Scientists are debating whether or not to publish a recent H5N1 study after virologists said they had developed a bird flu virus - with a 60 per cent human mortality rate - that could spread as easily as the common cold.
Some fear the virus, if it fell into the wrong hands, could be modified by bioterrorists into a weapon that kills billions of people. But supporters said publishing the H5N1 study would have the opposite effect, by helping governments and other scientists learn about how they could counter such pandemics - whether they occurred naturally or artificially.
Australia has ramped up its multimillion-dollar bid to host the world's largest and most sensitive radio telescope, before a February decision on where to put the 3000-dish instrument.
Leonardo da Vinci's Vitruvian Man is the most widely recognised drawing on the planet, an iconic study of human form and proportion depicting a man standing with arms outstretched, framed by a circle and square. In his new book, Da Vinci's Ghost, Toby Lester uncovers its long and intricate history, explaining how the drawing built on the idea that the human form was a precisely proportioned structure representing the measure of all things - a philosophy developed by the Roman architect Vitruvius during the rule of Caesar Augustus.
The richest countries caused the problem, but it is the world's poorest who are already suffering from its effects, and the international community must commit to righting that wrong, argue Desmond Tutu and Mary Robinson at the Durbin climate talks.
Eminent thinker and commentator Revd Dr John , Fellow of the Royal Society, gives an overview of his talk at St Edmund's College, Cambridge, entitled A Destiny Beyond Death, sharing his understanding of the relationship between science and religion.
Ruth Bancewicz reviews Richard Dawkins' latest book "The Magic of Reality" on the Test of Faith website. The review finds that there is much to appreciate in this book, especially Dawkins' sense of wonder at the natural world and the many beautiful illustrations and analogies, notwithstanding his underlying reliance on a logical positivist philosophy and a rather blunt treatment of metaphysics and myths.
Is it possible to be both a Christian and a scientist? Ian Hutchinson, professor of nuclear science and engineering at MIT, argues that it is, drawing from the testimony of history and of his own life.
Leading Australian scientists including Ian Chubb, Penny Sackett and Stephan Lewandowsky share their thoughts on science education, scepticism, self-criticism and other topics in an extensive twelve-part series called "The State of Science" published by The Conversation.
Prof. Clark is an ISCAST fellow and the Florey medal is awarded biennially to an Australian biomedical researcher for significant achievements in biomedical science and / or human health advancement.
The controversial Australian bioethicist Julian Savulescu has argued the case for a 'new eugenics' and that we have a moral obligation to pursue human perfection. Now, on ABC's All in the Mind program, Savulescu proposes that we should be using science and technology for moral enhancement itself.
An interesting article in the latest issue of Theology, (Nov.c 2011, Vol 114 #6, pages 403-413_ ), "Is the world unfinished? On interactions between science and theology in the concepts of nature, time and the future" by Jürgen Moltmann (the Boyle Lecture for 2011), with an acute response from Alan Torrance.
The (quite brief) lecture sets discussion of these issues in the context of long-term historical reflection in a very helpful way including an illuminating discussion of the 'two books' model (the scriptures and nature).
Barney Zwartz examines the assumptions that form the
foundation of the scientific enterprise in The Religious Write blog. Zwartz reviews the recent debate between the atheist physicist Alan Lightman and the atheist philosopher Daniel Dennet, noting their highly divergent views on the connections between science and faith.
“Treasures in the archive include Isaac Newton’s first published scientific paper, geological work by a young Charles Darwin, and Benjamin Franklin’s celebrated account of his electrical kite experiment.”
Date: 30 November – 2 December Venue: Etihad Stadium, Melbourne
Educate, Activate, Celebrate
Engineers Australia and Engineers Without Borders are proud to bring you imagineering - the Humanitarian Engineering Conference 2011, held at Etihad Stadium.
On BBC Radio 4, Andrew Marr discusses the wonders of the universe with Lisa Randall, Richard Dawkins and the Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks.
The cosmologist Professor Randall looks at the how the latest developments in physics have the potential to alter radically our view of the world around us, and our place within it.
