Letters to a Southern Baptist Minister

Letters to a Southern Baptist Minister 

In the essay “Letter to a Southern Baptist Minister”, Edward O. Wilson reached out to a pastor, asking for his help. He explicitly explains his views towards religion and how Earth came to be. Wilson grew up a boy of religion, just like most children do. As he became older, he turned the other way. Even though his views are based on a scientific perspective Wilson believes that himself along with the pastor could easily sit down and discuss what is going to happen to this earth if daily habits continue. Being a Southerner is the main bondage of these two individuals. Wilson goes on describing why religion does not make sense in his eyes. Heaven and hell are what we “create for ourselves” (464). Putting that aside, uncontrollable things are happening to this world and Wilson feels that this Southern pastor would be the only one to understand. Each individual are to blame for killing what Wilson calls the Creation. Every living species is beautiful in their own unique way, yet within the next few decades, these spectacular creatures will soon begin to disappear forever. Wilson goes on and questions the lacks of interest religious leaders have on protecting the precious Creation. Humans are too self-centered preparing for the afterlife, rather than Nature itself.  When the time comes for God to divide us between these two afterlives, some may be set free in heaven with body and spirit, while others continue a life of suffering and die a brutal death. Those who are sent to hell will stay there forever while Earth withers away. Yet somehow, 10 billion other forms of life do not matter? Wilson begs the pastor to prove him wrong. He goes on backing up his claim by using research and ideals from the famous Charles Darwin. Darwin separated himself from religion and science and created the theory of evolution. This is what separates Wilson from the pastor. However, Wilson will cross the lines of Christian denomination in order to help our ever changing Earth. He ends wanting to gain knowledge, yet off scientific insight to the situation as well, even though science and religion rarely mix. 

In my perspective, Wilson completely achieves his purpose of the letter. He goes into this letter explaining his views very intensely, but goes into detail about how he understands the religious views as well. Science and religion should be combined to save the well being of mother nature. Wilson finds other ways himself and the past can connect, “…we are both Americans and, insofar as it might still affect civility and good manners, we are both Southerners” (463). I, myself, do not believe in a type of religion or “greater being”, but I feel that doesn’t make me more right than anyone else. I feel Wilson needs an outsider’s opinion on this ever changing Earth. Scientists may give the same answer, but sometimes a pastor has another insight on to make Earth beautiful once again. I did feel lost at some points of his essay because he jumped back and forth between science and religion a lot. After going back and rereading, though, there is a clear connection between the two things, no matter how separated they may seem, which will probably help the pastor see Wilson’s point. The most attention getting point of this letter was when Wilson really showed is true colors on science and religion combined. He put his foot down questioning if “human-centered ethics and preparation for the afterlife are the only things that matter?” (465) At this moment did Wilson show the importance of saving the Creation. I started losing interest and personal connection with his writing, but the paragraph and on really caught my attention and made me realize why he needed the help of the pastor. Some things are too great to only see in one light.