Can science and religion co-exist? Dr. John Lewis, a planetary scientist — interested in the “chemistry of the universe” –shares some thoughts on the “who” and the “why” of the divinity of creation: on God’s plan, on Jesus Christ‘s role as “builder” of Heavenly Father’s plan for creation, of the reality that we lived with God before this life, and that we can look forward to the opportunity to live with Him again.

He also talks about how science and religion are complementary, how the scientific wonders of the earth and the universe are another witness, along with scriptures, of the reality of God:

“…[T]he universe is God’s handiwork….[S]cience and religion represent two independent witnesses of creation. And we are told [in the scriptures] …that two or more independent witnesses are required in order to certify the truth. They are not opposites, but they are like the vision seen from your two eyes. If you close one eye, and then close the other [and] alternate back and forth, you don’t see the same thing with the two eyes. But it is the combination of those two views…that shows you a lot of things that neither eye by itself sees.”

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Well, unlike every other Mormon that I’ve ever known since then, he didn’t immediately launch into a discussion of that. He kind of took a step back, and he looked at me, and he said, “Well, why do you want to know?” And I said: “You know, that’s a really good question. I’m not really sure. I only know one other Mormon, and there’s something very different about the way you and this other person live and conduct your lives. And I want to know if it has anything to do with your church.”

Although Anne says she didn’t believe a word of what he said at the time, the impression these two men had on her (and others) had stuck with her, enough that she decided to “have a little experiment” by going to a Mormon church service. The humor with which she describes the first moments of her experience is delightful, but what I want to share here is what happened to her spirit that day.

I walked into the chapel, which was another surprise. No cross, no priest or minister in the robe. No candles. Just a very plain chapel where people were dressed in ordinary clothes. Up on the podium there were men and women, men in business suits, kids, and they basically did the whole worship service.

Well, as I sat there, I began to feel something that I’d never really felt before. It was a sense of recognition, I suppose, and it made me feel so uncomfortable that as soon as that meeting was over, I got up and left. And I went out into the parking lot, intending to get into my car and drive off and never go back again. And as I did that, a voice inside my mind said, just as clearly and as distinctly as I’m speaking now, it said, simply, “Anne, turn around and go back.”

And go back she did. That day, she attended a Sunday School class. She was invited to dinner by the class teacher. She accepted his invitation to have missionaries come to her house. First, it was church members who had a volunteer assignment (calling) as stake missionaries. But it was the simple testimony of a young, inexperienced full-time missionary who helped her really open her heart to the message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.

[H]e would kind of forget what it was that he was going to say at about every third of fourth sentence. He would look me straight in the eye, and all the innocence and lack of intellectual sophistication, and he would say, “Sister Osborn, I know the Gospel’s true.”

And the oddest thing happened: Somehow, all of the intellectual arguments that I’d marshaled — which were also, of course, intellectual defenses — melted away, and this young elder helped me open my heart and my soul to the influence of the spirit. And I really knew that what he was saying was true. And I felt to the very core of my being that it was something that I hadn’t discovered so much as I recognized. And it was something that I had seen, or somehow heard — somewhere some-when, someplace — these things. And they struck that resonance in my heart, and I felt that, in a way — an incredibly significant way — that I’d come home.

We’ve only shared snippets of Dr. Poelman’s conversion story. We highly recommend that you read more in the interview done for the 2006 PBS special called “The Mormons”. In this interview she also talks about her feelings about Mormon the intellect and the spirit, about women and the priesthood, and leaps of faith.

Sister Poelman has written an article about the topic of being single and Mormon (she was single for several years after her conversion at age 25):

“The Single Years: A Burden or a Gift” (also can be found in this Ensign Mormon Journal entry…scroll down to find the article “The Ecstasy of the Agony: How to Be Single and Sane at the Same Time“)

Read more from Dr. Poelman in this article about an LDS Life Sciences Symposium where she was a speaker: “No ‘believing gene,’ just faith and work, says LDS doctor, scientist

You can also read about her at the blog Fruits of Mormonism in the following article “Mormon Women – Dr. Anne Osborn Poelman”

Hear more about her remarkable professional accomplishments as a neuroradiologist in the following video:

The post Portraits of Mormon Women: Dr. Anne Osborn Poelman appeared first on Women in The Church of Jesus Christ.

Dr. Anne Osborne Poelman (a neuroradiologist), Dr. Phil Low (a Purdue biochemist) and others share some thoughts on faith and science in this article (a report of a LDS Life Sciences Symposium): “No ‘believing gene,’ just faith and work, says LDS doctor, scientist”

Dr. Larry St. Clair (Ph.D from the Department of Environmental, Population, and Organismic Biology at the University of Colorado) focuses his whole Mormon Scholars Testify entry on the question of “Faith and Science as Ways of Knowing: Dealing With the Ostensible Conflicts” (included in his essay are thoughts on evolution and the age/creation of the earth):

