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Bridging the Gaps: Can Science and Theology Share a Common Vision of Nature, Life, and Personhood? - Index

Many would say that science and theology are like oil and water; perpetually incompatible. There have certainly been many points of conflict between them, but neither are static - both are evolving (to use a contentious word!) and so the relationship between science and theology will inevitably change too. What might the future hold for this complex relationship?

In these lectures I review how discoveries over the last few hundred years have led us to revise what we believe are correct 'scientific' conceptions of nature, life, and personhood. These descriptions are often very different from those we find in theology, and sometimes incompatible with its teachings. Examples of incompatible scientific views include: "humans are merely animals, or atoms in motion, or robots carrying out the bidding of their genes."

I then make two observations:

  • Some of the most theologically problematic conceptions of nature, life, and personhood, are oversimplifications that persist because they are easy to teach and grasp, but are no longer the current 'scientific' view.
  • In order to tackle longstanding problems such as the origin of life and consciousness, science may be evolving in a direction that will require it to revise these conceptions again, and in ways that will actually be more compatible with theology.

In part one I take a look at these issues in a historical context, and show how the popular, simplified conception of science fails to describe all natural processes equally well.

In part two I speculate on how science may evolve in the future to close more gaps in our understanding of the world, and consider the theological implications of a future where science can give a richer account of nature, life, and personhood.

Email link | Feedback | Contributed by: Adrian Wyard

Topic Sets Available

AAAS Report on Stem-Cells

AstroTheology: Religious Reflections on Extraterrestrial Life Forms

Agency: Human, Robotic and Divine
Becoming Human: Brain, Mind, Emergence
Big Bang Cosmology and Theology (GHC)
Cosmic Questions Interviews

Cosmos and Creator
Creativity, Spirituality and Computing Technologies
CTNS Content Home
Darwin: A Friend to Religion?
Demystifying Information Technology
Divine Action (GHC)
Dreams and Dreaming: Neuroscientific and Religious Visions'
E. Coli at the No Free Lunchroom
Engaging Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence: An Adventure in Astro-Ethics
Evangelical Atheism: a response to Richard Dawkins
Ecology and Christian Theology
Evolution: What Should We Teach Our Children in Our Schools?
Evolution and Providence
Evolution and Creation Survey
Evolution and Theology (GHC)
Evolution, Creation, and Semiotics

The Expelled Controversy
Faith and Reason: An Introduction
Faith in the Future: Religion, Aging, and Healthcare in the 21st Century

Francisco Ayala on Evolution

From Christian Passions to Scientific Emotions
Genetic Engineering and Food

Genetics and Ethics
Genetic Technologies - the Radical Revision of Human Existence and the Natural World

Genomics, Nanotechnology and Robotics
Getting Mind out of Meat
God and Creation: Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Perspectives on Big Bang Cosmology
God, Humanity and the Cosmos: A Textbook in Science and Religion
God the Spirit - and Natural Science
Historical Examples of the Science and Religion Debate (GHC)
History of Creationism
Intelligent Design Coming Clean

Issues for the Millennium: Cloning and Genetic Technologies
Jean Vanier of L'Arche
Nano-Technology and Nano-ethics
Natural Science and Christian Theology - A Select Bibliography
Neuroscience and the Soul
Outlines of the Science and Religion Debate (GHC)

Perspectives on Evolution

Physics and Theology
Quantum Mechanics and Theology (GHC)
Questions that Shape Our Future
Reductionism (GHC)
Reintroducing Teleology Into Science
Science and Suffering

Scientific Perspectives on Divine Action (CTNS/Vatican Series)

Space Exploration and Positive Stewardship

Stem-Cell Debate: Ethical Questions
Stem-Cell Ethics: A Theological Brief

Stem-Cell Questions
Theistic Evolution: A Christian Alternative to Atheism, Creationism, and Intelligent Design...
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