Will Australia’s future be godless? Should there be chaplains in public schools? Should faith inform politics? Should religious belief be reflected in Australian law? Does scientific inquiry preclude belief in God? These are questions raised by the emergence of the ‘new atheism’ in Australia. They are serious questions not only for people of faith but for Australian society as a whole.
Mick Pope writes on the Ethos Environment Blog: "As someone who has suggested Christians become active in caring for 'the environment' or more theologically correct 'the creation', even if it means being involved with, following information from and copying those who do not share our faith, I have been labelled a pagan. Is this fair?"
The past 30 years have seen the most remarkable advances in the study of the brain. And the past ten have seen more advances in our understanding than all the other years combined.
For the first time since 1915, an Australian has taken home the Nobel Prize for Physics.
Astrophysicist Brian Schmidt last night became only the 12th Australian to win a Nobel prize, recognised for his ground-breaking research on supernovae and the expansion of the universe.
Audio is now availalble from Prof. Nancey Murphy's presentation at the Rollie Busch Memorial Lecture delivered at 7.30pm, Wednesday 24th August 2011, at Trinity Theological College, Brisbane.
Sarah Coakley, Professor of Divinity, gives an honest appraisal of the key problems that evolution proposes for theism, and develops some sophisticated responses, drawing on the Christian doctrines of Incarnation, Trinity and kenosis.
Physicists report that sub-atomic particles called neutrinos can travel faster than light, a finding that, if verified, would blast a hole in Einstein's theory of relativity.
DNA sequencing of a 100-year-old lock of hair has established that Aboriginal Australians have a longer continuous association with the land than any other race of people.
ACMI presents the world premiere of Star Voyager: Exploring Space on Screen, a major exhibition charting the history and future of space exploration as experienced through the moving image.
ISCAST Gippsland is pleased to report that our event last Saturday night (Science & Religion: Where the real conflict lies - Discussion of Alvin Plantinga lecture) was a fantastic evening attended by an enthusiastic small group of scientists, philosophers, teachers and students. We have had lots of positive feedback from the night, and are planning to follow it up with future events geared at thinking Christians in the Gippsland area.
It may come as a big surprise to many, but there is actually no difference between how science works in astronomy and climate change – or any other scientific discipline for that matter, writes Matthew Bailes of Swinburne University.
Cybertheology: Just how much does Christian doctrine have in common with the open-source software movement? Quite a lot, argues Antonio Spadaro, an Italian Jesuit priest.
Many neuroscientists believe free will is an illusion—and that they are on track to prove it. But a new report in Nature (September 1) highlights efforts by philosophers to convince these scientists to re-think their approach.
In the past decade, many scientists have come to believe that ours is only one of many universes, and that the laws of physics may be different in each one. If this “multiverse” theory is correct, it would appear to resolve many fundamental issues about the nature of existence.
From ABC Australia: The gulf between science and religion it seems has never been greater, new atheists hurl invective at believers, and fundamentalists dig deeper into their trenches. In between most simply gaze at the fireworks with bemusement. But to what extent is this sideshow a symptom of a deeper disconnect, one that should disturb us all?
Melissa Mack writes for Australian online paper InDaily about the science and faith conference currently being held at Tabor College in Adelaide, jointly organised by The Faraday Institute and Tabor College.
The BioLogos’ website features a number of clips from the forthcoming documentary ‘A Leap of Truth’, featuring Faraday advisory board members Prof. Alister McGrath and Revd Dr John Polkinghorne.
ISI has released an expansive compendium called 'The Nature of Nature: Examining the Role of Naturalism in Science", which is now widely available at a very affordable price. At over 900 pages and 500,000 words, the book features over forty essays from an extremely diverse field of philosophers and thinkers including Alvin Plantinga, Robert Koons, Stephen Meyer, Michael Shermer, Alan Guth, Nancey Murphy, Roger Penrose, John Searle, Dallas Willard, Michael Behe, Michael Ruse, William Lane Craig and Howard Van Till.
CNN reports on a recent study in the US into the correlation between levels of education and levels of religious belief. It turns out that the secularist truism "more educated = less religious" is not accurate. It all boils down to what you mean by "religious".
A review of Nancy Ellen Abrams and Joel R. Primack’s Yale University Press-published book on developing a “shared cosmology”. The book has received positive reviews from Desmond Tutu, Martin Rees and Paul Davies.
