Church leaders could be more at home in the world of science thanks to a new teaching initiative in the US.
Ten Christian seminaries have been awarded funding to help them integrate science and theology teaching.
The awards were made by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) with funding from the John Templeton Foundation.
Each institution will integrate science into the teaching of at least two courses, including systematic theology, biblical studies, church history, and pastoral theology. According to the AAAS, the Science for Seminaries programme "will bring science into the core of seminary theological education, impacting individual seminaries as well as the ministries in which graduates serve".
The pilot project reflects the fact that "many people look to their religious leaders for guidance on issues relating to science and technology, even though clergy members may get little exposure to science in their training", according to Jennifer Wiseman, director of the AAAS Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion.
A joint 2013 survey conducted by AAAS and sociologists at Rice University found that some Christians - particularly Evangelicals - are more likely than the general public to consult a religious leader or fellow congregant if they have a question about science. "The Science for Seminaries project aims to equip religious leaders with a solid scientific foundation from which to address congregant questions," said Dr Wiseman.
Science for Seminaries will also organise conferences for Roman Catholic, mainline Protestant and Conservative/Evangelical Protestant seminaries to further the reach of the project by disseminating the resources and experience gained through its pilot programs. Science resources will also be archived online at ScienceforSeminaries.org.
Among the seminaries taking part are Andover Newton Theological School in Massachusetts, the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC and the Concordia Seminary in St Louis, Missouri.