In all honesty, I have never encountered any idea or theory in science that threatened or challenged my faith. Why? Because there are a few things that are central to my testimony and I diligently protect and sustain them with my faith. For example, I know that God lives, and I know that His Son, Jesus Christ, is both the Creator and Savior of the world. These are gifts given to me and regularly renewed for me by the Holy Ghost. With this knowledge firmly in place, I find that I am free to explore and examine any combination of spiritual and/or temporal questions. There are times when I think I might have reached a plausible conclusion about an issue or question, but I carefully protect myself from the tendency to deal in absolutes. I am always open to more data and more revelation as I seek to refine and purify my knowledge. I am also perfectly willing to leave the resolution of some issues to a future “celestial classroom” where “perfect knowledge” will surely abound and where “perfect love casteth out all fear.”⁵

Dr. Milton Lee (Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry from Indiana University) talks of the pursuit of truth as a scientist and as a member of the Mormon religion:

As a scientist, I seek for truth, and as a believer in Jesus Christ and a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I seek for truth. I believe that these two efforts are not exclusive of one another, but should come together when absolute truth becomes known. In fact, I have found that one enhances the other in a number of ways. For instance, the allegory of the seed told by Alma in the Book of Mormon (Alma 32) follows the pattern of the scientific method. -Dr. Milton Lee

Speaking of the scientific method, here’s another post, The Scientific Method, that explores similar thoughts: “In a science experiment you would use statistics to determine if your hypothesis can be rejected, something any statistician will tell you that you can never know for sure, but rather only with a certain level of confidence. Instead, when seeking answers to spiritual hypotheses, you have to receive your answer from the source of spiritual knowledge: God himself.”

Dr. Angela M. Berg Robertson (Ph.D., Harvard University, Organismic and Evolutionary Biology) shares her conviction that God knows “infinitely more” than we ever could.

“’[M]an doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend,” not only applies in research. I find great comfort in knowing that God understands what I do not. He understands how we can live again after we die. He understands how we can be bound forever to our families. He understands how the suffering of Jesus Christ paid for my mistakes. He understands infinitely more. [Link not in the original]

Dr. Lynn H. Slaugh (Ph.D., Chemistry, University of Washington)

It was never intended that we should prove scientifically the existence of our Savior and our Father in Heaven. Nevertheless, there are numerous observations that certainly proclaim a divine creator. Many have observed and marveled at the amazing ORDER and complexity of living things, especially man, and have taken this to be a strong indicator of a divine, all-powerful creator.

Read more thoughts from more Mormon scientists and Mormons in other professional specialties at Mormon Scholars Testify.

This essay on Mormon Science and Scientists looks at these questions with an historical perspective.

You can read numerous profiles of Mormons who are also scientists at Mormon.org

For example, Kenneth (a Mormon who has a Ph.D. in chemistry) says: ‘[D]espite all my schooling and secular knowledge, I know God is real and lives. Indeed all the science I understand shows to me The handiwork of a divine creator, God.”

Jon says: “I am a chemist who works at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and love being both a scientist and a Mormon, because the ultimate goal of both is truth. I have absolutely no problem reconciling science and religion.”

See more about the faith of more Mormons who are scientists at Mormon.org

Kathleen has a master’s degree in physics and is working on her Ph.D. in astronomy (and is thinking about medical school!)

Suzanne has a Ph.D. and teaches chemistry and biology

Chantel has a Ph.D. in genetics and is doing postdoctoral work

Kirk is almost ready to retire from his career in biometerology

Jen is a conservation biologist

Laura is an environmental scientist

Jillian is working on her Ph.D. in biomedical science

Michal has a Ph.D. with a focus on microbiology/infectious disease

You can find many more profiles by going to “Meet Mormons” at Mormon.org and searching on ‘scientist’ in the search bar.

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Image courtesy of -grimbart- at Wikimedia Commons

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The things I enjoy most include: people, history, traveling, hiking, exploring, discovery, science, reading, backpacking, and basically anything outdoorsy. My major in college and my career go along with my interests — I hike through the wilderness conducting environmental surveys. I am a proud archaeologist!

I love the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but my belief in it didn’t just come at one time. It has been gradually building. I notice that the times my testimony takes the biggest step is when I’m outside. At one time, I was digging out on the Arizona Strip (just north of the Grand Canyon) and every day before work I would stand on a ledge and look at the world around me. I would think about the beauty that I am surrounded by and the fact that it is here because of God’s grace. It is here for me, it is here for me to love, enjoy, and protect. He created this gorgeous world for us because he loves us.

Recently, I was recently hiking in Arches National Park (Moab, UT) and I went on a night hike to Delicate Arch. It was a full moon and as I came over the rise, and saw that majestic arch standing still in the moon light, I had the same thought come to me: God loves me. I knew I couldn’t  look at something like that and not think that there was a higher power out there.

I love being a Mormon Woman because I know I can still be myself and believe in the restored gospel. I believe that the church has given me stability, hope, and self-worth. When my life is spinning out of control I know that there is one constant that I can hold onto. I believe and know that I am a child of God. How can I not have self worth if I believe that? As long as I know that I am a child of God then there is nothing that can bring me down!

For more Portraits of Mormon Women, please click here.

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