Anglican Communion Science Commission: Bridging Faith and Science for God’s World

The Anglican Communion Science Commission (ACSC) exists to celebrate science as a God-given resource and to promote collaboration between faith and science communities for the betterment of people and the planet. Formally launched at the Lambeth Conference in 2022, the Commission serves as a vital bridge between the Church and the scientific community.

It aids Anglican discussion on faith and science, equipping churches to collaborate with the scientific community in response to human need and bring the ethical voice of faith to scientific discovery. The Commission equips Anglican churches to engage with scientific developments and ethical debate, from artificial intelligence to the climate crisis.

Why the Anglican Communion engages with science

Faith and science have a long history of engagement within the Anglican tradition, dating all the way back to when English clergy taught the sciences at Oxford and Cambridge. The Commission’s work addresses the question of what the church and the scientific community have to say to each other in the 21st century.

Its work considers Christian witness in fields such as climate science, bioethics, and astronomy, while also asking what questions churches need to consult scientists about. The commission believes that the Church cannot be a bystander in an age defined by scientific acceleration.

It works to dismantle the perceived divide between faith and science. Scientific inquiry is not a competitor to divine revelation, but a partner in the faithful stewardship of creation.

In a Lambeth Conference conversation with the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, entitled “Talking About Faith and Science: Why should the Church care about science?”, Archbishop Justin said, “It is scientific advance that has lifted so many people out of poverty. It is scientific advance that has enabled the world to feed itself. It is widespread science that has enabled us to produce vaccines at a speed that even five years ago, a year ago, would have been thought unimaginable.”

He continued, “It is science that has begun to give us a big picture of our place in the world. It is science that has driven our consciousness of the danger to the world of climate change and what we can do about it in the future. In all these things it is science that has been a gift to human beings.”

The Commission’s mandate

The mandate of the Anglican Communion Science Commission is to celebrate science as a God-given resource and to support faith and science communities working together for the betterment of people and the planet.

The Commission equips Anglican churches to engage confidently with scientific developments, from artificial intelligence to the climate crisis, bringing the ethical voice of faith into the centre of global scientific discovery.

Many churches around the world are serving communities on the front line of food crises, environmental damage or disease outbreak. Engaging with the science community in response to human problems is a vital part of their mission and social justice work.

From the ethics of Artificial Intelligence to the urgency of climate resilience, scientific inquiry can equip the Church to serve the common good more effectively. Equally bringing the ethical voice of faith to scientific debate and development is vital in an era of fast-paced change.

Four strategic priorities

The Science Commission is working to grow a global network of Anglicans who are passionate about science and faith, with a focus on four priorities.

Thought leadership and training

The Commission is building a global network of “Lead Science Bishops” and equipping clergy and laity with the tools to understand the intersection of faith and science. The goal is to replace fear or scepticism with informed, confident engagement.

Inspiring courageous and confident thinking about issues involving science in church communities around the world is a central part of this work. The Commission brings together representatives from different regions of the Communion to ensure a truly global perspective.

A key partner in this area is Equipping Christian Leadership in an Age of Science (ECLAS). ECLAS works closely with the Commission to train senior church leaders, helping to close the gap between the laboratory and the pulpit through high-quality theological engagement and informed spiritual leadership.

Faith development

The Commission promotes the understanding of science as a God-given resource. Integrating scientific knowledge into the devotional life of the Church deepens our awe of the Creator and enhances our worship.

It encourages Anglicans to see the study of the natural world as a form of doxology-honouring God through understanding His creation. The Commission celebrates science as a “gift to human beings” that reflects God’s providence.

Wisdom and ethics

As scientific capabilities expand, the Church must ask not just “can we?” but “should we?” The Commission brings Christian ethical wisdom into the public square, addressing complex questions about the role of technology in society.

A key focus is Artificial Intelligence, urging the Church to “think courageously” to ensure technology genuinely serves the needs of humanity. Effective ministry in the 21st century requires rigorous theological and scientific support.

The Commission provides the essential tools for clergy and lay leaders to navigate complex questions-from bioethics to artificial intelligence-with authority and wisdom.

People and planet

The Commission facilitates collaboration between faith and science communities to respond to global crises. Whether leveraging church networks to combat malaria and health inequality, or advocating for climate justice, we are committed to tangible outcomes that alleviate suffering and safeguard the earth.