Enclosed in a metal spacecraft, the Mars500 crew have endured 438 days of isolation, living on a spartan diet of cereal bars and pasta with precious little contact with friends and family back home.
Denis Overbye reports for the New York Times on the latest attempts by scientists to create life artificially in the lab. By some accounts, they are getting very close indeed.
What is emergence? Ross McKenzie explains this key concept in science and religion using examples from different areas of science. The concept of emergence is examined from both philosophical and theological standpoints. The key question is, does it have an relevance for our lives today?
Are you interested in working in aid and development within Australia or overseas? Do you see Climate Change as a social justice issue but not sure how we can address this?
Engineers Without Borders presents 'Pathways to Development': a weekend-long workshop for anyone with an interest in development work. Gain skills, learn more and listen to experiences of returned develoment volunteers.
The issue of medically supervised (“safe”) injecting rooms polarises the community, and many Christians are strongly opposed to the idea. But drug and alcohol physician Alan Gijsbers examines the arguments on both sides of the debate for Engage.mail.
For those who cannot attend this week's debate between John Lennox / Peter Singer in Melbourne, you can catch the online stream one day later (delay due to time-zone difference) for only $1.99.
The debate, on the topic "Is There a God?" will take place at 7pm on Wednesday July 20th at the Melbourne Town Hall.
Australia's Chief Scientist, , has lamented the quality of public debate on climate change, saying it ''borders on appalling'' and the level of scientific literacy among politicians is ''not high'', reports The Age.
The 2011 New College Lectures will be held from the 27-29 September and will feature three ‘younger’ theologians who will explore the theme, ‘The future of theology’. This is a theme that has an eschatological foundation and the hope that resurrection brings (1 Peter 1:3).
The New Atheism - A Christian Response Date: 2-3 September 2011 Where: Dunedin, New Zealand
The New Atheists claim that believers in ‘the god hypothesis’ should not be tolerated, but should be actively countered and the shoddy arguments supporting their beliefs should be exposed. Leaders among the New Atheists have launched a broadside against all religious beliefs, but have given special attention to the claims of Christianity.
Event: Science & Religion seminar @ Christian Union 'Super Summit' Date: Tuesday 5th July, 2010, 4:00-5:30pm Location: Philip Island Adventure Resort, Cowes, Philip Island Description: James Garth will be running a 90-minute workshop on “Science and Religion” as part of the Christian Union “Super Summit” event.
The first annual Borderlands Seminar was a great success, with Professor Tom McLeish, Durham University's Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Research. Tom explored ‘the Borderlands of Science and Faith.' If you would like to watch the seminar, it was broadcast online and is available here.
At the Cern particle collider in Geneva, physicists have created and trapped 309 antihydrogen atoms for a record amount of time, up to 1,000 seconds (just over 16 minutes). Their findings are published in this month's edition of Nature Physics.
Prominent Australian research biologist Sir Gustav Nossal discusses science, vaccinations, climate change, uncertainty and belief in a wide-ranging interview with Jo Chandler in The Age.
Prof. Alister McGrath, one of the world’s leading authorities on Richard Dawkins and the New Atheism, speaks about the challenges of radical secularism. Beginning from the premise that New Atheism is the start of an important theological conversation, Prof McGrath moves on to discuss some of the major themes and a Christian critique of them. *Please note the last few minutes of the talk was not recorded*
Mark Vernon reviews Keith Ward's latest book "More Than Matter?" in the May/June issue of Philosophy Now magazine. In his book, Ward comes down squarely on the side of the dualists and idealists in the major intellectual battle currently underway about what it is to be human, suggesting that materialism is inadequate in areas of scientific investigation such as quantum physics and consciousness, and that "human persons are not accidental mistakes in a pointless perambulation of fundamental particles. They are a window into the inner reality, value, and purpose of the cosmos."
Prominent scholar N.T. Wright has weighed into the debate over Stephen Hawking's recent comments dismissing heaven as a "fairy story for people afraid of the dark". According to Wright, Hawking's views on heaven are very low-grade and bear little resemblance to the sophisticated views of Christian theism: "In the Bible, "heaven" isn't "the place where people go when they die.", in the Bible heaven is God's space while earth - or, if you like, "the cosmos" or "creation" - is our space."
