Students for Science and Spirituality

Students for Science and Spirituality

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Student Christian Movement of India (affiliated with the World Student Christian Federation)
Bangalore, Karnataka

The goal of this society is to emphasize the newly emerging conversation between science and religion, raising ethical and theological questions in different areas of science that have affected Indian society’s collective experience both socially and economically. Included in the considerations are the new physics, Big Bang cosmology, genetics and biology, microelectronics, molecular biology, and hermeneutic dimensions of science and religion. The effort reaches out to student members, holds competitions, promotes reading groups, and holds monthly meetings and excursions to science centers and planetariums in six cities across the region. The society’s activities culminate each year in a national workshop to review members’ work and perspectives. Regularly published articles and news in the SCM monthly newsletter further the cohesion of the group. Group members also perform community outreach and host public meetings, inviting different sectors of the community to participate and provide new perspective to discussions. The SSS operates on the notion that “no one concerned with the future of the Church, or indeed of any religion, can avoid facing the impact of science on belief.” They contend that focusing mainly on environmental considerations and nuclear arms, while important, misses a “theological engagement with contemporary science and its critical work.” “The knowledge that science produces about reality,” they continue, “becomes data for the theologian to analyze, evaluate and incorporate…raising metaphysical and philosophical questions…making faith more meaningful and rich.” SSS calls together leaders and specialists from fields of mathematics, theology, botany, genetic engineering, neurology, ecumenism, and media communications with expertise in the growing science-faith movement in India.