Using science to address urgent needs such as health equity and disease prevention is part of the Commission’s vision. Combining scientific rigour with theological stewardship is central to combating the climate crisis.

A theological foundation of stewardship and mission

The Commission’s engagement is rooted in the Fifth Mark of Mission: to treasure God’s creation. Whether addressing the “lungs of the earth” or public health, using scientific data to protect the planet and its people is understood as a profound act of worship and stewardship.

Just as Scripture reveals God’s will, the study of the natural world reveals God’s glory, acting as a “God-given resource” to alleviate poverty and suffering. The Commission therefore treats scientific knowledge as a way of understanding God’s world and responding faithfully to human need.

True wisdom listens to many voices. The Commission’s approach integrates high-level research with “indigenous knowledge systems,” ensuring that scientific solutions-from vaccine equity to agriculture-are culturally relevant and truly enrich human life in the Global South and North alike.

Global conversations and practical action

Engaging in courageous and confident conversation about science, and sharing our learning, aids churches in navigating an increasingly science- and technology-driven world. Global Conversations are an invitation to Anglicans everywhere to join a movement of prayer, learning, and action.

They bring together voices from across the diverse Anglican family to engage with the pressing issues of our time, seeking wisdom in a changing world. Through ongoing dialogue and collaboration through various Anglican or Ecumenical groups, theologians, scientists, engineers and technicians are seeking to share the voice of faith in their fields and equip the church to understand science as a knowledge system that helps us understand God’s world.

The Commission’s work is organised around four strategic pillars, designed to move the Communion from discussion to practical action. Its objective is not only to discuss scientific developments, but also to help churches respond to concrete challenges affecting communities and ecosystems.

The global network of bishops, scientists and theologians

The Science Commission brings together distinguished scientists, bishops, and theologians to lead this vital conversation. Since its launch, the Anglican Communion Science Commission has been working to identify representatives from each Province of the Anglican Communion to take part on the commission and to secure funding to support its work and vision in the years ahead.

Provincial Lead Science Bishops help connect the Commission’s work with provinces across the Anglican Communion. Holding this role does not by itself make someone a member of the Science Commission.

Commission leadership and members

• The Revd Professor Kwamena Sagoe, Co-Chair · West Africa - Head of Virology, University of Ghana.
• The Rt Revd Dr Matt Brain, Co-Chair · Australia - Bishop of Bendigo.
• Professor Andrew Briggs, Member · Church of England - Commission Project Director, Oxford.
• The Most Revd Linda Nicholls, Member · Canada - Retired Archbishop.
• The Rt Revd Dr Emily Onyango, Member · Kenya - Retired Assistant Bishop of Bondo.
• The Rt Revd Dr Richard Cheetham, Member · Church of England - Co-Director of ECLAS.
• Revd Canon Professor Jennifer Strawbridge, Member · Church of England - Oxford graduate studies and New Testament/Early Christian Studies professor.
• The Rt Revd Dr Renta Nishihara, Member · Nippon Sei Ko Kai - Bishop of Chubu; President of Rikkyo.
• Dr Heather Payne, Member · Church in Wales - Chief Medical Adviser, Welsh Government.
• Professor Gustavo Assi, Member · Brazil - Associate Professor of Naval Architecture/Ocean Engineering, Sao Paulo.
• Dr Santa J. Ono, Member · Canada-USA - Global President, Ellison Institute Oxford.
• The Rt. Rev. Prof. Joseph Galgalo, Consultant · Kenya - Provincial Secretary and Assistant Bishop, All Saints.
• The Revd Canon Dr Stephen Spencer, Consultant · ACO - Director of Theology and Implementation.
• Eamonn Mullally, Consultant · Church of England - Bishops' Spouses Conference representative.
• The Revd Dr Muthuraj Swamy, Consultant · Church of England - ECLAS facilitator and researcher.
• Agnes Lam, Consultant · Hong Kong - Youth Network representative.
• The Rt Revd Andrew Doyle, Consultant · The Episcopal Church - Bishop of Texas; AI/IP task force chair.

