Can Science and Faith Merge to Save the Planet?

As we grapple with the existential threat of climate change, it may seem unfathomable to imagine a scenario where science and faith converge in a quest for sustainability. Yet, this is exactly what happened at a recent summit in the Vatican, where Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey delivered a keynote address alongside governors from New York and California. The event marked a new era of dialogue between the worlds of science and faith, as they collectively acknowledged the urgent need for collaboration in the face of climate change. While some may view this as a surprising turn of events, Healey's message was clear: science and faith can coexist and, indeed, complement each other in the pursuit of environmental stewardship. She emphasized the importance of evidence-based decision-making, innovative thinking, and collaboration across government and economic sectors to build a resilient state economy. Her call to action resonated with Pope Francis's own message of "integral ecology," which emphasizes the need for a holistic and collaborative approach to climate change. But what does this mean for us? How can we reconcile the seemingly opposing worldviews of science and faith to tackle the most pressing issue of our time? By acknowledging that science and faith can enter into an "intense dialogue fruitful for both," we can begin to build bridges between these two domains. After all, as Healey so aptly put it, "science and religion, with their distinctive approaches to understanding reality, can coexist and even complement each other. " [other/] This article was originally published in Salon's Lab Notes newsletter, a weekly roundup of the latest science and health news.