jeremiah Gruenberg discusses the empirical basis of Christianity, and James Ungureanu gives us new insights into the origin of the idea that there is a conflict between science and religion. Mario Russo meditates on the connections between scientific cosmology and theological eschatology, while David Siegrist presents a case for an anti-materialist scientific worldview. Dean Ohlman’s essay exhorts us to view science and Christianity with clear-sighted, 20/20 vision in the year 2020.
We also have three photoessays in this issue. Janet Warren offers a playful and insightful treatment of a group of stone frogs dwelling in the basement of the science center at Wheaton College, and Roger Edwards and Cheryl Bostrom present us with inspiring photos for meditation and reflection. As always, Mike Clifford gives us something to think about, related to the possible long-term effects of the pandemic. Finally, Lowell Hall contributes a spiritually moving poem.
We are considering including a special feature in the next (Summer) issue of God and Nature highlighting personal stories/anecdotes from ASA members who have been on the front lines of health care, research, ministry, or other service. Contributions for this feature of about 500 words are welcome, along with regular submissions on science and Christianity.
In closing, we can only say to each reader, stay safe and be well, trust in the Lord, support one another, and let’s all rise to this challenge, with, as always, Jesus Christ as our guide and refuge.
Sy Garte Ph.D. Biochemistry, is Editor-in-Chief of God and Nature. He has been a Professor of Public Health and Environmental Health Sciences at New York University, Rutgers University, and the University of Pittsburgh. He was also Associate Director at the Center for Scientific Review at the NIH. He is the author of five books, over 200 scientific papers, and articles in PSCF, God and Nature and The BioLogos Forum. Sy is Vice President of the Washington DC ASA Chapter, and a fellow of the ASA. He is the author of The Works of His Hands: A Scientist's Journey from Atheism to Faith.
Aniko Albert grew up in Budapest, Hungary, and is a graduate of Eötvös Loránd University. A serial migrant, she taught English as a Foreign Language in her hometown, high-school Spanish in Kingston, Jamaica, and English and various subjects in Alameda, California. She is currently the Managing Editor of God and Nature, and Co-Chair of Rockville Help, an emergency assistance charitable organization in Rockville, Maryland.
Welcome to the Spring 2020 issue of God and Nature! Since our last issue, the world has been turned upside down. As we write this, the COVID-19 pandemic is near its peak, and the future seems as uncertain as ever. We read dire predictions about health and the economy, and so many of our friends, relatives, and neighbors are suffering and no doubt will suffer.
Most of us are working as best we can from home as our labs, offices, classrooms, and other places of work are closed. Our churches are closed as well, and, for probably the first time for many of us, we were not able to attend Easter services in person to celebrate the rising of our Lord with song, prayer, and praise.
And yet, even in this time of darkness, the light of Christ shines. Countless churches, including our own, held Easter services online. Pastors’ families helped with the setup and the readings, choir members offered musical renditions from their homes, and there were sermons and alleluias and prayers, even sharing of the bread and cup with whatever people had available at home. Whether we celebrated in front of a computer screen, through a phone, or watching a service on TV, dressed in our Easter best or in our comfy pajama pants, we were able to come together to give thanks for the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
As we take our daily walk around our quiet neighborhood, wearing our masks and greeting others from a distance, we take note of the signs of Spring—life and hope surrounds us with budding trees, blooming flowers, with birds great and small diligently building their nests. We stay in touch with friends and family scattered over the planet, and we wish each other the best and tell everyone to stay safe and well.
At this moment, our faith is being tested. Our faith in ourselves, in the future, and in the saving grace of Jesus Christ, who is with us in the storm as He always has been.
These times are also a challenge to those of us in biomedical or biological science, as friends and fellow parishioners seek our counsel and expertise. We, like public health professionals all over the world, can only tell them the little we know and explain that social distancing is at this time the best and only way to combat this disease. There is still so much that we don’t understand about this virus. But we do know that just as in the past, the answers are sure to come, one day the worst will be past us, and we will persevere. For now, we work, we support each other in every way we can, and we pray for deliverance.
The contents of this issue were mostly written before the onset of this crisis, and other than this letter, Mike Clifford’s column, and the photo by Roger Edwards, there is no mention of the pandemic. We think that is a good thing. We all sometimes need a break from the news and be spiritually uplifted. We believe that the essays, poems, and artwork offered here will help us do that.
George Murphy’s writing reminds us to look to the cross of Calvary for evidence of God, while Alan Dickin presents an intriguing view of the flood and creation accounts in Genesis. Jeremiah Gruenberg discusses the empirical basis of Christianity, and James Ungureanu gives us new insights into the origin of the idea that there is a conflict between science and religion. Mario Russo meditates on the connections between scientific cosmology and theological eschatology, while David Siegrist presents a case for an anti-materialist scientific worldview. Dean Ohlman’s essay exhorts us to view science and Christianity with clear-sighted, 20/20 vision in the year 2020.
We also have three photoessays in this issue. Janet Warren offers a playful and insightful treatment of a group of stone frogs dwelling in the basement of the science center at Wheaton College, and Roger Edwards and Cheryl Bostrom present us with inspiring photos for meditation and reflection. As always, Mike Clifford gives us something to think about, related to the possible long-term effects of the pandemic. Finally, Lowell Hall contributes a spiritually moving poem.
We are considering including a special feature in the next (Summer) issue of God and Nature highlighting personal stories/anecdotes from ASA members who have been on the front lines of health care, research, ministry, or other service. Contributions for this feature of about 500 words are welcome, along with regular submissions on science and Christianity.
In closing, we can only say to each reader, stay safe and be well, trust in the Lord, support one another, and let’s all rise to this challenge, with, as always, Jesus Christ as our guide and refuge.
Sy Garte Ph.D. Biochemistry, is Editor-in-Chief of God and Nature. He has been a Professor of Public Health and Environmental Health Sciences at New York University, Rutgers University, and the University of Pittsburgh. He was also Associate Director at the Center for Scientific Review at the NIH. He is the author of five books, over 200 scientific papers, and articles in PSCF, God and Nature and The BioLogos Forum. Sy is Vice President of the Washington DC ASA Chapter, and a fellow of the ASA. He is the author of The Works of His Hands: A Scientist's Journey from Atheism to Faith.
Aniko Albert grew up in Budapest, Hungary, and is a graduate of Eötvös Loránd University. A serial migrant, she taught English as a Foreign Language in her hometown, high-school Spanish in Kingston, Jamaica, and English and various subjects in Alameda, California. She is currently the Managing Editor of God and Nature, and Co-Chair of Rockville Help, an emergency assistance charitable organization in Rockville, Maryland.