Provincial Lead Science Bishops

• The Rt Revd Dr Dickson Daud Chilongani - Tanzania, Central Tanganyika.
• The Rt Revd Luke Pretorius - Southern Africa, St Mark the Evangelist.
• The Most Revd Dr K. Reuben Mark - South India, Moderator and Bishop in Karimnagar.
• The Most Revd Brian Williams - South America, Primate and Bishop of Argentina.
• The Rt Revd Dr Ian Ellis - Ireland, Clogher.
• The Rt Revd Evariste Nijimbere - Burundi, Buhiga.
• The Rt Revd Hilary Ayban Pasikan, Jr - Philippines, Northern Luzon.
• The Rt Revd Sérgio Bambo - Mozambique and Angola, Tete Missionary Diocese.
• The Rt Revd Nicholas Knisely - The Episcopal Church, Rhode Island.
• The Rt Revd Ross Bay - Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, Auckland.
• The Rt Revd Garth Minott - West Indies, Kingston.
• The Revd Canon Dr Pervaiz Sultan - Pakistan, Canon Theologian, Raiwind.
• The Rt Revd Kwame Kyem-Ampomah - West Africa, Wiawso.
• The Rt Revd Mary Stallard - Wales, Llandaff.
• The Rt Revd Titus Ho-Wook Kim - Korea, Daejeon.
• The Most Revd Enrique Treviño Cruz - Mexico, Cuernavaca.
• The Most Revd Juan David Alvarado Melgar - Central America, Primate of IARCA and Bishop of El Salvador.
• The Most Revd Gregory Kerr-Wilson - Canada, Archbishop of Calgary and Metropolitan of the Northern Lights.
• The Rt Revd Shourabh Pholia - Bangladesh, Barisal.
• The Rt Revd Osiward Mapika - Central Africa, Masvingo.
• The Rt Revd Reginald Makele - Papua New Guinea, New Guinea Islands.
• The Rt Revd Francisco De Assis Da Silva - Brazil, Sul Ocidental.
• The Most Revd Dr Samy Shehata - Alexandria, Primate.
• The Rt Revd Anthony Ling - Melanesia, Banks and Torres.
• The Rt Revd Dr Timothy Kwok - Hong Kong, Eastern Kowloon.
• The Rt Revd David Railton - Scottish Episcopal Church, Argyll and The Isles.
• The Rt Revd Dr Anderson Jeremiah - Church of England, Canterbury, Edmonton.
• The Revd Dr Jill Duff - Church of England, York, Lancaster.
• The Rt Revd Dr Matt Brain - Australia, Bendigo.

The role of churches as science communicators

The Revd Professor Kwamena Sagoe, Co-Chair of the Science Commission and Head of Virology at the University of Ghana’s Department of Medical Microbiology, believes that churches play a crucial role.

He said, “Churches are at the heart of their communities. Around the world, many churches regularly play an important role as ‘science communicators’ in community life-for example in relation to matters of pandemic response, climate crisis and other issues.”

Many churches are deeply connected to local communities and are therefore able to help communicate scientific information, support public health responses and engage people with environmental challenges. This role places churches at an important point of contact between scientific knowledge, public life and pastoral care.

Science as a resource for Christian thought leadership

Professor Andrew Briggs, a member of the Science Commission and a Professor of Nanomaterials at the University of Oxford, hopes that the Commission will pave the way for “the worldwide Anglican Communion to give courageous and confident thought leadership involving science.”

He said, “It will achieve this through embracing science as a God-given resource for the life of faith and the work of the church, and by offering the wisdom of faith and the voice of the church to the impact of science and the technologies that arise from science.”

The Commission was formally launched to bridge the gap between the laboratory and the pulpit, marking a decisive shift from a defensive posture to one of confident collaboration. In a world increasingly shaped by scientific complexity, church leaders cannot afford to be silent.

Partnership with ECLAS

ECLAS has partnered with the Anglican Communion Office (ACO) to support and enrich the work of the Anglican Communion Science Commission (ACSC). Revd Dr Muthuraj Swamy, Director of the Cambridge Centre for Christianity Worldwide (CCCW), will act as ECLAS Theological Facilitator and Researcher within the Anglican Communion Office, and explore how ECLAS research, projects and resources can further the work of the ACSC.

He will also engage with ACSC Provincial Lead Bishops on Science and Faith, supporting them to reflect on their roles and activities. Revd Dr Swamy will fulfil this role one day a week, alongside his work with the CCCW.

Revd Dr Swamy has already been working with ECLAS as a research consultant, helping to investigate how context affects how senior Christian leaders engage with science. ECLAS has been leading research into Christian leaders’ attitudes to science for more than a decade, alongside awards programs for churches and theological colleges and providing support for the Church of England’s policy and influencing work.

