Issue 65 / Fall 2017

65 / Science & Religion
Exploring the harmonies
Creative Nonfiction #65 is dedicated to discovering unexplored harmonies between science and religion. Whether considering the spiritual potential of Google search, talking to high school biology teachers in central Pennsylvania, studying the Mormon cosmos, or forging a career path that passes through both the seminary and the science lab, the writers in this issue seek a nuanced view of the world that demands both wisdom and wonder.
Plus, an encounter with Marilynne Robinson; the challenges of writing about religious experience without using the word God; a survey of spiritual writing, from St. Augustine to St. Joan (Didion); tiny truths; and more.
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What’s the Story #65
"The intersections of these two ways of understanding the world are rarely examined—and when they are, the primary narrative is one of conflict"Contagious Empathy
Looking up from our screens and going for a walk may be our salvationEncounter: This Essentially Meaningless Conflict
Marilynne Robinson on the difference between science and “science”—and why the former poses no threat to religionAbsolute Mystery
Is it possible to write about faith without using the word God?Beyond the Primordial Ooze: “Real” Americans and the Supposed Divide Between Science and Religion
Searching for a new narrative on a road trip through small towns in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and central OhioSearch History
Is the Google search bar our new collective altar?Man of Science, Man of Faith
Two answers—different, though not so different as they seem—to the timeless question: Why do I exist, and what am I supposed to do with my life?“Shuddering Before the Beautiful”: Trains of Thought Across the Mormon Cosmos
If the Church is the train, heading toward eternal happiness, why would you ever disembark?Under the Stars
A recent convert to Judaism struggles to make sense of her younger brother's illnessThe Best Panaceas for Heartaches
Why would God let children die? And other impossible questionsShaping the Spiritual
How do we revive our sense of wonder, breathe life into words, and summon our writing spirit?Writing about Rituals, and Rituals That Help Us Write
Just going through the motions can be a rich source of inspirationGetting Away from Getting Away from It All
Discovering the difference between solitude and loneliness at a writers' residencyRevisiting the Loneliness of the Long-Distance Writer
Cynthia D. Bertelsen learns to embrace the isolation of the writing lifeTrying to Conceive
Do you have to believe in the line on a home pregnancy test to see it?Tis Essentially Meaningless Conflict
Ruminating, Research, and Realizing
"I have always felt that my mission as an illustrator is to honor the work of past luminaries while creating works that reflect my own era’s thinking"