Finding a church that supports scientific evidence of the natural world

[jpm (Phil McCurdy)]

My daughter and son in law went to Ecclesia years ago when she was at Rice! Interesting church, I visited a bit back when they met at South Main.

[Ravetastic (Rave)]

If you’re in a community where the vast majority hold differing views then I wouldn’t know what to say. Depending on how populated it is, I’m sure you can find someone with similar views. If not, why not settle down for a peaceful discussion on both of your opinions with someone who has opposing views? It could be a chance to get to educate more people on why evolution and science aren’t as big of a threat to God as some people think.

Also, welcome. There’s also the community here. There are plenty of topics here you can pop in on or ask question on. If you feel you can’t discuss it in your personal life then you could do it on here with like minded folks.

Edit: I’m going to clarify that if you do a discussion with someone on this, don’t just do anybody. Some are more close minded than others and you’ll want to find someone who’s open to other opinions without getting hostile and hurt.

[beaglelady]

@Kendel

Never having the conversation. Wow, what if we did have it in churches? Like @beaglelady ’s does? What if we actually assumed that doubt of some kind is normal, hardwired in many (most?) thoughtful people, and valued that they show up in spite of the doubt? Rather than treating other peoples’ doubt as our personal enemy?

John Polkinghorne has confessed to having occasional doubts. So has Francis Collins.
It is fundamentalists who insist on being 100% sure about every thing.

[beaglelady]

@Paulm12

I think accepting and supporting science is an important part of a church for me too, but I also caution about finding a church where everyone agrees on everything.

Our church has quite a few lawyers for some reason, and they aren’t afraid to take on the clergy!

I’m thinking of the Jewish saying: “Get two Jews together and you’ll have three different opinions.”

Jews don’t see disagreements as a bad thing–they preserved their disagreements in the Talmud.

[Kendel]

You’re probably right about fundamentalism, @beaglelady . There’s a brittleness to it that requires rigidity or breakage.

[beaglelady]

@Kendel

There’s a brittleness to it that requires rigidity or breakage.

So it’s no wonder so many fundamentalists lose their faith.

[Randy]

@beaglelady

It is fundamentalists who insist on being 100% sure about every thing.

Very well put…but I suspect it may often be because they actually have less certainty and are more invested in the concept from other motives, like a need for security. Not that I am free of that problem either.

[Dale (evolutionary providentialist)]

@adamjedgar

Science must compromise to fit the Bible

Reality is reality, what’s revealed in the Bible and what is revealed in God’s creation.

After saying that truth came from the reality of the data in God’s creation and from the reality of the data in the Bible, and that if they appear to conflict, the interpretation of one or the other or both is in error, a YEC once asked me for chapter and verse where the Bible says that truth comes from reality.

[YeshuaIstheNewCohen (Bryan Cohen)]

What is the majority view here? Like, I’m theologically conservative about Jesus being the only way and everything, but I’m with William Lane Craig on Genesis 1-11 being mytho-history.

[Paraleptopecten (Timothy Campbell)]

Something approximating that (with somewhat varying interpretations of Genesis 1-11) seems to be true of the majority of regular participants here.

[jpm (Phil McCurdy)]

Agree with Timothy, thought many disagree with Craig as well on some points. Which is fine.

[Faith_Parry]

As a United Methodist Pastor, I’ll say that there are many Pastor’s like me that take what is a classical understanding (Pre-Fundamentalism) of creation. I teach that we should be open to Science but not let someone’s interpretation (if different than ours) keep us from relationship. I never fully coke outright from the pulpit and say that I don’t believe in 7 24 hour days.

[Buzzard]

@beaglelady

Also, an elderly man in our congregation explained quite openly that he was an agnostic

I got to know a fellow-Catholic who attended Mass every Sunday but was agnostic.
I met another Catholic who attended Mass ever Sunday who freely admitted he was an atheist. I think God was calling him.

Re science, a Catholic is free to believe in a literal interpretation of Genesis or a non-literal interpretation … or have no opinion at all. It’s not an issue.

[St.Roymond]

@logicalinsanity

Does anyone else deal with this? How do you cope!?

This is something I have trouble with. I’ve watched over the years as church after church in my local area – Adventist, Lutheran, Nazarene, Presbyterian – goes YEC.

How do I cope? Poorly! I spend about two and a half hours Sunday mornings on “online church” (lately St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church in Gresham) but it’s torture in several ways.

@Vinnie

Feeling very disconnected from the body of Christ at the moment.

Ditto that.

@CSTR

Once I assure them that we agree on the essentials of the faith, most people don’t appear bothered by my views on evolution, climate change, etc.

Unfortunately too many churches consider YEC and several strains of politics to be “essentials of the faith”.

@Kendel

It’s exhausting and eroding to hear comments in the foyer or in Bible study that start with “I don’t know how someone can be a Christian and think….” and complete the sentence with the very thoughts in my Christian head.

Exactly.

[St.Roymond]

@Kendel

While getting to physical church requires transportation, getting to zoom church requires robust internet. That’s much harder to find around me. It’s been extra windy here the last few days. Internet is in and out.

I’ve done several doctor consults over Zoom and it isn’t uncommon for the feed to freeze or the audio go out.

@Kendel

If only American exceptionalistic pride could be applied to solving a problem like that! The Michigan economy and desolate places could be lively, sustainable and enjoyed.

Once upon a time American exceptionalistic pride supported electricity for all. What changed, I don’t know.