This summer Fixed Point will be sponsoring a debate in Melbourne, Australia on the topic "Is There a God?" The debate will feature Princeton University Bio-ethicist and atheist Peter Singer and Oxford University Professor and Christian John Lennox. When: July 20th, 2011.
Searching for God in a Time of Doubt - Frank Brennan SJ will be interviewing a very interesting Czech thinker - Tomas Halik from Prague. Date: June 1st @ 6pm Venue: Newman College, Parkville.
Australia wants to show the world it is serious about space and is using years of well-honed hypersonic know-how to prove it by developing technology for a scramjet-based system for access to space, writes Guy Norris of Aviation Week.
Sir John Houghton discusses fractals, their intricacy, beauty and uncanny similiarity with patterns found in nature, in the May 2011 edition of Third Way magazine:
"Many scientists, in emphasizing the dominance of chance processes in the universe, have argued for the absence of purpose and meaning within it. The emergence of fractals over a very wide range of scientific disciplines, I believe, encourages us to question such arguments.
Australian intellectual Ian Lowe discusses philosophy of science and the political impact of scientific uncertainty in his essay from Edition 31 of the Griffith Review; entitled "The crumbling wall: Science, certainty and value judgements". Lowe utilizes Kuhn's concept of "scientific revolutions" and its application to the progressive development of scientific theories of continental drift, big-bang cosmology, and climate change.
Cultural and intellectual historian Jackson Lears has published a comprehensive critique of Sam Harris' "The Moral Landscape: How Science Can Determine Human Values" in the May 16th edition of The Nation. Lears finds Harris' approach to be seriously deficient, based on underdeveloped neuroscientific inferences and relying on a confused philosophical blend of reductionism and consequentialism that is reminiscent of widely-discredited early 20th century positivism.
Ask the person on the street for an opinion about science and religion, and you are likely to hear something about a confrontation. This article by Prof. Ted Davis turns the debate upside down, and shows how Christianity played an important part in the emergence of science as we know it.
While Science can tell us how an earthquake or tsunami happens, faith asks ‘why?', writes Canon Dr Andrew McGowan, Warden of Trinity College, the University of Melbourne:
Graeme Clark Research Institute Launch Date: 29 August 2011, 4pm Venue: Tabor Adelaide
The Graeme Clark Research Institute (GCRI) is a new initiative that is being established to conduct, facilitate and promote research and development within Tabor Adelaide in the broad context of Christian service to the community.
How do non scientists assess scientific evidence? How certain is the science or can it be? Murray Hogg, engineer and theologian, discusses these issues in the latest Engage.mail.
The University of Cambridge has developed a special section on their website where an extensive archive of lectures and seminars from the Faraday Institute can be streamed or downloaded in a number of convenient formats.
In a new blog on the ABC Religion and Ethics site, Alister McGrath answers the question "Has Science Killed God?" with a resounding No, drawing on William Lane Craig, Peter Medawar, and even Stephen Jay Gould to make his case.
Marek Kohn writes for The Guardian on a new book by Tim Flannery entitled "Here on Earth: A New Beginning". He reviews it critically, questioning the weight which its author assigns to the argument that the ideas of Alfred Russell Wallace hold the key to sustainable existence on earth.
For years, ethical issues hampered progress in stem cell research. Now, experts believe that developments in reprogrammed induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells will truly revolutionise the treatment of life-threatening illnesses. Alok Jha from the Guardian provides an informative overview of this technology.
A movie, ppt slides, audio and a transcript of the James Gregory Public Lecture from 3rd March, 2011, "Can a Scientist Believe in Miracles?" by Sir Colin Humphreys is now available.
Andrew Hamilton writes for Eureka Street on the relationship between science and Christianity, considering the conflicts associated with Galileo and Darwin, among other issues.
Those involved with ISCAST are deeply aware of the suspicion, even the hostility, with which science and its practitioners are often met in the Christian community. It’s a situation which ISCAST aspires to remedy and so it was with no small excitement that we discovered the John Templeton Foundation addressing this very problem through their 2010 funding priority “Religious Leadership in an Age of Science.”
