City of Brotherly Love, the Greek derivation of Philadelphia's name, seemed wonderfully appropriate to representatives from Local Societies Initiative (LSI) who met there earlier this summer. LSI, an interdisciplinary and inter-faith project of the Metanexus Institute, convened members from Indonesia, Russia, Uganda and a dozen other nations. Most of these individuals hadn't met before, but a colorful display of the videotapes, journals and books that have already flowered from their grass roots efforts offered vivid proof of a rapidly growing rapport between scientific and spiritual points of view in communities across the globe.

Remarkable as this expression of unity seemed, it was more startling still to see three delegates - from Italy, Armenia and Australia — all animatedly discussing the impact of economics on religion. Eavesdropping with a smile, Eric Weislogel, Ph.D., Director of the Local Societies Initiative, was particularly pleased.

"There was a kind of starry-eyed element to it. Looking at them talking, you could just see they were thinking, 'Wow! I thought I was the only one who thought that,'" Weislogel recalled. "I knew each society was already humming along out there alone, but it was the networking aspect which suddenly seemed unbelievably important to me. It felt like I was seeing the birth of something."

There are currently 57 LSI programs in 17 countries around the world, all of which meet regularly. Some are church groups or civic organizations, while others are comprised of academics at major universities. In all cases, the groups attempt to bring together disparate viewpoints, whether it's that of physicists, biologists, deists or atheists. All the major faith traditions are represented, as are Native American religions and secular humanists.

The Metanexus Institute gives each LSI a special grant, which amounts to $15,000 over three years. These monies are used to pay for travel costs, speakers' honoraria and the publication of papers. All participants must obtain matching funds to get this financial assistance, so "they really have to work hard, which means they really want to meet," noted William Grassie, Executive Director of the Metanexus Institute.

"People have a hunger for knowledge of ultimate things, and science and spirituality are the two main paths they traverse in trying to get it," said Weislogel. "The world's cultural education is impoverished if scientists and theologians aren't encouraged to talk." A brief look at three Local Societies Initiatives shows how science and spirituality are now conversing in a variety of ways about the future of humanity at this uniquely perilous moment in the planet's natural history.

Dennis Ormseth, Ph.D., is Pastor of the Lutheran Church of the Reformation in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. Once a month, in the church parish hall, Ormseth oversees a gathering of The North Central Program of Science and Theology, which draws its 30 members mostly from five area schools: Luther Seminary, Bethel Seminary, United Seminary, The Divinity School of St. Thomas University and St. John's University. "Some of our members are very concerned to hold out for the integrity of religion, irrespective of how it resonates with science. Others seem willing to reformulate the religious tradition in rather radical ways to make it conform to contemporary understanding of science," Ormseth said. "There are also skeptics and agnostics in our midst who keep the whole group honest," he added with a chuckle.

Over the group's dozen years of existence, they've discussed topics ranging from cosmology to cloning. Ormseth readily admits it's been far easier to get theologians than scientists to attend meetings, however. The Templeton grant will enable the group to pay honoraria to scientific experts who will address them at an upcoming conference, entitled "The Biology of Ethics and the Ethics of Biology."

"Faith traditions claim their belief systems are good for the human community both in terms of quality and sustainability of life," Ormseth remarked. "The interesting question to ask, though, is do moral systems adapt to their natural environment?"

Founded in February 2001, Forum Boundary Questions, which meets at the Akademie der Diozese Rottenburg-Stuttgart in Germany, considers fundamental questions that arise from the "boundary area" of the natural sciences and theology. Heinz-Hermann Peitz, Ph.D., oversees a network of nearly 20 scientists, academics, theologians and philosophers who meet twice a year for two-day meetings, and then present their findings to the public through conferences, symposia, and articles.

"We let the philosophers begin the debate, then we invite scientists and theologians to add their concepts to see if it is possible to form a bridge," said Peitz.

Recent discussions have centered on exploring the meaning of "information," as when we speak of "information technology" or the "information society." In considering these issues, a juxtaposition of different disciplines is terribly important, Peitz believes. "I am a theologian, yet I learn to be more humble from the physicists." Heated discussions are not only to be expected, but should be actively encouraged, he feels. "Sometimes people put forth a point of view very persuasively. Argument can be convincing."

The overnight aspect of these Forum Boundary meetings allows time for a relaxed conviviality, which may be the key to their success. "People go out to dinner, they have a glass of wine, and the discussion can then continue in a friendlier, more informal way," he said. "This is, often enough, when breakthroughs occur."

Father Augustine Pamplany takes an altogether different approach at the Institute of Science and Religion, which meets at the Little Flower Seminary in Aluva, a town in southern India.

"Science and technology are not as radically separated here, as they are in the West," suggested Pamplany. "We have an holistic, intuitive approach that affects our science. We value a proximate intimacy between student and professor, for instance. First, I must learn about my student. Only then, may I teach him or her mathematics."

Pamplany is especially appreciative of the Metanexus Institute funding now, at a time when ancient traditions of Indian wisdom - be it the Ayurvedic, a natural approach to medicine, or the transformative power of Yoga - are not only being discovered around the world, but rediscovered within India. Building on this momentum, one of the Institute's major activities is translating books related to the science-faith dialogue into local dialects such as Malayalam. Perhaps their most significant contribution to date is the publication of Omega, the Indian Journal of Science and Religion, which Pamplany says is the first of its kind in India.

Such an expansion beyond the academy and into communities is very much a mandate for the Local Societies Initiative. "We hope this isn't something just limited to intellectuals, but that regular folks will become more sophisticated in their thinking about science and spirituality," said Weislogel. "These LSI meetings should be open to anyone who gets interested in a serious way. It's not a question of complicated equations, but of talking heart to heart."

William Grassie agrees.

"When you think of how structures of society change - as in the women's movement or in the raising of environmental consciousness - the movement is not from the top down, but from the bottom up," he said. "The people who are getting most involved in the Local Societies Initiative have a sense of mission. They are not just scholars and researchers; they are activists!"

Local Societies Initiative, a project of the Metanexus Institute with special funding from the John Templeton Foundation, welcomes applications from a wide spectrum of interested parties worldwide. For more information, visit www.metanexus.net/local_societies

Stephen Henderson, a writer based in New York City, contributes frequently to the New York Times, The Baltimore Sun, Town & Country, and Religion News Service, as well as other publications.