Aim of Course
This course is divided into 2 weeks, and applicants can apply for either week or both. The first week is especially for scientists and looks at some of the big questions in the science/religion debate. Some of the topics covered in the first short course are now treated in a more detail with focussed days on the anthropic principle, evolution, mind/brain, how science and religion may relate, and ethical issues in the application of science. The second week focuses more in depth on the history and philosophy of science/religion, for example including how knowledge in each sphere is justified, and how God might act in a world described by scientific laws.
Speakers (listed in alphabetical order) and topics
- Dr Denis Alexander : Truth Telling in the Practice of Science
- R.J. Berry (deceased) FRSE: God: Incompetent, Impotent, Interfering or What?
- Dr Subrata Chattopadhyay : An Eastern Perspective on Science, Religion and Evil
- Peter Harrison : Religious Origins of Modern Science, Role of the Bible
- Revd Margot Hodson : Human Responsibility for the Environment in a Fallen World
- Dr Stuart Judge : Divine Action and the Brain
- David Lindberg : Augustine & Roger Bacon, Galileo
- Dr Ard Louis : Divine Action and the Origin of Life
- Ernan McMullin (deceased) : Theologies of Nature
- Revd Dr John Polkinghorne KBE FRS: Natural theology; creation: time and evil; divine action
- Revd Michael Roberts : From Darwin to Scopes
- Dr Nicholas Saunders : Divine Action and Modern Science
- Mikael Stenmark : Models for Relating Science and Religion, Scientism
- Roger Trigg : Justification of scientific/religious knowledge
Venue
The course will be held at St Edmunds College, Mount Pleasant, Cambridge, CB3 0BN
Course Schedule
| Sunday July 23 | |
| 5.00 pm | Arrival |
| 7.00 pm | Dinner |
| 8.30 pm | Drinks Reception – Getting to Know You |
|
Monday July 24: Theme – ‘History of the Relationship Between Science and Religion’ |
|
| 8.00 am | Breakfast |
| 9.00 am | Prof. David Lindberg: The Mediaeval Church Encounters the Classical Tradition: St Augustine and Roger Bacon |
| 10.00 am | Questions and Discussion |
| 10.30 am | Coffee Break |
| 11.00 am | Prof. David Lindberg: The Florentine Heretic? Galileo, the Church, and the Cosmos |
| 12.00 pm | Questions and Discussion |
| 1.00 pm | Lunch |
| 2.00 pm | Prof. Peter Harrison: The Religious Origins of Modern Science |
| 3.00 pm | Questions and Discussion |
| 3.30 pm | Tea Break |
| 4.00 pm | Prof. Peter Harrison: The Role of the Bible in the Emergence of Science |
| 5.00 pm | Questions and Discussion |
| 5.30 pm | Revd Michael Roberts: From Darwin to Scopes |
| 6.30 pm | Questions and Discussion |
| 7.00 pm | Dinner |
| 8.30 pm | Panel Discussion with 3 Speakers Questions and Discussion |
| 10.00 pm | Bar and more Discussion |
|
Tuesday July 25: Theme – ‘History of the Relationship between Science and Religion (continued)’ |
|
| 8.00 am | Breakfast |
| 9.00 am | Prof. Ernan McMullin (deceased): Theologies of Nature |
| 10.00 am | Questions and Discussion |
| 10.30 am | Coffee Break |
| 11.00 am | Prof. Roger Trigg: The Rationality of Science |
| 12.00 pm | Questions and Discussion |
| 1.00 pm | Lunch |
| 2.00 pm | Dr Denis Alexander: Truth Telling in the Practice of Science |
| 3.00 pm | Questions and Discussion |
| 3.30 pm | Tea Break |
| 4.00 pm | Prof. Mikael Stenmark: The Fallacy of Scientism as a Worldview |
| 5.00 pm | Questions and Discussion |
| 5.30 pm | Prof. Roger Trigg: Does Religious Belief Need Justification? |
| 6.30 pm | Questions and Discussion |
| 7.00 pm | Dinner |
| 8.30 pm | Panel Discussion with 5 Speakers Questions and Discussion |
| 10.00 pm | Bar and more Discussion |
|
Wednesday July 26: Theme – ‘The Justification of Scientific and Religious Knowledge (continued)’ |
|
| 8.00 am | Breakfast |
| 9.00 am | Prof. Mikael Stenmark: Models For Relating Science and Religion |
| 10.00 am | Questions and Discussion |
| 10.30 am | Coffee Break |
| 11.00 am | Revd Dr John Polkinghorne: Natural Theology |
| 12.00 pm | Questions and Discussion |
| 1.00 pm | Lunch |
| 2.00 pm | Prof. Roger Trigg: Science, Faith and Postmodernism |
| 3.00 pm | Questions and Discussion |
| 3.30 pm | Tea Break |
| 4.00 pm | Cambridge History of Science Tour II: The Darwin Papers? |
| 7.30 pm | Dinner |
| 8.30 pm | Panel Discussion with 3 Speakers Questions and Discussion |
|
Thursday July 27: Theme – ‘God�s Interaction with the World’ |
|
| 8.00 am | Breakfast |
| 9.00 am | Revd Dr John Polkinghorne: Divine Action |
| 10.00 am | Questions and Discussion |
| 10.30 am | Coffee Break |
| 11.00 am | Dr Nicholas Saunders: Divine Action and Modern Science |
| 12.00 pm | Questions and Discussion |
| 1.00 pm | Lunch |
| 2.00 pm | Dr Ard Louis: Divine Action and the Origin of Life |
| 3.00 pm | Questions and Discussion |
| 3.30 pm | Tea Break |
| 4.00 pm | Dr Stuart Judge: Divine Action and the Brain |
| 5.00 pm | Questions and Discussion |
| 5.30 pm | Prof. R.J. Berry (deceased): God: Incompetent, Impotent, Interfering or What? |
| 6.30 pm | Questions and Discussion |
| 7.00 pm | Dinner |
| 8.30 pm | Panel Discussion with 5 Speakers Questions and Discussion |
| 10.00 pm | Bar and more Discussion |
|
Friday July 28: Theme – ‘Science, Religion, and Evil’ |
|
| 8.00 am | Breakfast |
| 9.00 am | Subrata Chattopadhyay: An Eastern Perspective on Science, Religion and Evil |
| 10.00 am | Questions and Discussion |
| 10.30 am | Coffee Break |
| 11.00 am | Revd Margot Hodson: Human Responsibility for the Environment in a Fallen World |
| 12.00 pm | Questions and Discussion |
| 1.00 pm | Lunch |
| 2.00 pm | Revd Dr John Polkinghorne: Creation: Time and Evil |
| 3.00 pm | Questions and Discussion |
| 3.30 pm | Tea Break |
| 4.00 pm | |
| 5.00 pm | Questions and Discussion |
| 5.30 pm | Panel Discussion with 4 Speakers Questions and Discussion |
| 7.30 pm | Gala Dinner |
|
Saturday July 29 |
|
| 8.00 am | Breakfast |
| 9.00 am | |