The Australian Academy of Sciences has produced a document called The Science of Climate Change - Questions and Answers which aims to explain the current situation in climate science, including where there is consensus in the scientific community and where uncertainties exist.
Famed geneticist Francis Collins and science/religion scholar Karl Giberson have just published The Language of Science and Faith: Straight Answers to Genuine Questions, a non-fiction volume for the general reader that tackles difficult and controversial questions in the religion-and-science dialogue in a style that is both intelligent and accessible.
Jeremy Stangroom interviews physicist Russell Stannard on the further development of his prayer experiment, in which two groups of heart surgery patients are compared, one prayed for, and the other not.
Prior to giving the Faraday Institute lecture on Tuesday 1st March, NASA astronomer Dr Jennifer Wiseman was interviewed by Woman's Hour about the search for exoplanets and how science and faith are integrated in her work and life.
Bishop John Wilson, former Bishop of the Southern Region, Anglican Diocese of Melbourne, died recently after a long battle with cancer. We in ISCAST are all of course saddened by John's death. He was a good friend to ISCAST and attended many meetings over the years as time permitted. Both he and his wife, Jill, attended COSAC07 at Geelong, to hear Professor Alister McGrath speaking about the nature of reality.
Dr Nancey Murphy surveys the history of personhood on the Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences website, and asks whether modern reductionist accounts of what it means to be human are fundamentally incompatible with the Christian faith.
Alister McGrath's recent book "The Passionate Intellect" has won the 2011 Christianity Today Book Award for Apologetics / Evangelism.
"McGrath illustrates how theology transforms our thinking and behavior, and how true apologetics engages not only the mind but also the heart and imagination. His critique of the New Atheism is brilliant."
Sr. Joan Chittister's lastest column has been posted to NCRonline.org.
The theological implications of evolution, the social and religious issues inherent in interfaith cooperation, and the kinds of personal spiritual conversion necessary if global justice and national accountability is ever to be achieved are boiling up everywhere while the world ignores them.
An extraterrestrial-themed edition of the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A has been published. In it, scientists examine all aspects of the search for extraterrestrial life, from astronomy and biology to the political and religious fallout that would result from alien contact.
Dr Megan Best, a bioethicist and palliative care doctor in Sydney writes about the complex issues in the euthanasia debate in 'Life's End', the latest issue of CASE magazine.
A selection of more detailed articles from Dr Best are available on the CASE website:
Ted Peters writes on the possible implications of discovering that we are not alone in the universe for the Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences.
"How should theologians reflect on the religious implications of what seems to be the imminent discovery of extraterrestrial life? Will it make a difference if this extraterrestrial life is intelligent or not? Will it make a difference if this extraterrestrial life form is superior to us, perhaps more intelligent than we human earthlings?
Author Nancy Marie Brown has released a new book entitled The Abacus and the Cross: The Story of the Pope Who Brought the Light of Science to the Dark Ages (Basic Books; December 2010) which explores the fascinating story of "The Scientist Pope", Gerbert of Aurillac, Pope Sylvester II.
A blog from the Thomas More Institute explains the traditional Christian understanding of the soul, and hence of human freedom. It is argued that determinism is an inadequate conception of the human person.
CiS held a conference entitled "The Christian Roots Of Modern Science - Learning from the Past" on Saturday 30th October 2010, at St Paul 's Church, Robert Adam Street , London. The audio files can be downloaded at the site below, and the talks given were as follows:
Many scientists regard mass and energy as the primary currency of nature. In recent years, however, the concept of information has gained importance. Why? In this book, eminent scientists, philosophers and theologians chart various aspects of information, from quantum information to biological and digital information, in order to understand how nature works.
UNSW has launched the Australian Centre for Space Engineering and Research (ACSER), using $4.7 million from Australia's space research program to investigate ways of flying satellites in formation to create super-accurate models of the Earth's surface. Australian researchers, in collaboration with some of the best minds around the world, will develop new satellite technologies that will greatly enhance earth observation and navigation services.
The mathematician and philosopher of science Professor John Lennox will be releasing a short book in January entitled "God and Stephen Hawking: Whose Design is it Anyway?"
Lennox recently gave a major interview in the Times on November 17th, during which he presented the case that God did indeed create the univese, and discussed in-depth his personal views on intelligent design, evolution and the relationship between science and the Christian faith.
