The Society of Ordained Scientists (SOSc) has announced the formation of an Irish Chapter to accommodate growing interest in the society from clergy and lay scientists living and working in Ireland. The Chapter Convenor is Rev. Dr. Scott Peddie SOSc., Minister of The Old Presbyterian Church Templepatrick and First Presbyterian Church Crumlin and current Editor of the Bulletin of the Society of Ordained Scientists.
The new chapter will meet for an inaugural day retreat at the Corrymeela Community’s Knocklayd Retreat Centre on Tuesday 13th September.
The retreat will be led by Dr. Peddie and the newly elected Warden of the society, Rev. Dr. Keith Suckling SOSc, will be in attendance.
Dr. Suckling said: “The society originated 25 years ago as a dispersed community of scientists within the ordained ministry of the Anglican Communion. However, interest in membership grew and we are now an ecumenical body comprising Anglicans, Congregationalists, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Methodists and Roman Catholics.
Membership is open, at the invitation of the Warden, to ordained members of any church who assent to a short Trinitarian confession.
Associate members are either lay or ordained members of any Christian Church who have an interest in science and faith issues”.
The society’s scope is becoming increasingly global explained Dr. Suckling: “Although most of our members and associates live in the UK, we have members and associates living and working in the US, Australia, New Zealand, the Ukraine, Canada and other locations across the globe.”
Dr. Suckling continued: “we are especially delighted that our membership has grown in Ireland over the last year and are now able to open a new chapter here”.
Dr. Peddie commented on the society: “It often surprises people that a trained scientist should be a minister or priest. However, we in the society believe that God is present in all aspects of human life; so we have members who are chemists, physicists, medical doctors, engineers, biologists, archaeologists and many more disciplines. Some members continue in scientific careers and help their churches part time, whilst others work in various capacities for the church full time, while retaining an active interest in their field of expertise”.
Membership of the society has many benefits explained Dr. Peddie: “being a member or associate of the SOSc is a wonderful way of fostering fellowship and friendship between people interested in the interaction between faith and science. I’m confident we can recruit more members and associates living in Ireland and the new Chapter will be a valuable vehicle in promoting the aims of the society”.
Further information on the Society of Ordained Scientists can be obtained from the SOSc website (www.ordainedscientisits.org) or by contacting Rev. Dr. Scott Peddie directly (e-mail: s.peddie@pattersonpeddie.com).
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