God and Nature Summer 2019
Science in Church
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By Sara Sybesma Tolsma
My church is not afraid of science. As I write this statement, I immediately recognize that my church is special. I do not take it for granted. My pastors talk about science as part of their sermons when it fits—and not as some dire warning of the evils of science but as one place we can find truth. I worked with the high school group of Sunday school students for a month as they examined evolution and faith. Our elementary midweek program, F3, or Fuel For Faith, includes a regular science center.
I get to lead the F3 science center, and although working with rambunctious 1st through 4th graders is a bit out of my comfort zone, it brings me great joy. This month we talked about tools scientists use. We observed fruit flies with dissecting microscopes, and then each child made a microscope of their own out of oatmeal boxes and plastic wrap. The kids swabbed our church, smearing Q-tips first on church surfaces and then on the agar plates I had prepared for them. They also did a handwashing experiment. They touched an agar plate with their fingertips, and then washed their hands and touched another plate. Some chose water for washing, some soap and water, some hand sanitizer. Of course, their techniques varied widely.
My church is not afraid of science. As I write this statement, I immediately recognize that my church is special. I do not take it for granted. My pastors talk about science as part of their sermons when it fits—and not as some dire warning of the evils of science but as one place we can find truth. I worked with the high school group of Sunday school students for a month as they examined evolution and faith. Our elementary midweek program, F3, or Fuel For Faith, includes a regular science center.
I get to lead the F3 science center, and although working with rambunctious 1st through 4th graders is a bit out of my comfort zone, it brings me great joy. This month we talked about tools scientists use. We observed fruit flies with dissecting microscopes, and then each child made a microscope of their own out of oatmeal boxes and plastic wrap. The kids swabbed our church, smearing Q-tips first on church surfaces and then on the agar plates I had prepared for them. They also did a handwashing experiment. They touched an agar plate with their fingertips, and then washed their hands and touched another plate. Some chose water for washing, some soap and water, some hand sanitizer. Of course, their techniques varied widely.
"...together declare that the heavens, rocks, plants, animals, and even the microbes are telling the glory of God." |
The following week, they observed their plates (tightly parafilmed so no pathogenic organisms could escape) and recorded their data. Elementary-aged kids do not hide their emotions well. Their shouts filled the room. “Oooo!” “Ahhh! Look at this!” “That stinks!” And my personal favorite, “Oh, wow, I’m never touching a pew pencil again. They are dirtier than the toilets!”
Children are naturally curious. They asked what it was they could see in the fruit fly’s abdomen. They wondered about the differences between mold and bacteria. They asked why bacteria appeared in so many different colors. They speculated how much more of God’s Creation was out there that they could not see with their naked eyes. Their wonder and awe was a beautiful expression of worship. We wrapped up that evening with a prayer, thanking God for all of Creation—even that which we cannot see without special tools like microscopes.
I believe that our F3 science center is important. It affirms the goodness of the natural world. The experience of asking and answering questions about the natural world in church shows the kids that curiosity about nature is also good. I hope that someday, if someone tells them that science and faith conflict, they will remember their F3 science center and know deep in their hearts that this is not true.
Adults need science in the church too. Adults too need to be reminded of the goodness of the natural world and that God loves what God created. Adults too can deepen their worship experience with a deeper knowledge of the natural world. When their child gets sick and recovers, they can thank God for immune systems. On a clear night, they can express awe at a God who is still creating stars and galaxies. When they sing “For the Beauty of the Earth,” they can ponder that beauty at a deeper level and experience a greater sense of intimacy with their Creator.
Science in the church affects how we live our lives as Creation’s caretakers. It compels us to see that the use of “styrofoam” cups during fellowship time contradicts our call to be stewards of God’s Creation and helps us consider alternatives. It awakens curiosity and interest in new genetic technologies and prompts questions about their proper use. It generates compassion for our neighbors who might be facing difficult medical issues.
I am grateful that my church is not afraid of science, but I know that this is not the reality in many, even most, churches. Churches that ignore or are antagonistic to science are more the norm, and this can be isolating for Christians who are scientists. Their fellow Christians see them as suspicious. Their enthusiasm for investigating the natural world is not valued. Antagonism toward science can generate ignorance and misunderstanding of medical, environmental, and ethical issues into which Christians should be speaking.
Scientists bear some responsibility, maybe much of the responsibility, for nudging churches toward becoming more welcoming to science. Scientists can share their own faith and scientific journeys. We need to volunteer to lead discipleship opportunities for all ages—programs that bring science into the church faithfully. We should gracefully work to correct misunderstandings about science and scientists. We can reinforce the natural curiosity we see in the kids of our churches. We can reignite that curiosity in the adults so we can all more fully experience Christ, “the firstborn of all Creation,” the One in whom “all things in heaven and on earth were made,” in the amazing details of God’s natural world, and together declare that the heavens, rocks, plants, animals, and even the microbes are telling the glory of God.
Sara Sybesma Tolsma is Professor of Biology at Northwestern College. She has been a member of American Reformed Church in Orange City, IA, since 1995. She is a subject book review editor (ecology, biology, genetics, evolution) for PSCF and is an ASA Fellow.