What We Do
The Canadian Scientific and Christian Affiliation (CSCA) is a fellowship of scientists and those interested in science, who want to understand how science should best interact with the life-giving Christian tradition. Science serves widely, while the Christian faith remains the world’s largest global movement. Where these two cross is fascinating, fruitful, and worthy of our best attention. Our interdisciplinary discussions range, for example, through fields including cosmology, mathematics, ethics, the environment, medicine, genetics, geology, origin studies, engineering, science education, the history of science, epistemology, proofs for the existence of God, biblical interpretation, and the understanding of humanity through the social sciences. CSCA members come to these challenges as researchers in academia and industry, as professors, theologians, philosophers, administrators from dean to provincial university president, and as students just getting started.
Our Approach
As an organization, the CSCA does not take a position when there is honest disagreement between Christians on an issue. What we are committed to provide is an open, respectful, and welcoming forum for different perspectives on the relationship between Christianity with mainstream science. We believe that this environment is crucial to understanding each other and working toward our best recognition of the truth.
For a more in-depth discussion of these matters, see this ASA page. Also helpful is this lecture presented by ASA member Terry Gray at the 2016 ASA Annual Meeting.
For an example of our approach in action, please see this ASA Commission on Creation.
Canadian in an International Context
The CSCA was founded in 1973 specifically to address and express some of the unique challenges and insights of science and Christian faith in the Canadian context. While distinctively Canadian, and with members from coast to coast, the CSCA appreciates that it is part of an international movement exploring these questions. In particular, it shares resources and service with the American Scientific Affiliation (ASA) such as the academic peer-reviewed journal Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith.
The CSCA also values the contributions of Christians in Science (CiS) in the United Kingdom as well as the Institute for the Study of Christianity in an Age of Science and Technology (ISCAST) in Australia.
Statement of Faith
Our platform of faith has four important planks:
- We confess the Triune God affirmed in the Nicene and Apostles’ creeds which we accept as brief, faithful statements of Christian doctrine based upon Scripture.
- We accept the divine inspiration, trustworthiness and authority of the Bible in matters of faith and conduct.
- We believe that in creating and preserving the universe God has endowed it with contingent order and intelligibility, the basis of scientific investigation.
- We recognize our responsibility, as stewards of God’s creation, to use science and technology for the good of humanity and the whole world.
These four statements of faith spell out the distinctive character of the CSCA, and we uphold them in every activity and publication of the Affiliation.
Our approach to controversial issues is identified here.