A quantum leap of faith

Lutheran, The, Aug 2002 by Hawkins, Jami B

James Houck's synod resolution turns ELCA attention on science

You know Jimmy: You've had a kid like him in your class if you've ever taught vacation Bible school.

Today's lesson is the story of Noah. Twenty kids around 7 years old are in various stages of painting themselves and the plaster animals they've made. You're enjoying abundant pandemonium while simultaneously pouring cherry Kool-Aid and parceling out animal crackers and rainbow Skittles.

Little Jimmy, the class brainiac, looks at you and asks, "How could Noah possibly have squeezed two animals of every species onto one boat, and how did they ever dispose of all that animal poo?"

The class giggles, and then is silent for the first time in four days as each little mind begins to think about Jimmy's questions. Suddenly, for you, time stands still as 40 eyes look at you expectantly for answers. Spending 40 days and 40 nights on an ark full of animals suddenly seems like a walk in the park.

Ever wonder what happens to kids like Jimmy? Kids who go to church and have an interest in science and how it applies to their faith?

Still more questions

James Houck, of Cameron, S.C., was little Jimmy. He was the kind of kid who asked a lot of hard questions in Sunday school. His parents, concerned over his spiritual journey, even suggested that he repeat catechism.

Houck grew up to get a bachelor's degree in physics with a minor in math. His thesis for his master's degree concerned work in experimental atomic physics. He smashed together atoms with an accelerator to study the electronelectron interactions. While in school, he met and married his wife, Claudia.

Later he attended Western Michigan University at Kalamazoo to work on a doctorate. While there, he published several papers and continued teaching labs in physics and astronomy.

Along the way, science professors who didn't think science precluded the existence of God encouraged Houck. Carl Adler at East Carolina University, Greenville, N.C., helped Houck understand that the development of science was intimately linked in positive and negative ways with the church.

Today Houck, 32, works as a network engineer at McCall-Thomas Engineering Co. Inc., in Orangeburg, S.C. He continues physics research at home. He and Claudia and their children, Emma, 4, and Isabel, 3, are members of Resurrection Lutheran Church, Cameron, where Houck serves on the council and teaches Sunday school.

Last year, Houck presented a resolution before the South Carolina Synod assembly calling on the ELCA to "initiate, encourage and support discussion on the role of science within the church's mission in the areas of education (both secular and religious), application of technology and moral obligations of scientists, engineers and technicians."

His resolution helped inspire the ELCA to sponsor a consultation on faith and science last January. The purpose of this gathering of 22 scientists (including Houck) from various disciplines was to start dialogue and help the church become more science literate. (See story, page 18.)

Difficult issues, new tools

"As a society, we are faced with many difficult issues brought upon us by science and technology," Houck explains. "These include genetic engineering, privacy in an interconnected world, allocation of natural resources and weapons of mass destruction-portable nuclear weapons, biological agents, chemical agents, etc.

"We will also be given many tools to improve the lives of people. Society is currently struggling with assimilating technology and scientific knowledge in a useful and productive manner."

Houck believes the church has a responsibility to help society deal with these issues. "Society needs the church in dealing with these issues," he says. "Also, the church will have to reformulate how it interacts with society to accomplish this.

"As society becomes more and more dependent on technology, a church that is unwilling to adapt and address issues that society is struggling with will become marginalized, irrelevant and possibly extinct."

When Houck came back to live in Cameron, he and Claudia bought a house a few doors down from the church where he had grown up. Robert Young, pastor of Resurrection, asked him to read a sermon-written by South Carolina Bishop David Donges-while he attended the 2000 synod assembly.

The sermon pointed out how society was struggling with technology and how the church had something to say and do about that.

"It was like a light bulb turning on in my head," Houck remembers. "I had never thought that the church should, would or could deal with such issues. After editing the sermon a little bit, I read it in church and got some positive feedback.

"I then began thinking about what role the church should play in these issues created by science and technology. I began trying to find people to discuss this issue with, but I ran into the same problems of my childhood: Nobody knew the language or understood what I was talking about. This was very frustrating."

Connection with God

Houck did a lot of thinking during his daily commute-mostly about physics, things like the connection between the atomic world and everyday experiences, the expansion of the universe, artificial intelligence and evolution. He says that when he let his mind open up and explore the universe without any preconceived notions, he began to feel a connection with God and found a new way to relate faith and science.