God and Modern Biology: Educational Enrichment in Science and Religion for Catholic Parish Leaders

The project will create a community of Catholic priests, administrators, parish leaders and Fairfield University faculty to engage in active scholarship and discussion on key issues in science and religion that directly impact the lives of parishioners. A five day summer conference followed by monthly group meetings will be used to establish a base of knowledge and engagement in science and religion. The specific focus of the conference will be on the topics of modern cosmology and the origins of life, evolution, and biotechnology. The primary purpose of the conference and monthly sessions will be to update and enhance the scientific training of our parish participants so they can take new knowledge back to the parishes that will then be used to enrich the lives of parishioners through the various ministries that they themselves oversee. These ministries may include youth group, adult education, CCD, and other religious formation programs as well as book clubs, discussion groups, or informal gatherings that have the goal of fostering spiritual growth and enrichment. The work will also provide a new vehicle for outreach between Fairfield University and the many Catholic parishes of the Diocese of Bridgeport. It is hoped that this can serve as a model for University-Diocesan cooperation and enhancement in other localities. An intended outcome is the production of a series of published educational guides and materials that can be used to disseminate the program to Catholic Dioceses nationwide.