Science and The God Question: Engaging Scottish Churches Together

Based in Scotland, this project is designed to test the thesis that an interdenominational group of church leaders, academics and laity - well supported, informed and motivated- can strategically, robustly and effectively engage with their wider culture in a way that can ultimately transform public understanding of issues related to science and God. The motivating, training and mobilising of a large cohort of Christian laity is crucial to the process. Making central use of a range of existing professionally produced multimedia resources - including our international broadcast TV series, The God Question - the project brings together scientists, theologians, philosophers, educationists, journalists and TV producers. The aims are, firstly, to equip the whole church though ecumenically based cooperation and training to become more articulate and confident in matters of science and religion and, secondly, to promote scientifically and theologically informed public discourse across the culture. The project incorporates and builds upon the resources and experience of the Gregory Lectures and Scientists in Congregations in Scotland as well as related academic initiatives in two Scottish universities and one English university. The means of public engagement- including in schools and universities - are diverse, tailored to specific audiences and designed to attract interest that ranges across the age spectrum from teenagers to academics. The initiative has a bold and ambitious vision: to invite the nation to explore ways in which the contemporary sciences are complementary to- and can be integrated with- a theistic worldview. The project's foundations are already in place; the portents are good and the potential for national – and international - benefit to accrue have become evident.