Revd Dr Swamy earned his PhD at the University of Edinburgh and moved to Cambridge in 2018. He previously worked as Associate Professor, Dean of Theology, and Dean of Postgraduate Studies at Union Biblical Seminary (Serampore University) in India, where he pioneered courses in science and theology.

As CCCW Director, Revd Dr Swamy teaches in the Faculty of Divinity, University of Cambridge, and in the Cambridge Theological Federation.

ECLAS Project Director Revd Prof David Wilkinson signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Bishop Anthony Poggo, Secretary General of the Anglican Communion Office, on Tuesday 8 April to formalise the partnership.

David said: “This is an exciting partnership for ECLAS with the global Anglican Communion in supporting the wonderful initiative of the Anglican Communion Science Commission. In Dr Swamy we have the ideal person to bring theological depth and passion to engage with the big questions of science, and the wisdom and experience to see how different contexts enrich the conversation.”

The Revd Canon Dr Stephen Spencer leads the theological education initiative for the Anglican Communion and is based at the Anglican Communion Office. He said: “Muthuraj’s contribution will take forward the science and faith initiative across the Anglican Communion. I am looking forward to seeing how the Provincial Lead Science bishops will be further resourced in what they are doing. It is really encouraging to see this partnership between ECLAS and the Science Commission through the ACO.”

Revd Dr Swamy said: “Christian engagement with science in different global contexts is part of understanding what World Christianity is, and I admire the work ECLAS and ACSC are doing in this area. I am delighted about this new partnership to strengthen this engagement in the Anglican Communion worldwide, especially among the senior church leaders.”

He added, “I look forward to working in this new role to learn about how Christians engage with science in different global contexts and what we can learn from each other so that we can work together in the service of God’s kingdom.”

Support for young science and faith leaders

The Anglican Communion Science Commission (ACSC) has set up a grant scheme for young leaders who want to engage with science and faith in their local context. Funds will help projects that show how science and faith can be partners in tackling the great challenges of our time, in areas like the environment and health care, or new technologies such as AI.

In a fast-changing world, increasingly shaped by rapid developments in science and technology, the Science Commission hopes it will invest in the leadership and capabilities of the next generation. The scheme is made possible with funding from the Templeton World Charity Foundation.

The Science Commission has set up a new grant scheme for young people who want to engage with science and faith in their local context. Grants are for projects showing how science and faith can be partners in tackling the great challenges of our time, in areas like the environment, health care, or technologies such as AI.

From global policy to local mission

The Commission’s priorities connect global scientific questions with the everyday mission of Anglican churches. Churches can contribute to public conversations about pandemic response, climate resilience, health inequality, disease prevention and the responsible development of artificial intelligence.

Whether addressing food crises, environmental damage or disease outbreak, the Church’s engagement with scientific knowledge is presented as part of its service to communities. Scientific solutions are intended to be culturally relevant and to enrich human life in different contexts across the Global South and North alike.

The Commission’s work also recognises that the Anglican Communion is a worldwide network with varied social, cultural, ecological and economic contexts. A global conversation therefore depends on listening to many voices and allowing local experience to shape theological and scientific reflection.

The Anglican Communion Office

The Anglican Communion Office (ACO) is the official Secretariat of the Anglican Communion, a worldwide network of Anglican churches, in over 165 countries. Encouraging Christian unity and mission, the ACO serves and strengthens the life of the Anglican Communion.

The ACO is the official secretariat of the Anglican Communion. It connects member churches, encourages global mission, fosters Christian unity, promotes ecumenism and amplifies Anglican advocacy.

The ACO also supports and facilitates the ‘Instruments of Communion’: The Anglican Consultative Council, The Lambeth Conference, the Primates’ Meeting and the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Meetings, prayer and formation

More than 30 bishops, academics, and scientists-and some who are all three-will meet from Tuesday through Thursday to pray, engage in Bible study, hear keynote presentations, and develop action plans to advance the Commission’s work within the global Anglican Communion.

A community forum at Virginia Theological Seminary included Bishop Emily Onyango of the Anglican Church of Kenya; the Rev. Canon Dr. Stephen Spencer, Adviser for Theological Education to the Anglican Communion Office; and Dr. Andrew Briggs, Professor of Nanomaterials at Oxford University.

The Commission’s approach combines prayer, learning, theological reflection, scientific expertise and practical planning. This combination is intended to help Anglicans respond to scientific developments with both intellectual confidence and ethical responsibility.

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