The Ministry Theorem: Science for Ministry
From The Forum Magazine, Spring 2012 - view the full issue here
Since January of 2009 Calvin Theological Seminary and Calvin College have partnered in overseeing a grant project funded by the John Templeton Foundation— specifically, its “Science for Ministry” program. In early 2008 Calvin Seminary was one of only thirty seminaries nationwide that were invited to propose a grant project that would aim to educate church leaders on the positive benefits of utilizing the fruits and insights of science in church ministries. Since many churches alternatively fear science—or simply ignore it as probably being of no use for church life, preaching, or teaching—the Templeton Foundation wanted to have seminaries explore ways to help congregations see science as a potential partner in celebrating the physical universe, which is nothing less than the handiwork of our great Creator God.
Calvin Seminary was one of just seven institutions selected to receive a $200,000 grant to develop a program that eventually was named “The Ministry Theorem: Engaging Science in the Life of Your Congregation.” The project has been directed by myself and Dr. Deborah Haarsma from the Calvin College science division. A primary focus of the project has been the development of a website (http://ministrytheorem. calvinseminary.edu/) that now houses a wealth of resources and links to books and articles for churches. In addition to a specially commissioned essay series titled “What I Wish My Pastor Knew,” in which scientists share the joy of their work with the church, the website also contains slideware, links to Sunday school curricula, ideas for youth groups, sample sermons that use science to praise God for his handiwork in creation, and much more.
Another facet of this work was the convening of a pastoral focus group. The group consists of a number of Christian Reformed pastors throughout North America who beta-tested the website while it was under development and who have provided other pieces of feedback as well. In the week of President Medenblik’s inaugural, this group traveled to Grand Rapids for two days of meetings at CTS. In addition to times of worship and fellowship, the Ministry Theorem focus group heard presentations by Calvin College faculty members Loren Haarsma, James K.A. Smith, and Paul Moes. The group also viewed a portion of the new “Test of Faith” video curriculum developed by the Faraday Institute in England.
A main purpose of the two-day seminar at Calvin Seminary was to equip each pastor to return home and hold a similar seminar for local pastors in order to allow these church leaders to come together and reflect on the issues that arise when faith and science are brought into interaction with one another. Following the October 2011 seminar at CTS, these pastors have indeed been holding local events that have been well attended and very well received by church leaders across the United States and Canada.
Of course, as most people know, there can be difficulties when faith and science talk to each other. There are tensions. There are questions. Here and there one can find also points of controversy and contention. But as the Ministry Theorem website and program have demonstrated, there are also vast areas of convergence, vast areas in which science can help add to the church’s list of reasons to give praise to the Creator God, from whom all blessings—but from whom also all creation splendors—flow. In our twenty-first–century context, it is impossible to live apart from the presence of science. Even in the church, science and what it makes possible are on display every time a DVD is shown, every time a congregation prays for someone undergoing an MRI, every time a congregation celebrates a successful surgery or a successful treatment for cancer. We live immersed in a scientific world. The Ministry Theorem seeks ways to celebrate the goodness of the scientific enterprise—that is, to celebrate that, at its heart, what science does is take the image of God granted to humanity and allow that image to shine as we explore the works of God throughout the universe in everything from the DNA inside our cells to distant galaxies chock-full of billions of stars.
As the psalmist said about the human body, so we can say about everything in the cosmos: it is all fearfully and wonderfully made. What a privilege to be able to take note of all that fearful wonder!
