Background

Baconian Society
The Baconian Society was established August 2002 with the aid of a Local Societies Initiatives Grant from the Metanexus Institute. Three year grants are provided through the Local Societies Initiative to encourage dialogue between science and religion. The Baconian is named for Francis Bacon (1561-1626).

Host Organization
The Hammons Center for Scientific Studies of Union University was formed to show, by example, how science and Christianity are not only compatible, but also synergistic. Science at Union University is seen from a Christian vantage point. The Center operates with the presupposition that science as observed truth need not conflict with revealed truth and that science is impossible apart from the recognition that God has created an orderly universe. Accordingly, the Center strives to provide a fertile environment for the exploration of the nature of the universe, in order to afford a greater appreciation of the complexity and glory of God’s creation. The Center seeks to accomplish this by the encouragement of excellence in research and publication by our faculty and by sponsorship of conferences, lectures by outstanding scholars, and community outreach programs.

Why a Society?
By establishing a Society, rather than merely a series of programs, we hope to create a sense of ownership and belonging for those in the scientific and theological communities of West Tennessee. In a world in which interdisciplinary relationships can no longer be ignored, the Society will create a forum for the exchange of ideas about the implications of science and faith for all the disciplines of the academy as well as the various spheres of life. Membership in the Society will be open to faculty of all disciplines, students, members of other colleges, and the general public.

The scientific method has had a profound impact on how the disciplines outside the sciences carry on their research. Not only the social sciences, but also the humanities and the professions have borrowed heavily from the scientific method. This borrowing has taken place without necessarily exploring the philosophical assumptions that go along with this highly successful approach to knowledge.

Scientific research moves forward through the suspension of transcendent values or commitments that might inhibit new discovery. While the absence of these values may seem appropriate for the advance of science, is their absence appropriate for all disciplines and spheres of life? Does ethics have a place in modern society, and if so, what might provide a basis for ethical judgments? While the scientific method makes no provision for ethical considerations, is there a place for ethical considerations in the use of the scientific method, and on what basis could those considerations be brought to bear? By a Society approach, we hope to raise questions that a discipline does not normally ask of itself.

Programs of the Society
The Society will accomplish its objective through a variety of programs designed to stimulate reflection among students and faculty of Union University, faculty of other colleges and universities, and the broader West Tennessee scientific and religious communities.

Bi-monthly Meetings
The Society will hold bi-monthly meetings during the regular semesters of the academic year. These meetings will feature a formal presentation by a member of the Union faculty or an invited guest. When the presentation is made by a theologian, a scientist will respond. When the presentation is made by a scientist, a theologian will respond. The formal presentation will be followed by a period of open discussion. Though the formal presentations will be related to specific issues of science and religion, the discussions may explore on-going issues; such as, the impact of scientific discoveries on theological thinking, philosophical underpinnings of science and theology, the place of values in scientific research, ethical implications of technology, misunderstandings in science and religion, and values in conflict in science and industry. The program committee will have equal representation of scientists and theologians in order to maintain our “commitment to a balanced and exploratory exchange between religious and scientific views.”

Programs for Community Groups
As a feature of the broader public outreach of the Society, members will present programs for local schools and civic groups. We will build upon initiatives that Union faculty have already taken with respect to programs for local elementary and middle schools and for the Rotary Club. In order to facilitate the outreach, the Society will develop a speaker’s bureau which will also be available to comment on matters of current interest for the local newspapers and TV news broadcasts.

Major Conference
The Society will sponsor a major conference every other year. The first conference will take place during fall semester 2002 with the theme "What Does It Mean to Be Human?" The conference will include several major international speakers and several faculty from Union. The theme will be developed from scientific and theological perspectives in dialogue with other disciplines that have a stake in the question. We believe that conversation with other disciplines will provide insights to the question that will enrich both the theological and scientific understandings.

Examples of the kinds of topics that may be explored include:

The Chemistry of Life – Chemistry
The Human Genome – Biology
It Is not Good for Man to Be Alone – Sociology
The Political Animal – Political Science
Let’s Make a Deal – Economics
The Rational Animal – Philosophy
Telling Our Own Story – History
Why Tell Stories? – Literature
Killing Our Own Kind – Ethics
Caring for the Weak – Social Work
Beyond Our Physical Awareness – Theology
Singing New Songs – Music
Creating Beauty – Art

These topics suggest the rich material available to stimulate thought that will force the conversation on science and religion outside its usual “track.” We expect to publish the papers presented at the conference as an edited book. Union has been quite successful in recent years with the publication of books that have come from our conferences. These books include The Future of Christian Higher Education (Broadman & Holman, 1999), Christians & Politics Beyond the Culture Wars (Baker Books, 2000), and Shaping a Christian Worldview (Broadman & Holman, 2002).

Fellows of the Society
In addition to membership status, the Society will honor individuals who make a significant contribution to the science-faith dialogue by naming them Fellows of the Society. This honor may be conferred on significant guest lecturers. We would also hope eventually to establish a visiting scholars program that would allow people in the professions (law, medicine, journalism, ministry) to visit Union and study with faculty for short periods. Those invited to participate in this program would be named Fellows of the Society.