The Faith and Science Podcast

The readings for this week are 2 Samuel 6:1-5, 12b-19 and Psalm 24, or Amos 7:7-15 and Psalm 85:8-13, with Ephesians 1:3-14, and Mark 6:14-29.  This week we look at how paleontology got off to a weird start as a scientific field due to Othniel Charles Marsh and Edward Drinker Cope and how their jealousy for each other impacted the whole field.  It is easy to see how we as humans all do this and ho...

The readings for this week are 2 Samuel 5:1-5, 9-10 and Psalm 48, or Ezekiel 2:1-5 and Psalm 123,  with 2 Corinthians 12:2-10, and Mark 6:1-13.  This week we look at the reintroduction of wolves into Colorado.  There is a lot of hope on how it could be beneficial to the environment long term, there are some current challenges of having them reenter the former lands; free range cattle.  Figuring ou...

The readings for this week are 2 Samuel 1:1, 17-27 with Psalm 130, or Wisdom of Solomon 1:13-15, 2:23-24 or Lamentations 3:22-33 with Psalm 30, 2 Corinthians 8:7-15, and Mark 5:21-43.  This week we look at what happens to an environment when it is given the opportunity to heal.  The process of renewing an area takes a lot of time and observation/awareness, but it is able to give in abundance.  Are...

After advertising and talking about it for months, I was able to attend Gustavus' Academy of Faith, Science, and Ethics for 2024 again this year.  I had an amazing time interacting with this amazing group of young adults and hearing how they see Faith and Science working together and also the questions they have.  It was also fun to listen and think about sleep and how it affects us.  I believe li...

The readings for this week are 1 Samuel 17:(1a, 4-11, 19-23), 32-49 and Psalm 9:9-20 or 1 Samuel 17:57-18:5, 18:10-16 and Psalm 133, or Job 38:1-11 and Psalm 107:1-3, 23-32, with 2 Corinthians 6:1-13, and Mark 4:35-41.  This week we look at wolf hunting practices.  From this we are able to learn from the animals they hunt on what it means to be resilient and also learn to work together with the "h...

 The readings for this week are 1 Samuel 15:34 - 16:13, with Psalm 20, or Ezekiel 17:22-24 with Psalm 92:1-4, 12-15, 2 Corinthians 5:6-10, (11-13), 14-17, and Mark 4:26-34.  This week we look at decomposers and their vital needs within our world.  The role they have of adding nutrition to the soil to help maintain life that we need but these amazing organisms often get overlooked.  We would be com...

The readings for this week are 1 Samuel 8:4-11, (12-15), 16-20, (11:14-15) and Psalm 138, or  Genesis 3:8-15 and Psalm 130,  2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1, and Mark 3:20-35.  This week we discuss how humans struggle to think long term.  We are here and now people and at times this leads to us falling into traps we otherwise wouldn't.  We see that we have a God who challenges us to go beyond our short ter...

The readings for this week are 1 Samuel 3:1-10 (11-20) with Psalm 139:1-6, 13-18, or Deuteronomy 5:12-15 with Psalm 81:1-10, 2 Corinthians 4:5-12, and Mark 2:23-3:6.  This week we discuss how Jesus caused the Pharisees to challenge their understanding of Sabbath.  We in the same way need to be able to challenge our understanding of what is normal.  We are seeing microplastics affecting the earth a...

The readings for this week are Isaiah 6:1-8, Psalm 29, Romans 8:12-17, and John 3:1-17.  This week we discuss like our triune God we all have many sides of us and have to be okay with showing them some.  We focus in on Roald Dahl who is most known for his writing of books but yet has made significant contributions to science that we all are still benefiting from. We have to make sure that we don't...

The readings for this week are Acts 2:1-21, Ezekiel 37:1-14, Psalm 104:24-34, 35b, Romans 8:22-27, and John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15.  This week we discuss how ecological succession seems to be quite similar to the coming of the Holy Spirit.  In order for the Advocate to come, there had to be some painful events that concluded with Jesus' assentation and leaving us.  In order for us to get the full gift...

The readings for this week are either Acts 1:1-11, Psalm 47 or Psalm 93, Ephesians 1:15-23, and Luke 24:44-53 for the Ascension of Our Lord or Acts 1:15-17, 21-26, Psalm 1, 1 John 5:9-13, and John 17:6-19 for the 7th Sunday of Easter.  This week we discuss Iterative evolution, which is when a species redevelops a trait independently at different points of time, and how that needs to be looked at w...

The readings for this week are Acts 10:44-48, Psalm 98, 1 John 5:1-6, and John 15:9-17.  This week we discuss mutualistic relationships, relationships where both benefit, are quite common in nature and are essential to life here on earth.  When we are called to love one another could that also mean things that are beyond the human experience?  Personally, I think it is a vital part to our connecti...

