Focus On…Faith

As the world and its inhabitants become more and more complex, issues of creation, life and individual roles have vastly divided the secular and religious communities. The theory of evolution, for instance, stirred up controversy in the 19th century that has not ceased to this day. Advances in science that allow infertile parents to conceive children or ethical issues surrounding the Internet create other divergences of opinion. In addition, women's changing role in the workplace and family has introduced complications to roles set by the difference faith doctrines in early times.

The faith community continues to grapple with scientific theories and advances. Reactions to the theory of evolution range from outright rejection of the idea to attempts to reconcile some of the tenets with the concept of a Creator who initiated life. In addition, some of the latest advances in medicine and technology spark ethical issues and moral questions about how to reconcile living in an increasingly scientific world with moral codes in doctrines of faith. Discussing these ideas are three panels of representatives of the faith community, including Methodist, Buddist, Baptist, Africa Methodist Evangelist, Presbyterian and Catholic. Shannon Vickery, host of North Carolina Now, led the discussion all 3 nights.

Part One, NC's Faith Community, considers North Carolina's faith community at the time of Darwin's discovery and how they reacted to his theory. In addition, panelists will explain how they seek answers to the question of creation, how today's faith communities deal with the evolutionary theory and the issues that evolution spawns for people of faith today. This episode followed the first episode of Evolution, Darwin's Dangerous Idea, a two-hour drama about Darwin's own dilemma about presenting his theory.

NC's Faith Community and Today's Complex World delves into the more general questions of religion and science, following Evolution's episode 2, Great Transformation and episode 3, Extinction! Panelists discuss how their faith communities use their faith to live in an increasingly complex and technological world. The concept of extinction is a major focus of this discussion, especially from the viewpoint of believers in an afterlife. In addition, panelists exchange ideas and feelings about issues of religious ethics and controversial scientific breakthroughs such as stem cell research and the Human Genome Project.

The last episode of Focus On…Faith is NC's Faith Community and Family Change. Following episode 3 and 4 of Evolution, The Evolutionary Arms Race and Why Sex? this discussion will involve the role that women play in the faith community and the importance and structure of the family. Questions about how various faith communities define the concept of family and nurture today's families that often have two working parents will also engage participants.

While the discussions followed the episode of PBS' series Evolution, many of the concepts were independent of a response to the theory of evolution itself. Instead, the basis of conversation is how the faith community responds and changes in the face of an ever-changing world.