(Photo: Robert A. Millikan, Fr Georges Lemaitre SJ [the astrophysicist whose calculations and demonstrations both developed, and convinced the academic world of the truth of, the Big Bang theory] and Albert Einstein at California Institute of Technology, January 1933)
In the November issue of the Catholic Herald, Dominican friar Robert Verrill wisely points out that: “Science and religion need not be opposed if we read Scripture sensibly.” In his “Dismissing Darwin’s bulldog” article, Father Robert concludes by pointing out that St Augustine was highly critical of Christians who made evidently false claims about the nature of the earth and the heavens based on misinterpreting scripture. “If we follow the advice of St Augustine,” he says, “then we can do our part in eradicating the myth that science and religion are in conflict with one another.”
One such person who has taken this principle to heart is Elizabeth Peck, an Oxford-educated and highly experienced Catholic RE teacher living in the diocese of East Anglia. Her book, God is Not a Man in the Sky, shows that the story of salvation and the story of science are not opposed. The book addresses, through an illustrated narrative of salvation, history from “before” the “Big Bang” to Christ’s Resurrection and 13 damaging misconceptions about the Catholic faith, including the myth that science and religion are in conflict.
Peck found that much of her experience of an anti-religious bias among her adolescent students was down to these firmly fixed misconceptions. “The catalyst for actually creating the book,” she says, “was being pregnant with my daughter. I remember thinking, before she was born, that I wanted a book to help her learn the faith in combination with scientific truth, so that this major misconception would never have a chance of forming for her.”
It took Peck over six years to put her project together and her daughter was very much part of that developmental process. “In general, we talk a lot about God and theological and philosophical ideas at home, [so] by the time she read the final book, there wasn’t a huge amount in there that was new to her.”
One of the unique aspects of the book is the quality of the artwork which many people have commented on and which is particularly appealing. Peck and her daughter spent a long time looking at each page while reading it together. “Over time, we have revisited the book together of course, but she has also enjoyed reading it independently a few times.”
One of the things she hoped for, and has found to be true in reading the book with her daughter, is that while it does work as a narrative that can be read from beginning to end – which takes about 20 minutes – it also lends itself to a more meditative reading. There is so much to talk about on each page, not least all the ideas covered in the companion guide that comes with the book to help parents, and so much to find in the artwork, that reading the book over a period of time, such as one or two pages each night at bedtime, is a wonderful way to enjoy and discuss the story of salvation history, which the book narrates.
Peck feels that once a child becomes very familiar with the book and has grasped the explanations an adult can give by reading it together, then eventually by the time they’re in their teens, children can try and read the companion guide independently.
The writing is underpinned by the belief that children are not only able to comprehend profound and beautiful ideas, but that they have a hunger for them.
This reminded me of a profoundly important insight shared by renowned educationalist Mary Myatt at the inaugural annual conference of the Association of Teachers of Catholic Religious Education in February 2020. She said that children of all backgrounds and abilities have “entitlement” to deep and challenging knowledge, and that must be accompanied with careful selection of resources that are beautiful, uplifting and celebrate the power of “story”.
A solid religious education curriculum, especially in a Catholic school, lends itself to such high ideals. One of the phrases Mary used was this idea of presenting tough, demanding and complicated words to children, even young children which, though challenging, can instil new confidence and hope for greater achievement in their ability as learners. She calls this giving them an “intellectual passport”. God is Not a Man in the Sky is definitely such a “passport”. This is echoed by Peck, who says: “It’s been really wonderful to see how the text can work as I’d hoped – it encourages the reader – whether the child or the adult – to delve into the ideas on deeper and deeper levels.”
One commendation for the book comes from Fr Nicholas King SJ, the acclaimed scholar in Biblical studies, who states: “The Church has always been in the forefront of scientific achievement. This is a marvellous book, admirably directed at quite young children, with a really intelligent commentary.”
The myth-busting work of enabling people, especially non-believers, to appreciate that there is no anti-science strain in Catholic theology nor anti-religion bias among all scientists is a constant challenge.
Thankfully there are some excellent resources available now for educators to respond to this challenge. I recommend the following websites especially: The Society of Catholic Scientists – their “Common Questions” section is invaluable.
The Church and Science Facebook page is a great resource and worth following on Twitter via @ChurchNScience. Then there are the Catholic Knowledge Network posters, produced by Fr Andrew Pinsent, research director of the Ian Ramsey Centre for Science and Religion at Oxford University, and the Catholic Truth Society. Finally there is Science meets Faith which is also on Twitter as @SciMeetsFaith.
These are just a few of the good examples out there on what Pope Benedict XVI once called “the digital continent”. If, as the Jesuit scholar Nicholas King points out in his appreciation for Elizabeth Peck’s work, we really care about “this extraordinary ‘disconnect’ in our society between science and religion”, then it is up to us as parents and teachers to find new and creative ways of addressing that disconnect.
Edmund Adamus is an education consultant
Useful links
The Society of Catholic Scientists: catholicscientists.org/common-questions
Church and Science: facebook.com/CatholicsandScience
The Catholic Knowledge Network posters are available from ctsbooks.org
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