Received by a Uniting Church minister-friend:

I am writing to you on behalf of The Clergy Letter Project (http://www.evolutionsunday.org), an international organization comprised of more than 11,000 clergy and founded to help demonstrate to the public that religion and science need not be at war with each other. In addition to being the founder of the Clergy Letter Project, I am also a biologist and the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Butler University in Indianapolis.

I am hoping that you will join with colleagues from around the world in a simple but meaningful event sponsored by The Clergy Letter Project: Evolution Weekend 2008 (8 – 10 February 2008). This event is an opportunity for congregations around the world to take the time to discuss the compatibility of religion and science. The goal of Evolution Weekend is two-fold. First, we want to demonstrate that those outspoken fundamentalists who assert that people have to choose between religion and science are not speaking for many religious leaders. Second, participants want to elevate the quality of the discourse on this important topic.

Evolution Weekend began two years ago and was originally named Evolution Sunday. These first two annual events were incredibly successful, with participation across the two years increasing by more than 30 percent. Additionally, the events have received significant international media attention which has helped spread the word about our message. We’ve changed the name to Evolution Weekend this year in an attempt to be fully welcoming to members of all religions.

Participation can take any form with which a local congregation feels comfortable. Over the past two years, some congregations have heard a sermon [and you can read more than 70 of them on our web pages (http://www.butler.edu/clergyproject/rel_resources.htm)] while others had a lunch discussion. Some heard an invited speaker while still others focused an adult education class on the topic. Although each congregation has acted independently, collectively we reached thousands upon thousands of congregants and together we made a very powerful statement about the compatibility of religion and science.

Participation in Evolution Weekend is fully in keeping with the beliefs of the Uniting Church in Australia. This simple event will permit congregations from all faiths, in all corners of the world, to come together to make it clear that religion and science can be allies. Although, for many, this is not a controversial message, there are others who are regularly attacking science in the name of religion. Fundamentalist attacks on science in the name of religion are growing worldwide. Ken Ham, the head of the world’s largest creationism organization (Answers in Genesis) is Australian. There is a new creation museum being planned for the UK to mimic the $27 million one recently opened in Kentucky. Romania has just banned the teaching of evolution, for religious reasons, in public schools (http://www.thediplomat.ro/reports_1207.php). Our goal is to reach as many people as possible with the message that religion and science can work together. Evolution Weekend provides religious leaders and scientists an opportunity to come together to combat the fundamentalist agenda that is threatening both mainstream religions and science education.

Although Evolution Weekend 2008 is still a month and a half away, 610 congregations representing all 50 US states and 6 countries have already agreed to participate. You can view the list of participants and read more about Evolution Weekend at http://www.butler.edu/clergyproject/rel_evolution_weekend_2008.htm. I sincerely hope that you will join in this effort.

To sign up, simply send me () an e-mail with your name and the name and location of your congregation. I’ll do the rest. Finally, let me add that The Clergy Letter Project has created a list of scientific consultants who are willing to answer any technical questions you might have. Additionally, some of these consultants have said that they’d be willing to lead a discussion if requested. You can view the large list of consultants at http://www.butler.edu/clergyproject/rel_expert_data_base.htm.

On behalf of thousands of religious leaders and scientists, and our children, around the world, thank you so very much for considering this invitation to join in our efforts to explain the relationship between religion and science to a wider community.

I hope to be hearing from you soon.

Michael Zimmerman

Office of the Dean

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Butler University

Indianapolis, IN 46208

Visit The Clergy Letter Project on the Web at http://www.evolutionsunday.org

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Note from another UC minister: The ‘Clergy Letter Project’ is a genuine, credible organisation with aims as outlined in the letter you quoted. It’s not a front for some other agenda. It is regularly mentioned in reputable science organisations (eg. the National Centre for Science Education – http://www.ncseweb.org/resources/news/2007/US/380_the_clergy_letter_project_want_8_23_2007.asp)

and has excellent resources on the website.