The Office of Theology and Worship works to challenge and assist the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), at all levels to study, understand, discuss and act on the implications of science and technology as they affect the theology, worship, practice and moral actions of the church, particularly in the area of bioethics. The Office is joined in its efforts by the Presbyterian Association on Science, Technology and the Christian Faith. The resources provided here are part of that commitment.

End of Life Issues

The 213th General Assembly (2001) directed the Office of Theology and Worship to conduct a six-year churchwide dialogue on end-of-life issues. [Read more]

In Life and in Death We Belong to God: Euthanasia, Assisted Suicide, and End-of-Life Issues

The Dialogue Between Science and Faith —
"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Theology has to do with God the creator; science deals with the heavens and the earth that God has created. On the face of it, it would seem that those who speak about God and creation, the theologians, and those who speak about structures and makeup of the heavens and the earth, the scientists, especially scientists who believe in God, ought to have much in common..."

Evolution Statement
In light of recent developments regarding the teaching of the Theory of Evolution in public schools, the Office of Theology and Worship offers the following, the Presbyterian Church U.S. 1969 GA-approved theological statement on the subject.

In Life and in Death We Belong to God: Euthanasia, Assisted Suicide, and End-of-Life Issues

The 213th General Assembly (2001) directed the Office of Theology and Worship to conduct a Churchwide dialogue on End-of-Life Issues. As part of the Office of Theology and Worship's continuing work to implement this directive, we are making available in digital format In Life and In Death We Belong To God: Euthanasia, Assisted Suicide, and End-of-Life Issues, first published in print format in 1995.

Please contact the Office of Theology and Worship if you have any feedback or comments on the study or on End-of-Life Issues.

Download this resource —

In Whose Image? Faith, Science and the New Genetics

In response to an action of the General Assembly, the Office of Theology and Worship produced In Whose Image? Faith, Science and the New Genetics edited by John Burgess and published by Geneva Press.

• Can Christians affirm both their own faith and the new genetics?
• Where does the Christian tradition contain insights that might help us assess the potential good, as well as evil, of new developments in genetic research?

These essays by pastors, scientists, and theologians establish a dialogue between science and faith.

Human Cloning: Religious Responses

Another excellent resource from Westminster John Knox Press is Human Cloning: Religious Responses, edited by Ron Cole-Turner.

Church of Scotland

Society, Religion and Technology Project

Science & Spirit

Center for Theology & the Natural Sciences (CTNS)

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

Dialogue on Science & Religion

American Scientific Affiliation (ASA)

Presbyterian Association on Science, Technology, and the Christian Faith