The readings for this week are Acts 8:26-40, Psalm 22:25-31, 1 John 4:7-21, and John 15:1-8.  This week we discuss the reason that we prune plants.  When Jesus is comparing ourselves to pruning we must first understand the reason for it, which there are multiple, and then figure out where in ourselves do we need to keep pruning.  The growth that God is wanting means that we need to be comfortable...

The readings for this week are Acts 4:5-12, Psalm 23, 1 John 3:16-24, and John 10:11-18.  This week we look at how we could expand our understanding of hearing and understanding the voice of God.  It is quite easy for us to ignore the nonhuman part of God's creation and think that God doesn't speak there, but most of us would also say it's something we appreciate and use to reset and isn't that a...

The readings for this week are Acts 3:12-19, Psalm 4, 1 John 3:1-7, and Luke 24:36b-48.  This week we look at Albert Einstein pushing himself to think beyond where people had thought before with his Theory of General Relativity.  He then had to wait to see the result from the next total solar eclipse and had to even have other scientists run the experiment due to world conflicts wrapping up.  Jesu...

The readings for this week are Acts 4:32-35, Psalm 133, 1 John 1:1-2:2, and John 20:19-31.  This week we look at animal extinction and when do we really know that an animal is gone?  What evidence is needed to change our minds about this?  This is quite similar to what the disciples went through but especially Thomas.  Thomas does us a favor by showing us it is okay to question and to be human and...

The readings for the week for Easter Vigil are Genesis 1:1-2:4a and Psalm 136:1-9, 23-26, Genesis 7:1-5, 11-18; 8:6-18; 9:8-13 and Psalm 46, Genesis 22:1-18 and Psalm 16, Exodus 14:10-31; 15:20-21 and Exodus 15:1b-13, 17-18, Isaiah 55:1-11 and Isaiah 12:2-6, Baruch 3:9-15, 3:32-4:4 or Proverbs 8:1-8, 19-21; 9:4b-6 and Psalm 19, Ezekiel 36:24-28 and Psalm 42, 43, Ezekiel 37:1-14 and Psalm 143, Zeph...

The readings for the week for Palm Sunday are Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29 and Mark 11:1-11 or John 12:12-16.  The readings for the Sunday of the Passion are Isaiah 50:4-9a, Psalm 31:9-16, Philippians 2:5-11, and Mark 14:1-15:47 or Mark 15:1-39, (40-47).  This week we look at pathological science and how our human experience has sometimes gotten caught up in the results that we overlook possible mistakes...

The readings for the week are Jeremiah 31:31-34, either Psalm 51:1-12 or Psalm 119:9-16, Hebrews 5:5-10, and John 12:20-33.  This week we look at the biology of seeds and how they work.  From this understanding, we are better able to understand what Jesus is saying in John 12:24 about the grain seed that must die, as Jesus prepares for his death and the future thereafter. Thanks again for taking t...

The readings for the week are Numbers 21:4-9, Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22, Ephesians 2:1-10, and John 3:14-21.  This week we look at how Jesus was a catalyst for transforming our relationship with God. Like how Nicodemus didn't fully understand how Jesus was laying out his whole ministry, we sometimes miss what God is trying to do for us as well.  This often happens when we see God has bridged the gap of...

The readings for the week are Exodus 20:1-17, Psalm 19, 1 Corinthians 1:18-25, and John 2:13-22.  This week we look at how sometimes science misses the target too.  We have to make sure that the new thing is actually doing what it is advertised to do, and be better for us, in both the short and long term.  This is something that can easily be overlooked for convenience or profits inside of making...

The readings for the week are Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16, Psalm 22:23-31, Romans 4:13-25, and either Mark 8:31-38 or Mark 9:2-9.  This week we look at how we can get stuck in our ideas and hurt where God is trying to take us.  We need to be willing and able to hear new ideas and willing to adapt ours so that we can continue to grow. Thanks again for taking the time out to listen to this and I hope this...

The readings for the week are Genesis 9:8-17, Psalm 25:1-10, 1 Peter 3:18-22, and Mark 1:9-15.  This week we look at how timing is important to God in Jesus' ministry but also how it is baked into our world as well.  Are we willing to acknowledge it as well?  Thanks again for taking the time out to listen to this and I hope this is a tool that you find useful. Remember to answer this week's questi...

The readings for the week are 2 Kings 2:1-12, Psalm 50:1-6, 2 Corinthians 4:3-6, and Mark 9:2-9.  This week we look at something seen as waste material, such as an orange peel or coffee grounds, which can produce so much more than we expect.  Jesus gives a taste of what is coming and shows there is so much more there than we understand of what Jesus is doing and shows it to us in 7 weeks.  Thanks...

The readings for the week are Isaiah 40:21-31, Psalm 147:1-11, 20c, 1 Corinthians 9:16-23, and Mark 1:29-39.  This week we look at Boston Dynamics, Spot is allowing us to explore places here on earth that were very difficult previously.  When we look at what Jesus does in the end of Mark Chapter 1, we see a similar challenge of challenging his disciples to not get overly comfortable and to keep mo...