Newsletter

Science specialists and religion specialists

Also, did VeggieTales commit a cardinal sin?

Rohan Salmond

Dec 16, 2021 • 4 min read

Sorry for the late edition - as I said, things are getting a little chaotic in silly season. This one is a little different from usual, because I’ve written a kind-of opinion piece about science specialists and religion specialists.

Next week I’ve decided to do a big ol’ roundup of Christmas memes and shitposts.

What do science communication and religion journalism have in common?

I recently came across Constababble on Twitch, a freelance science communicator who streams about science communication itself - what she called “scicommcomm”. She often talks about evidence-based methods to work out how to do science communication better (she also talks about environmental science and waste management - it’s good stuff!)

It makes me wonder, is any of this scicomm work relevant in the religion space?

There are similarities between science and religion specialists. Both are extremely specialised subject areas that are difficult to understand but possible to communicate to a general audience. I think there’s also a certain mythbusting element they share - combating misinformation, which will hopefully lead to a better society.

But there are obvious differences - religion specialists deal with theology, philosophy, religious studies, other sociology and cultural studies, whereas science is obviously STEMM. Both may be communicating research to a lay audience, but the substance of that research doesn’t overlap much.

I’m oversimplifying, but as this science communication video by Kurzgesagt says, sometimes that’s necessary to get where you’re trying to go (if done mindfully and responsibly). It’s a lesson I try to keep in mind - sometimes religion reporting gets caught in the weeds with details not relevant to the story and which a lay audience doesn’t care about.

Another difference would be the terminology - “science communicators” and “religion journalists”. I felt weird writing “religion communicators” because that feels like I’m talking about religious evangelists. In science communication there’s “inreach” (expert-to-expert communication) and “outreach” (expert-to-layperson communication). So is “religion communication” outreach just evangelism?

I would say no - my professional work as a religion specialist vs when I’m expressing my own religious beliefs are two very different activities. There’s a sense that religion specialists in the West are trying to impress upon a rapidly secularising public that religion is important, regardless of if the public thinks religion is good for humanity or if the truth claims are actually true.

I’m probably betraying a deep ignorance, but I haven’t come across similar analysis on communicating the history, culture, ideas, etc of various religious traditions before, outside an explicitly religious context.

These are only very initial thoughts, and I’d be curious to hear what you think too. This newsletter has attracted readers I reckon have done a lot of work in this area, so feel free to share your thoughts.

Presenting: Wahve Waria

Smoking Bishop Drinking History

Why are mulled drinks often named after the clergy? Watch on!

Dante’s Inferno as an 8-bit RPG

VeggieTales has done the unthinkable

Here’s the thing: On first blush you wouldn’t know, but the official VeggieTales Twitter feed is a mess.

One of the first things I ever wrote about was this post about Larry the Cucumber “Just chillin’” with cucumber slices on his eyes. Back when co-founder Phil Vischer was in charge, this kind of thing was not allowed in the VeggieTales universe.

via @VeggieTales: “Christmas begins with Jesus!”

Now, another cardinal rule has been broken: Jesus has been depicted as a pea. It’s well known among VeggieTales fans, Phil Vischer’s mother forbade him from ever depicting Jesus Christ as a vegetable.

But now it’s been done, it’s raising questions like, “how did they crucify a pea” (possible answer: “Mouth¿”)

However, it’s possible the rule was not actually broken. User @socialaskan writes that this isn’t a vegetable Holy Family, but rather an in-universe nativity play.

Petunia Rhubarb and Archibald Asparagus are merely acting as Mary and Joseph. Therefore that isn’t veggie Jesus, but rather Phillippe Pea playing the part of Jesus.

Anne Rice has died

Anne Rice’s Wikipeda article opens thusly: “Anne Rice … was an American author of gothic fiction, erotic literature, and Christian literature.”

I only just posted a link to a tweet of hers last week, but she has since died.

In 1998 she returned to the Catholic church in later life, but remained pro-abortion rights and birth control. She was also outspoken in favour of marriage equality, continuing to support her gay son.

Later in 2010, she distanced herself from organised religion again, saying,

Today I quit being a Christian. I'm out. I remain committed to Christ as always but not to being 'Christian' or to being part of Christianity. It's simply impossible for me to 'belong' to this quarrelsome, hostile, disputatious, and deservedly infamous group. For ten years, I've tried. I've failed. I'm an outsider. My conscience will allow nothing else.

Here’s Sarah Pulliam Bailey’s interview with her for Christianity Today, shortly after the announcement.