Wednesday, May 28, 2008 - 2:00 PM
449

Faith-based natural resource management? Notes on science education opportunities in communities of faith

Geoffrey C. Poole, Dept. of Land Resources and Environmental Sciences, Montana State University, 819 Leon Johnson Hall, P.O. Box 173120, Bozeman, MT 59717

In his book "The Creation," Edward O. Wilson challenges scientific and faith communities to work together to save Earth's vanishing biodiversity.  Such an alliance requires actions by individual scientists and parishioners alike.  The “Green Guild” of St. Bartholomew's Episcopal Church, Atlanta, promotes environmental awareness and operational changes within the parish and across denominations.  As a member, I interact with a community of remarkable people motivated to make personal changes to promote conservation, yet starved for accurate, relevant scientific information.  My rather secular world view has not impeded effective science education.  However, my efforts required me to admit and address my own negative biases regarding religious organizations – biases that seem prevalent among scientists.  Faith communities can be ideal venues for science education.  Within the comfort of their churches, parishioners can be extremely receptive to new scientific information relevant to ecological stewardship.  Effective science education activities can be informal (e.g., group discussions) or formal (e.g., parish participation in "Focus the Nation," a nationwide effort for climate change education; focusthenation.org).  Parishioners are well-networked locally and nationally.  Thus, outcomes from guild activities have diffused rapidly; upward to the Episcopal Dioceses of Atlanta, and even nationally, including a feature aired by "The Weather Channel."


Web Page: science education, outreach, faith communities