The Midwest Religion and Science Society (MRSS) is an organization dedicated to the dialog between Religion and Science. A primary interest of the MRSS is Religion and Consciousness.
The MRSS has local chapters at Andrews University (MI), Bluffton University (OH), Goshen College (IN), Manchester College (IN), Ohio Northern University (OH), the University of Notre Dame (IN), and the University of St. Francis (IN). There are two major meetings of the MRSS each year, one at Goshen College (March) and one at Andrews University (October).
The MRSS was formed with a core planning group of the regular participants from four church-affiliated institutions in geographic proximity to one another: Goshen College, the University of St. Francis, and Bluffton University. These institutions are considered “charter members” of an ongoing effort in outreach and diversification throughout the Upper Midwest region (Ohio, Michigan, Indiana). Primarily, the MRSS is a research and discussion group, with meetings facilitated by members to review and discuss books and journal articles. Books considered for the group include titles from Willem Drees, George Ellis, Niels Henrik Gregersen, John Haught, Nancey Murphy, Arthur Peacocke, Ted Peters, John Polkinghorne, and Holmes Rolston. Regularly scheduled business meetings focus on subjects and speakers for Goshen Conference on Science and Religion as the key event and catalyst for providing an additional forum, member recruiting, and outreach to other area institutions and the surrounding community.
Individual membership is not limited to faculty and students, but open to all persons interested in engaging in the dialogue between science and faith. The MRSS also supports a College Program providing speakers and programs to chapel services or similar programs of member institutions, and a Youth Program for high school students and provides stipends for students to attend the yearly conference. Matching funds are provided by charter member institutions and the Miller-Jeschke Program for Christian Faith and the Natural Sciences at Goshen College.
The steering committee of MRSS consists of academics in physics, Old Testament, mathematics, philosophy, and biology from the charter institutions.