APRIL 2016

Galileo“GALILEO GOES TO JAIL” by RONALD L. NUMBERS

For our symposium in April, 2016, our writers read “Galileo Goes to Jail” by Ronald L. Numbers to inform their writing as they worked on a submission based on science and youth ministry. “Galileo Goes to Jail” is a compilation work made up of 25 arguments unpacking 25 historical myths related to the relationship between faith and science. Our contributors for this symposium are at the bottom of the page, and as their papers publish, links to them will appear below their bios.

While they were with us at Luther Seminary, we sat down with our writers to hear their thoughts on science, faith, and the book itself. Hear what they have to say in the video:

 

 

 

CONTRIBUTORS:

Amanda Drury 00601 sqAMANDA DRURY

Amanda has been in youth ministry for almost 15 years. She has ministry degrees from both Indiana Wesleyan University and Princeton Theological Seminary, both of which prepared her for the life of a youth pastor in the local church. Following her time as a youth pastor, Amanda felt called back to school. After completing her Ph.D. in Practical Theology at Princeton Theological Seminary, Amanda began teaching youth ministry courses at Indiana Wesleyan University. She loves to see teenagers find the empowerment they need to be able to express their faith in words and actions. Amanda balances the life of a professor in practical theology, a speaker, an author, a wife to John, and a mother to Sam and Clara.

Amanda’s article, Adventures with Lord B. was published by The Institute for Youth Ministry of Princeton Theological Seminary.

 

AqueelahLigondeAQUEELAH LIGONDE

Aqueelah’s passion is to minister to and encourage young people, with the center of her attention directed toward the spiritual, physical, mental, and social health of young girls, women and ultimately the family. Aqueelah is presently serving in three areas of ministry: staff consultant with Ministry Architects; Field Staff for Racial Ethnic Young Women and the Site Coordinator for the Young Adult Volunteer Program of New York City (the latter two both ministries of the Presbyterian Church USA Mission Agency)

Aqueelah’s article is called An Invitation to Explore and published on Princeton Theological Seminary’s Institute for Youth Ministry blog.

 

 

BlairBertrandBLAIR BERTRAND

Blair Bertrand is an ordained Presbyterian minister living in Super:Natural British Columbia, loving his wife and parenting their three kids (ages 12,8,4). Some of his academic work has focused on the role of camping ministry within the larger church. Earlier in life Blair was a canoe trip guide and had many (mis)adventures on the rivers and lakes in northern Ontario and Quebec. Now he is busy introducing his kids to hiking in the mountains.

Blair’s article, The Wonder-Full God: Science, Faith, and Wonder in Youth Ministry was published by Kindred Youth Ministry.

DanHaughDAN HAUGH

Dan Haugh is the Associate Pastor at Round Hill Community Church, an independent and ecumenical congregation located in Greenwich, CT. He oversees the children and youth programs as well as community service and engagement. Dan also serves as an adjunct professor for the Youth and Family Studies department at Nyack College and regularly teaches on issues relating to culture, adolescence and faith formation. He and his wife Lauretta have twin toddler boys, Jack and Blake, and when he is not busy chasing after them, enjoys baseball and being outdoors.

Dan’s article, How Mystery Becomes Majesty, was published in the print edition of Youthworker Journal.

 

HeidiFerrisHEIDI SMITH FERRIS

As an environmental educator and STEM trainer of teachers, Heidi works to boost nature play, creative science, and climate literacy in communities. She founded Growing Green Hearts LLC in 2012.  Also as a child of God, follower of Jesus, wife of a Lutheran pastor, mother of two – she questions, wonders, explores creation, prays for sanity, laughs, cries and carries on.  While many have described these roles as a complicated snarl of their own; Heidi feels tightly wrapped in a security blanket woven out of both faith and science.  Just a few common threads in both are:  questions are good, God is the source of everything, patterns and laws explain some of it, systems are parts working together, life is complex and we’ll never know all of it.

Heidis’ article, Stop the Vacation on Vocation: Do Science Literacy at Your Church was published on the Growing Green Hearts blog.

Kevin B&W SYM sqKEVIN ALTON

Kevin Alton is a youth ministry veteran and a writer, author, and speaker on all things spiritual and age-level Christian ministry. He’s the co-creator of the Wesleyan lectionary curriculum website Youthworker Circuit and serves as content curator for the Science for Youth Ministry grant. Kevin lives with his wife and two boys in the Georgia woods just outside of Chattanooga, TN. You can connect with him on most social media as @thekevinalton.

Kevin’s article is Christian Myth in Youth Ministry and published in Part 1 and Part 2 on Progressive Youth Ministry’s Patheos blog.