Diocesan Resources
CARA Report: Engaging Science in Seminaries April 2017
CARA Report: Engaging Science in Seminaries, April 2017, by Mary L. Gautier, Ph.D., Bibiana M. Ngundo LSOSF, Ph.D., and Michal J. Kramarek, Ph.D.
In summer 2016, the John Templeton Foundation commissioned CARA to study the intersection of faith and science in the seminaries of six English-speaking nations (United States, Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, South Africa, and Australia). The USCCB Secretariat of Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations expressed interest in learning from seminary rectors their assessment of how science and theology are integrated in the seminary curriculum in light of the relevant PPF norms, and in particular their preparation of seminarians as pastoral leaders who are able to address critical questions of science and theology.
CARA contacted seminary rectors at 40 theologates and 28 college level seminaries that operate under the Program of Priestly Formation of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to request their participation in a survey about how their seminaries form seminarians at the intersection of science and religion. CARA also contacted seminary rectors, via email, at 12 seminaries in Australia, 11 in Canada, five in South Africa, four in Great Britain, and two in Ireland with the same request.
The purpose of the survey is to inform the John Templeton Foundation and to assist the USCCB Committee on Clergy, Consecrated Life and Vocations in understanding more clearly how science and theology are taught within the seminary curriculum and integrated into seminary formation.