from Michael Zimmerman, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, who initiated this project:

Dear Members of The Clergy Letter Project,

I am delighted to announce that our new series of web pages with information about Evolution Sunday, 12 February 2006, has been launched. If you go to http://www.uwosh.edu/colleges/cols/rel_evol_sun.htm you'll find a wide array of fascinating information. In addition to a listing of all participating churches, you'll find the text of more than 20 sermons written by members of The Clergy Letter Project, more than 10 articles written by members and more than 25 other resources. We already have more than 145 churches in 38 states signed on! If you would like to add your church to our growing list, please drop me a note at mz@uwosh.edu.

Remember that on 12 February 2006 scores of congregations around the country will be presenting a sermon or holding a discussion group on the broad topic of the compatibility of religion and science. In addition to stimulating thoughtful discussion and reflection in each church, the goal is to have our actions make a collective statement and demonstrate that there is no reason to believe that religion and science are adversaries.

One of the best things about this event is that every congregation can do what it feels most comfortable doing. Nothing is being mandated for participants other than the expectation that people are offered the opportunity to think about this broad topic. Some participants have even stated that for their local event they plan on using a different title - Science and Religion Sunday, for example - even though they're willing to be listed on the master list. Additionally, our web page states that "Due to scheduling difficulties, some participating churches will be holding their events close to 12 February 2006 but not on that day," so if you would like to be listed as a participating congregation but can't hold an event on 12 February, please feel free to add your name to the list.

The sermons posted on the web page are absolutely wonderful. If you think you need help crafting something, there are many ideas to examine. Additionally, if you have a sermon you would like to share with others, please send it to me and I'll get it posted on the web site.

If you haven't already done so, please think about signing up to participate in Evolution Sunday. And please spread the word to others who might be interested in participating.

I am still working hard to increase the publicity about The Clergy Letter. I'm pleased to say that I have been invited to participate in a symposium to be held next month at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. I'll be discussing both The Clergy Letter and Evolution Sunday at that venue.

Thank you all for your support as we move forward. And a special thanks to those of you who have already signed up to participate on 12 February and/or those who have sent in sermons or other resources.

Michael

Please visit our web site: http://www.uwosh.edu/colleges/cols/rel_evol_sun.htm

Michael Zimmerman
Office of the Dean
College of Letters and Science
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54901

mz@uwosh.edu
(920) 424-1210        (920) 424-3125 fax

Parents challenge the teaching of ‘intelligent design’ 
[9-28-05]

Eleven parents of students in Dover, PA, are in court seeking to block their school board from requiring that high school biology teachers read a four-paragraph statement to students that casts doubt on Darwin's theory of evolution. This mandatory statement notes that intelligent design offers an alternative theory for the origin and evolution of life - namely, that life in all of its complexity could not have arisen without the help of an intelligent hand. One lawyer for the parents argued in court that "This clever tactical repackaging of creationism does not merit consideration. ... Intelligent design admits that it is not science unless science is redefined to include the supernatural."

The Republican War on Science, a new book by Chris Mooney, argues America is headed for "economic, ecological, and social calamity" unless we take a new approach toward science.

While Mooney sees both Democrats and Republics sometimes misusing science, and sometimes respecting it, he is particularly concerned about the "cynical manipulation of science" by Bush and the New Right. As the reviewer points out, " they label conventional science as "junk science" and seek to replace it with what they call ‘sound science’ - in other words, questionable, fringe science that conveniently props up the interests of big industry and conservative Christians."

An open letter on the integrity of science

[2-5-05]

The Rev. Herbert Valentine, former Moderator of the PC(USA), has forwarded this open letter, which makes clear that Christians are not all standing against science. It may be a good way to tell the Religious Right that they do not represent the Christianity that many of us know.

Within the community of Christian believers there are areas of dispute and disagreement, including the proper way to interpret Holy Scripture. While virtually all Christians take the Bible seriously and hold it to be authoritative in matters of faith and practice, the overwhelming majority do not read the Bible literally, as they would a science textbook. Many of the beloved stories found in the Bible the Creation, Adam and Eve, Noah and the ark convey timeless truths about God, human beings, and the proper relationship between Creator and creation expressed in the only form capable of transmitting these truths from generation to generation. Religious truth is of a different order from scientific truth. Its purpose is not to convey scientific information but to transform hearts.

We the undersigned, Christian clergy from many different traditions, believe that the timeless truths of the Bible and the discoveries of modern science may comfortably coexist. We believe that the theory of evolution is a foundational scientific truth, one that has stood up to rigorous scrutiny and upon which much of human knowledge and achievement rest. To reject this truth or to treat it as one theory among others is to deliberately embrace scientific ignorance and transmit such ignorance to our children. We believe that among Gods good gifts are human minds capable of critical thought and that the failure to fully employ this gift is a rejection of the will of our Creator. To argue that Gods loving plan of salvation for humanity precludes the full employment of the God-given faculty of reason is to attempt to limit God, an act of hubris. We urge school board members to preserve the integrity of the science curriculum by affirming the teaching of the theory of evolution as a core component of human knowledge. We ask that science remain science and that religion remain religion, two very different, but complementary, forms of truth.

To view the list of hundreds of religious leaders who have signed this letter already, please go to: http://www.uwosh.edu/colleges/cols/religion_science_collaboration.htm

If you would like to sign this letter, please send an e-mail to mz@uwosh.edu listing:

Your Title and Name
Affiliation/Church (optional)
City and State

Michael Zimmerman
Office of the Dean
College of Letters and Science
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54901
(920) 424-1210
mz@uwosh.edu