Monthly Archives: August 2014

Faith, Science and Our Frenetic Lives

Eckland and Smith
Elaine Ecklund and Jeff Smith

Elaine Ecklund (Sociology, Rice) spoke on the role of Christians within the academy at a faculty retreat in Dallas on August 23. Her presentation also included remarks by Jeff Smith, her pastor at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian in Houstron.

“Too many of us academics live with frenetic sensibility,” she explained. “We wear our busy schedule as a badge of courage with no time for contemplation, not protected space for deep reflection.”

Finding Common Ground

Ecklund’s research is on the intersection of faith and science among academics, and is the author of Science vs. Religion (2010;Oxford Press). While nearly half of all university scientists claim some identity with a major world religion, only 20% are involved in regular attendance at some type of worship service.

“What surprised me in my research was to discover that there is quite a variety of beliefs among agnostics and atheists – a range of doubt versus certainty,” she noted. “I think because of that, there may be more of a common ground between people of faith such as Christians, and those who profess to be agnostics or atheists.”

Ecklund introduced her pastor by saying: “I had never been at a church where the pastor asked about people’s work, or visited their lab or office. Jeff Smith has done both.”

Missio Dei

Smith explained that in the past, the model among pastors was to tell members to bring people to church, but his church practices Missio Dei, the belief that mission is God’s mission and people and their workplace are actually God’s instruments in that mission: “I want our congregants who are scientists to ask ‘How does science help the work of God?’” St. Andrew’s Presbyterian, which adjoins the Rice University campus, sponsored a series of lectures on science and faith.

Ecklund followed by talking about the fears that sometimes accompany work in the sciences by Christians. “Those believers are afraid to be identified as Christians because they will be labeled as part of the Christian Right, or as not really practicing good science,” she said. “Or they struggle with being a good example as a Christian – they feel like they are never spending enough time with family, their spouse, or on their research, and don’t measure up.”

This year’s retreat was sponsored by the Chaplain’s office at SMU and by Peter Moore (Math, SMU). Faculty from Austin College, SMU, TCU, TWU, UNT, UTA and UTD attended.