There was an interesting juxtaposition in the Aug. 27 issue between the anti-science letter writer (“Faith opposes science”) and the article about the Goshen College alumni who contributed to developing the Pfizer vaccine. I say: Thank God for science! God is answering our prayers. We are now safer from COVID because of the vaccine. Thank you for the tireless work and research of scientists like Robert Lerch and Mark Wittrig who made this possible.
It is through science that we have the quality of life we now lead. We pray for God to guide the surgeon’s hand, but we know it is the research and technology that make these healing miracles happen. And to get to these amazing services? We pray for a safe journey on roads and bridges, inside a car — all precision tools built by science-driven engineers. Where would we be without science? Science helps us solve the problems of human suffering. God gave us brains to do this. Thank God for science!
Evelyn Wiebe-Anderson, Arcata, Calif.
I am disappointed with Mennonites who live in a century far past when it comes to “Who is my neighbor?” and “How can I love them?” Religious people for centuries believed in a flat Earth, but not anymore, because of science (in response to Kathryn Buskett’s letter, “Faith opposes science”). Religious people for centuries believed they could read God’s approval of slavery into Scripture, but we know better, because reason tells us no one should own other people. Religious people for centuries believed women shouldn’t be pastors, but we know better, because we’ve seen that women and men have the same calling to ministry.
Disapproval of LGBTQ people fits into the same category of discredited beliefs (in response to Don Klassen’s Aug. 27 letter, “Wrong kind of love”). The editors of Anabaptist World should not print such poor theology.
Jim Compton-Schmidt, Reedley, Calif.
The writer of “Faith opposes science” quotes the King James Version of 1 Timothy 6:20-21, which speaks of “oppositions of science falsely so called.” Twentieth- century translations use the word “knowledge” instead of “science.” There wasn’t much science to fear when the KJV appeared in 1611. Isaac Newton was born in 1642, Galileo in 1654. (Christians during the Middle Ages thought of theology as a kind of science.) Are we to fear or dismiss all knowledge apart from matters of faith? I offer three examples of scientific knowledge that are hard to dismiss: our understanding of global warming, the estimate of the age of the universe and the utility of vaccination for COVID-19. A church where science is off-limits? Count me out.
Thomas Lehman, Chapel Hill, N.C.
Have a comment on this story? Write to the editors. Include your full name, city and state. Selected comments will be edited for publication in print or online.