Dear People Whom God Loves,
Now to get back to the two ways of looking at our religious tradition that are not helpful to us.
The first way: To accept our tradition in a manner that we have no need to continually plumb more deeply the tradition that we have received. To believe that there is no need to make our tradition accessible to people of today who live in a very different time and culture.
The second way: To accept that only the knowledge and values we have today are worthwhile. To believe that we can start our religion from scratch, and that there are no boundaries or limits that earlier tradition can teach us.
It is my opinion that when we live in either of these two perspectives, we will only talk past each other and probably will not love each other. Also, I believe that either of these two ways keeps us from getting closer to the truth.
What does the Genesis story and science teach us?
Science teaches us that there was a Big Bang. Religion tells us why there was a Big Bang. Science can’t tell us why. Religion can’t tell us how.
Science tells about a universe that is too distant or too small for us to see. Religion tells us that the universe is good.
Science tells us about physical reality. Religion gives us reason to hope . . . that there is meaning and purpose to life.
Theologians as theologians are poor scientists. Scientists as scientists are poor theologians. Both science and theology enrich our lives. I’m glad that we don’t have to choose.
Smile, God Loves You,
Father Clay
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