A Place to Belong

Earlier this month, BioLogos launched our “Science is Good” campaign with the Open Letter and invited people to send us stories of how science has benefited their lives. We are excited to share some of these stories with you!

That opening quote is from the first email I opened. Janel described generations of relatives facing mental health challenges – from a time when lobotomies were standard care for such afflictions to today, when effective medications and therapies allow her children and grandchildren to thrive.

Many other notes we received testified to the good that science is doing in the world, often in deeply personal ways. We heard from parents, doctors, and ministry leaders about how science has helped them care for others. Matthew, a pediatrician, lamented recent funding cuts to medical research and invited anyone doubting the importance of science to “spend time in a local children’s hospital”. He told us about a young patient whose life will be saved by a kidney transplant – something he said would have been “impossible without decades of exhaustive medical research and thousands of dedicated people” working in science. 

We also heard from Christina, who is developing a nonprofit to use agriculture and nutrition science to feed the hungry in Jesus’ name, and from Helen, a Nigerian doctor who works to prevent women from acquiring HIV. Story after story affirmed what we firmly believe: when guided by wisdom and compassion, science is one of God’s gifts to help us love our neighbors and care for the “least of these.”

It didn’t surprise me that we heard from people who are using science for good. What did surprise me is that so many of these letters were also brimming with gratitude and even relief. Like the one from Emily, an epidemiologist, who wrote, “It’s such a hard time to be in science and be a person of faith.” She was so encouraged to see our initiative that she immediately asked how she could partner with us. As I kept reading these emails, I felt the significance of the moment: we initiated this campaign with the intent of standing up for science, but as we did so, we found others standing there too. 

We initiated this campaign with the intent of standing up for science, but as we did so, we found others standing there too. 

Many of the emails and posts on our social media platforms were not necessarily from scientists, but from fellow Christians who just wanted us to know that they feel the same way. You told us you’ve felt caught between culture-war extremes – pressured to choose either a secular worldview that dismisses faith or a religious community suspicious of science. You wrote to say how grateful you are to find out you’re not the only one who loves both Jesus and biology, or astronomy, or medicine. Over and over, we heard some variation of: “I’ve been a Christian my whole life and a science-lover just as long. I thought I had no place in today’s polarized culture. I’m glad to know I’m not alone.” You’ve shown that this campaign isn’t just about making an intellectual case for science – it’s also about creating a community where Christians who value science feel at home.

Fred grew up in a family that celebrated both faith and science – his grandfather helped design the Saturn V rockets that sent Apollo astronauts to the Moon, and his parents were devout Christians. Even with that heritage, Fred shared that he later went through a period of doubting and deconstructing his faith. In that difficult season, resources from BioLogos were “part of what helped me keep elements of faith,” he wrote. Knowing that other believers embrace science helped him hold onto his own belief. Again and again, you let us know how grateful you are to have a place to belong when you’ve felt estranged by the current cultural narratives. BioLogos, you told us, has been that home for you – a place where you don’t have to hide your curiosity about God’s creation or your love for God’s Word. We’re honored to be that refuge.

There is a growing community of Christians who see science not as a threat to faith, but as a means of glorifying God and serving others.

Reading through these testimonies, I’m filled with hope for the future. There is a growing community of Christians who see science not as a threat to faith, but as a means of glorifying God and serving others. In a recent essay titled People Want to Belong, journalist Lauren Jackson observed that when people talk about faith, they’re often really talking about finding their place in a community. That rings true here. Our Science is Good campaign struck a chord because it wasn’t just about believing certain propositions; it was about belonging to a community that shares the conviction that studying God’s world is an act of worship. You – our readers, supporters, and friends – have shown that this longing to integrate faith and science runs deep.

As we move forward, we want to keep the conversation going and the community growing. You can help by taking one or more of these steps:

• Send your story of how science has enriched your life and faith at scienceisgood@biologos.org — perhaps we’ll make a regular practice of sharing them.
• Share our Open Letter to People of Faith about Science with a friend or family member who would benefit from this community.
• Sign up for the BioLogos email list, and follow us on social media so you can connect with others and stay encouraged.
• Donate to support this work – every bit helps us reach more people who need to hear that science is a gift from God. 

Thank you, truly, for standing with us. Your stories and support remind us why we embarked on this campaign in the first place. Together, let’s continue to show the world that Christian faith and science belong together. You are not alone, friends. You belong in this conversation, and we’re so grateful to have you with us on the journey.