Following the Path of Dialogue Between Science and Faith for Humanity
Monsignor Tomasz Trafny, Head of Science and Faith Department, Pontifical Council for Culture and General Secretary, Science and Faith (STOQ) Foundation Over the past year, there has been a worldwide focus on the COVID-19 pandemic and its fallout. Almost every aspect of our current existence has been profoundly impacted by the pandemic – from human health, the environment, and the global economy, to the inner workings of social and cultural life. Today’s interconnected way of life has both exacerbated the spread of COVID-19 and led to a global call for action that emphasized that we cannot succeed while working in a siloed, fragmented way. We must reconsider our approach and bring different stakeholders together. Scientific and religious communities have a critical role to play. Thoughtful collaboration between religious leaders and scientists can address societal problems, soothe individual suffering and simultaneously foster new perspectives. To some extent, this collaboration is already happening. Most religious communities have adopted security measures and safety protocols developed by scientists, governments and institutions. At the same time, health care workers, researchers and social workers on the front lines of the pandemic, have shown incredible empathy, compassion and solidarity in an attempt to save lives and offer relief. In doing so, they embody values central to countless religions around the world. The pandemic has shown that collaborative governance – a process where public and private stakeholders come together to achieve feats that would be impossible alone – is critical for modern societies to flourish . It is also essential to create and maintain a diverse and informed dialogue. This is especially true today, as the pandemic meets existing challenges like the spread of misinformation and increasing polarization online. Even a superficial look at the events of 2020 is enough to reveal that the pandemic has collided with a deluge of information. On one hand, instantaneous communication can keep the population informed and scientists updated on new developments. On the other, we’ve seen the spread of harmful misinformation, conspiracy theories and fear – a phenomenon the World Health Organization has termed “the infodemic.” Through our discussions, we sought to clarify how humanity can best move forward, instead of adding to the existing noise. Finally, our discussions prompted us to look inwards; to learn about ourselves and apply those lessons to society’s problems. We can begin by developing a better understanding of our biology and the challenges our bodies face: from issues of aging and sickness to biological performance and regenerative processes. We can build upon that by incorporating cultural dimensions of human life: culture, cuisine, music and religion. If we bring those two lines of inquiry together, we can better define what it means to be human. In ancient times, we might have considered this as a means of searching for the soul – an essential embodiment of human reason, choice, empathy and uniqueness.
Armed with this understanding, we are better able to face our present challenges, as well as the ones we already see on the horizon. Tools like CRISPR gene-editing technology, artificial intelligence and other means of human enhancement may prompt us to make hard decisions about how we change our bodies and minds. The quest to better understand humanity (and the human soul) through both science and religion will prepare us to make those hard decisions.
Many years ago, when we began this conversation, we believed our mission was simply to connect people and institutions. Over the years, we realized we must use these bridges to create a roadmap for our future. Today we know for certain that there are many more roads to travel. We want to preserve the bridges we have already built, we want to build new ones and, ultimately, we want to foster collaboration that positively impacts humanity.
37
Made with FlippingBook flipbook maker