RELIGIOUS ATTITUDES, THE WILDERNESS ADVENTURE, AND THE STUDY OF EARTH HISTORY: REFLECTIONS FROM THE COLORADO RIVER EXPEDITION OF 1871-1872

The personal tensions caused by differences in scientific information and religious belief are documented by many present day writers. It is more difficult to know how members of parties engaged in scientific exploration in the late 1800's felt about those tensions.

Three members (S.V. Jones, J.F. Steward, and F.M. Bishop) of the 1871-1872 Colorado River expedition led by John Wesley Powell comment on their feelings about God, nature, and religious practice in their journals. Their respective beliefs are consistent with their pursuits after they left the expedition; apparently their experiences did little to change their views. The three viewpoints (finding God in nature, believing in a creator God that rules over nature, and giving practice of ritual primacy over belief) are all to be found today. They diverge in a basic understanding of sources of knowledge and authority.

Many people describe mystical experiences or spiritual encounters in nature. The responses of these three men to the wonders and rigors of their adventure suggest that we are culturally predisposed to the type of experience we have in nature. Our prior notions may be quite resilient and resistant to change. This is clearly something we need to consider when we address students who may have similarly resilient beliefs.