Science and the Spiritual Quest - Interviews

Science and the Three Monotheisms in the 21st Century, A New Partnership?
Granada Spain, August 2002

John Polkinghorne

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• Biographical background
• On his transition from physicist to priest
• On his time as a priest in Bristol and Kent
• On preaching versus lecturing
• On his work in particle physics
• On beauty and wonder in nature
• On reductionism and relationality in science and theology
• On Creationism
• On the problem of evil and suffering
• On exciting new work on complex systems
• On the notion that people might one day be downloaded into computers
• On receiving the Templeton Prize and being founding president of the ISSR
• On the idea that religion is carried out in solitude
• On the need for multi-religious dialogue
• On Christianity, Judaism and Islam
• On the need for constructive dialogue between disparate views
• On progress in the dialogue between the sciences and religions
• On the significance of creation and purpose in the universe

Munawar Anees

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• On September 11, cultural imperialism, and the need to build bridges
• On the historical peaceful coexistence of Islam, Judaism and Christianity in Granada, Spain
• On the future of Islamic culture
• On the Islamic teaching on suicide and killing of children and women
• On a positive future for Islamic culture
• The key role of Islamic scholarship in western history

Carl Feit

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• Biographical background
• On areas where science and Judaism overlap
• On the role of science in the improvement of nature
• On the current state of dialogue between science and religion

Mehdi Golshani

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• Biographical background
• On indeterminacy in quantum mechanics and Islamic perspectives on nature
• On the study of nature as a way to worship God
• On the search for coherence in science and and Islam
• On Mulla Sadra and modern cosmology
• On the centrality of God in Islamic philosophy
• On the accomplishments of science, and persistent social problems
• On the need to keep science and politics separate, and the role of religion
• On ideas shared across monotheistic traditions, and their role in promoting peace
• On the need for a new political vision, and to place science in a larger framework
• On the future of multi-religious and science/religion dialogue

S. Jocelyn Bell Burnell

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• Biographical background
• On the lack of connection between her astronomy research and religious life
• On her discovery of Pulsars
• On the need for honesty in science and religion
• On multi-religious dialogue
• On the nature of hope

William Hurlbut

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• Biographical background
• On the relationship between science and religion
• On theological thinking and scientific thinking
• On the future of biotechnology and the associated ethical challenges

Bruno Guiderdoni

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• Biographical background
• On his research on galaxy formation
• On reductionism and the need to unify knowledge
• On the word 'God', theology, and their role in descriptions of reality
• On September 11, the search for truth, and limits of knowledge

Noah Efron

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• On his research interests
• On David Ganz, and the interaction of Jewish, Christian and Islamic scholars
• On the shifting relationship between humans and nature
• On the relevance of science to Judaism
• On Jewish views on fetal stem-cell research

Tsevi Mazeh

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• Biographical background, and his role in the search for extra-solar planets
• On the detection of extra-solar planets
• On the connection between science and religion
• On the differences between science and religion
• On religion and political extremism

Pauline Rudd

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• Background on Pauline Rudd
• On her view of the relation between science and religion
• On her religious views and the openness of science
• On scientific discovery and religious insight
• On the eureka moment
• On the role of science and religion today
• On Creation and Evolution

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