Theologian Nelson Rivera shared that view with a Seminary community during a convocation opening the academic year

PHILADELPHIA (September 2000)- In the current day, scientists seem to have a better sense of mission and their responsibility toward the world and humanity than theologians have.

That view was expressed recently by the Rev. Nelson Rivera, an Assistant Professor of Systematic Theology who has specialized in studying the historic relationship between science and faith. Rivera teaches at The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia, where he delivered an opening day convocation presentation focusing on the search for public language by the disciplines of science and theology.

"In a world where scientists are increasingly involved in public opinion and the creation of public policy, scientists seem to gain increasingly a literary edge," Rivera said. He referenced that more and more books written by scientists for public consumption are becoming bestsellers, while at the same time theology "seems sometimes to retreat to its own scholarly pursuits, and seems actually to be more pessimistic about public possibilities."

Rivera said at the outset that science has been a remarkable success story over the past 50 years, during which time it has "gained a place of trust and honor at the heart of many societies." This place of trust has not been universally won, especially in scholarly circles, he said.

Regarding public language, Rivera said science in some remarkable instances has adopted theological terms to communicate its mission to the public. One example is the use of the term "mission" to describe going to the Moon or Mars. "Mission" has flourished in many quarters, such as with the term "mission statement" to describe an organization's central purpose. The new public place that science has claimed in western societies and beyond has been a challenge to the discipline of theology "but also provides an opportunity for theologians to deepen their thinking. Theology's contributions to public discourse will be better informed and more relevant as the result of such an exchange," Rivera said.

"The search for public language is a prime task for theology and science alike," Rivera said. "Theology has a longer history and therefore a vast experience addressing issues of public trust in its mission and proclamation. But it (theology) has had its own struggles, especially at those times when it has tried hard to update its language, trying to make it more intelligible to the public at large. Sometimes it has tried either to get away from or to change traditional church language."

Meanwhile, science has "gained ground in the public precisely because of its regained respect for theological terms which become handy when most needed," Rivera said. "There is a sense in which we are all being enriched by science's accomplishments, even as we feel apprehensive of its shortcomings."

Nelson Rivera's academic concentration has focused on the work of scientist Isaac Newton, whose scientific background is better understood than his impressive credentials as a theologian of his day. Rivera also directs the Seminary's program for Latino students.

The Lutheran theological Seminary at Philadelphia welcomed 75 new students to its campus this fall from a rich diversity of backgrounds. Founded in 1864, the Seminary is one of eight affiliated with the 5.2 million member Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, a denomination with 11,000 congregations and which is headquartered in Chicago.