The Faith and Science Podcast

The readings for this week for the Third Sunday after Epiphany are Isaiah 9:1-4, Psalm 27:1, 4-9, 1 Corinthians 1:10-18, and Matthew 4:12-23.  In this episode, we explore how Jesus transforms from cautious to bold after John the Baptist's arrest, fully stepping into his divine ministry as the "light of the world." Using the physics of wave-particle duality and research on how light affects our brains and circadian rhythms, we disco...

The readings for this week for the Second Sunday after Epiphany are Isaiah 49:1-7, Psalm 40:1-11, 1 Corinthians 1:1-9, and John 1:29-42.  What if the key to launching something extraordinary isn't just courage, but being truly seen? This week we explore the neuroscience of acknowledgment—how being recognized by others triggers dopamine and oxytocin in our brains, lowering stress and building the trust we need to take bold steps for...

The readings for this week for the First Sunday after Epiphany or the Baptism of the Lord are Isaiah 42:1-9, Psalm 29, Acts 10:34-43, and Matthew 3:13-17. What do Newton's Laws of Motion have to do with Jesus' baptism and your fading New Year's resolutions? This week's episode explores why a body in motion stays in motion—and why your faith should too. In the podcast we will unpack how Peter's testimony in Acts calls us to maintain...

The readings for this week for the Second Sunday after Christmas are Jeremiah 31:7-14 or Sirach 24:1-12, Psalm 147:12-20 or Wisdom of Solomon 10:15-2, Ephesians 1:3-14, and John 1:(1-9), 10-18. What does a Christmas bird count have to do with seeking divine wisdom? In this week's episode, we explore how slowing down to observe God's creation—really listening and watching—can transform our spiritual lives, just as one ornithologist ...

The readings for this week for the First Sunday after Christmas are Isaiah 63:7-9, Psalm 148, Hebrews 2:10-18, and Matthew 2:13-23. Did you know your brain can be tricked into believing a rubber hand is your own - and that octopi fall for the same illusion? This week's podcast explores how our perception of reality is incomplete, with our brains constantly filling in gaps and blind spots in what we actually see. Just as Joseph had ...

The readings for this week for the Fourth Sunday of Advent are Isaiah 7:10-16, Psalm 80:1-7, 17-19, Romans 1:1-7, and Matthew 1:18-25. This week we look at in vivo Gene Editing and how it has already helped one young boy with a genetic disease.  In this, we realize that there are times in life that we have to trust God when we don't fully understand what is all going on and realize that God has always been there for us so we have t...

The readings for this week for the Third Sunday of Advent are Isaiah 35:1-10, Psalm 146:5-10 or Luke 1:46b-55, James 5:7-10, and Matthew 11:2-11. This week we talk about patience and how that can be difficult. We explore how John the Baptist was still trying to figure out if Jesus was the Messiah—which isn't that much different than where we are with CTE research at the moment. Are we on the right path? Are we looking at the right ...

The readings for this week for the Second Sunday of Advent are Isaiah 11:1-10, Psalm 72:1-7, 18-19, Romans 15:4-13, and Matthew 3:1-12.  This week we talk about the aspect of preparing.  We see this within gardening but we also see it in the process of species that are getting reintroduced to an environment they used to roam.  There is a lot of work and preparation that goes into making the decision to do something like that along ...

The readings for this week for the First Sunday of Advent are Isaiah 2:1-5, Psalm 122, Romans 13:11-14, and Matthew 24:36-44.  This week we talk about how peace and patience seem to be connected.  We can see in science that there is a need to be patient in order to do good research and we see nature doing the same thing to make sure it is providing for itself well.  Our faith needs to have patience as well in order for us to really...

The readings for this week for the Christ the King/ Reign of Christ Sunday are Jeremiah 23:1-6, Luke 1:68-79, or  Psalm 46, with Colossians 1:11-20, and Luke 23:33-43.  This week we talk about species that have been rediscovered after being "extinct".  This is often due to lack of funding or the lack of really knowing the species super well to be able to find them.  This leads us to God surprising us and usually we need to be willi...

The readings for this week for the Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost are Isaiah 65:17-25 and Isaiah 12, or Malachi 4:1-2a and Psalm 98, with 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13, and Luke 21:5-19.  This week we look at mirror cells and get some into the debate on if we should go through the process of making them.  It is a good reminder that the effects could be unexpected and thus we need to use wisdom and don't always assume that things will...

The readings for this week for the Twenty-second Sunday after Pentecost are Haggai 2:1-2:9 and Psalm 145:1-5, 17-21 or Psalm 98, or Job 19:23-27a and Psalm 17:1-9, with 2 Thessalonians 2:1-5, 13-17, and Luke 20:27-38.  This week we look at how even in science we have at times where breakthroughs were overlooked or misunderstood.  Barbara McClintock is a perfect example of this and how she was 15-20 years ahead of her peers.  This a...

The readings for this week for the Twenty-First Sunday after Pentecost are Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4 and Psalm 119:137-144, or Isaiah 1:10-18 and Psalm 32:1-7, with 2 Thessalonians 1:1-4, 11-12 and Luke 19:1-10.  This can also be All Saints Sunday, and if you are following those texts they are: Daniel 7:1-3, 15-18 and Psalm 149, with Ephesians 1:11-23, and Luke 6:20-31.  This week we look into the breakthrough that has happened in anti...

The readings for this week for the Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost are Joel 2:23-32 and Psalm 65, or Sirach 35:12-17 or Jeremiah 14:7-10, 19-22 and Psalm 84:1-7, with 2 Timothy 4:6-8, 16-18, and Luke 18:9-14.  This is also Reformation Sunday, and if you are following those texts they are: Jeremiah 31:31-34, Psalm 46, Romans 3:19-28, and John 8:31-36.  This week we look into T-cells and the discoveries that have happened there over...

The readings for this week for the Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost are Jeremiah 31:27-34 and Psalm 119:97-104, or Genesis 32:22-31 and Psalm 121, with 2 Timothy 3:14-4:5, and Luke 18:1-8.  This week we talk about how seeing the places that need justice can sometimes be hidden.  When we discover these, it means that the path to justice might be long and hard but still is worth the effort and the prayer that comes along with it.  T...

The readings for this week for the Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost are Jeremiah 29:1, 4-7 and Psalm 66:1-12, or 2 Kings 5:1-3, 7-15c and Psalm 111, with 2 Timothy 2:8-15, and Luke 17:11-19.  This week we talk about how we need to slow down and think about all the things that make our lives possible.  When we do this it allows us it allows us to give thanks for all the things that make our lives possible.  This also allows us to l...

The readings for this week for the Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost are Lamentations 1:1-6 and Lamentations 3:19-26 or Psalm 137, or Habakkuk 1:1-4; 2:1-4 and Psalm 37:1-9, with 2 Timothy 1:1-14, and Luke 17:5-10.  This week we look to nature to inspire us to look at how to grow our faith.  When we look at birds and plants, they use natural cycles to know when it is time for them to prepare for the next phase.  Are we willing to ...

The readings for this week for the Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost are Jeremiah 32:1-3a, 6-15 and Psalm 91:1-6, 14-16, or Amos 6:1a, 4-7 and Psalm 146, with 1 Timothy 6:6-19, and Luke 16:19-31.  This week we look into some major breakthroughs with artificial blood.  Even with these breakthroughs, we still have big discussions about making sure that we keep reinvesting in the community through research.  We have to look into ways w...