Society, Religion and Technology (SRT) Project[Full Article] All you need is love May 1970: Having assured us that “All you need is love”, The Beatles were in the process of an acrimonious break- up. England were still holders of the football World Cup and a general election would soon replace a Labour government with a Conservative one. The north tower of the World Trade Center and the New English Bible were both nearing completion. The abortive Apollo 13 mission had been brought safely back to earth, the first commercial “Jumbo jet” flights had recently taken place and Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, designed to limit the spread of nuclear weapons, had just come into effect. The Church of Scotland had almost 1.2 million members served by nearly 2,000 ministers. All in all, the world was a very different place in 1970 to what it is now. Many things which we now take almost for granted- mobile phones, the internet, heart transplants, “test tube babies”- either
didn’t exist or were in very early stages of development. Science and technology have had enormous impacts on all aspects of human life, in many cases changing the way we think of ourselves and society. Most of these impacts have been positive; some have had unforeseen consequences. Many have raised ethical and moral questions as to how and where technology can and should be applied to benefit the largest number of people. What is human cloning? Should Christians be worried about climate change? Is genetically modified food a good or a bad thing? Are Christianity and science really in conflict? What is the ethical status of the human embryo? What on earth is “synthetic biology”, and does the church have anything to say about it? New beginnings The Society, Religion and Technology (SRT) Project was initiated by the Church of Scotland on May 1st 1970, to help
the church to engage constructively with the scientific community in Scotland and beyond. Thus, for 40 years, the SRT Project has been involved in informed debate with many interested parties: government, regulators, industry, scientists, the church, the general public. The variety of publications which have resulted from the work of the SRT Project stand as eloquent testimony to the dedicated work of many people over the years, and many individuals have been stimulated to think- and to act- through the work of the project. A short book, “Technology at the Crossroads”, looking at the first 25 years of the SRT, was published by Rev Ron Ferguson in 1995. The origins of the SRT project can perhaps be traced back to 1968, to a conference organised by the then Church in Industry Committee of the Church of Scotland Home Board at the University of Strathclyde. At this conference a keynote address was given by W S Robertson, then
Vice-President of the Scottish Council (Development and Industry) which proved to be a critically important launching pad for the initial thinking behind the SRT Project. Within the Church of Scotland, Rev Dr Horace Walker, then Secretary of the Home Board, and Rev George Wilkie, organiser of the Church and Industry Committee, persuaded the wider church that engagement with the technological; revolution was an essential step into the future. Following a deliverance from the Home Board at the 1969 General Assembly, in the autumn of 1969 an advertisement appeared in the popular weekly scientific magazine New Scientist seeking a director for an innovative project on ‘Technology & Religion’ to be sponsored by the Church of Scotland Home Board. It was a remarkable initiative by the Church of Scotland that broke new ground by creating the first project within a church or religious community solely dedicated to an
understanding of science, technology and engineering and the need to develop codes of ethics and social responsibility in associated areas of public policy. Dr John Francis, a nuclear physicist, became the first SRT director and took up the post on 1st May 1970; he has been followed in this position by a number of people from varied backgrounds: | Dr Colin Pritchard, chemical engineer: | 1975-1978 | | Dr Iain Macdonald, agriculturalist: | 1978-1982 | | Dr Howard Davis, social scientist: | 1982-1985 | | Dr David Pullinger, information technologist: | 1986-1992 | | Dr Donald Bruce, chemist: | 1992-2007 | | Dr Murdo Macdonald, molecular biologist: | 2008-present |
Although the initial commitment was only to provide the resources required for the project for 3 years, the Church of Scotland is to be congratulated in not having wavered in its commitment to the Project over the subsequent 40 years. It is to the very great credit of those within the church, who over the years have taken on the responsibility for funding the SRT Project, that it continues to work along the lines of the original proposal in an interdisciplinary way to such good and lasting effect. The church has something to say… Many might argue that the church should stick to what it knows, and not interfere with issues which lie outwith its remit. Prof Richard Dawkins, who was formerly Professor for Public Understanding of Science at Oxford University, for example, considers faith to be “a kind of mental illness”, one of the “world’s great evils, comparable to
smallpox virus but harder to eradicate”. Not much room for accommodation between science and faith there, then. Yet the church in Scotland (and throughout the world) comprises many people with professional expertise relevant to all kinds of areas- including areas of science and technology which may be considered controversial. The SRT seeks to assist the church in being faithful to Jesus’ call to his followers to be “salt and light” in the world. As the national Church, the Church of Scotland can call on a wide range of expertise and experience from within the “ranks” of the Church, both lay and ordained. To harness even a fraction of this strength in depth, and to apply the resulting wisdom, continues to be of great benefit to all. Honest disagreement It is also true that, within the Church, there exists a variety of views on almost
any subject. As the SRT project often looks at areas which are by definition controversial, this could be seen as a potential weakness. However, the ability to honestly engage in dialogue with those who don’t necessarily agree is one of the strengths of scientific investigation. While this may not result in the “black and white” answers that many seek, faithful honesty before each other is healthy and useful; progress on breaking down prejudice and misinformation (the false “science versus faith” dichotomy, for example) is contingent upon informed debate and discussion. Dialogue with the scientific community demands that we maintain integrity and respect, while engaging in constructive debate: finger pointing and name calling from behind barricades wins few friends for the cause of the church. Salt and Light Through its 40 years, the SRT has tackled many different areas: from nuclear power
to stem cells, economics to agriculture. Through careful and considered deliberation, much of the output from the SRT project has been through published reports; many conferences have also been organised, and more recently blogs have been initiated. The responsibility, and the concern, of the many people who have been involved in the project has been to understand what matters to God and to people, and to determine how best to positively impact society. 2010: 40 years of SRT The prescience of the Church of Scotland in establishing the SRT project all these years ago has been widely applauded. While not wishing to rest on our laurels, it is sometimes good to look back and to celebrate the achievements of the past. However, a number of issues remain on the horizon, for future consideration. A degree of “futurology” may be required in identifying what will be the specific subjects which will be important in
the years to come, but as the SRT project looks towards its 40th anniversary, it is clear that much work remains to be done, much wisdom and prayer are still required. Dr Murdo Macdonald, SRT Policy Officer A short booklet, outlining some of the history of the SRT project, has been produced and will be launched at the General Assembly (Tuesday 25th May, 12.30pm in New College Foyer). This can also be downloaded from the Church and Society pages of the Church of Scotland website.Back to Top |