This question was debated last weekend in Puebla Mexico, the newly dubbed Ciudad de las ideas (City of Ideas) at the third annual International Festival of Great Minds. Contributing speakers included Richard Dawkins and William Lane Craig.
Pope Benedict XVI has given Catholics permission to use condoms to fight AIDS in a historic shift welcomed yesterday by theologians and health experts.
The next Gregory lecture will be on March 3rd 2011, entitled "Can a Scientist Believe in Miracles?". It will be presented by Sir Colin Humphreys CBE from the Dept of Materials Science at Cambridge, who was knighted last June for services to physics.
Baroness Susan Greenfield CBE and Deloitte Digital’s Peter Williams debated "The role social technology plays in society and the knowledge community - is it a blessing or hindrance?" at the Keynote Plenary Session at the Melbourne 2010 Knowledge Cities World Summit on 18th November.
Theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking (pictured left) says in his latest book* that the big questions of life can be answered “within the realms of science.” Stephen Ames explains why he thinks such a conclusion is flawed.
Stephen Hawking says the laws of nature tell us how our universe behaves but do not answer the big questions: Why is there something rather than nothing? Why do we exist? Why this particular set of laws and not some other? I agree. Hawking says he has a scientific answer for all three questions and so, goodbye God. I disagree, as I hope to make clear.
Lawrie Lyons was a fine Christian and excellent scientist, motivated in both by his strong faith in the Lord. And what a motivation that was! He was respected nationally and internationally for his pioneering work on the electrical and photo-conductivity of organic materials and in the Christian community for his long-standing commitment to the dialogue between Science and Christianity from an evangelical point of view. In 1989 he was the founder of ISCAST and its first President. Before moving to Brisbane in 1963, he was the prime mover in founding Christian Halls of Residence at Universities in Sydney.
By Rod Dreher – Director of Publications, John Templeton Foundation
For centuries, Western science and philosophy has been built on the bedrock understanding that there is a clear difference between the material and the immaterial—or, in theological terms, between the natural and the supernatural. What if new scientific findings hinted that the distinction might present an inaccurate view of reality? Observations like that, if proven, would cause a revolution in thought.
Climate change continues to be a subject of intense public and political debate. Because of the level of interest in the topic the Royal Society has produced a new guide to the science of climate change. The guide summarises the current scientific evidence on climate change and its drivers, highlighting the areas where the science is well established, where there is still some debate, and where substantial uncertainties remain.
PROFESSOR Graeme Clark AC, the inventor of the bionic ear, has been recognised for his contribution to surgical science by being awarded the prestigious Lister Medal, the third Australian to receive the medal since it was established in the 1920s.
In this extended interview in The Independent, the Astronomer Royal and outgoing President of the Royal Society, Sir Martin Rees talks candidly about science education, climate change, philosophy and theology, and the challenges humanity faces in surviving the 21st century.
Simon Conway Morris is one of the world’s top biologists and a leading scholar of evolutionary convergence, the idea that all life evolves toward similar adaptations, using very different routes. The Cambridge University paleobiologist has recently launched Map of Life, a comprehensive Web resource for students, academics, and other readers curious to learn more about convergence.
Melbourne researchers have discovered a crucial mechanism of HIV, boosting hopes of a cure for the virus that affects more than 33 million people worldwide.
The rapid proliferation of military drone planes and armed robots should be subject to international legal controls, conferences in London and Berlin will argue this month.
Join Archbishop Philip Freier as he discusses healing mental illness, with guests Professor Patrick McGorry and Kerry Graham, at 7.30 am on Wednesday the 15th of September at BMW Edge Theatre, Federation Square.
Eminent scientists, theologians and philosophers have mounted a strong response to Stephen Hawking, challenging his recent assertation that science renders God unnecessary in the creation of the universe.
Eminent scientists, theologians and philosophers have mounted a strong response to Stephen Hawking, challenging his recent assertation that science renders God unnecessary in the creation of the universe.
The Faraday Institute sends out a daily news feed to anyone interested which picks up current stories on science and religion out in the media, giving an idea of what the story is about and providing the relevant web-address. Typically there are 5-10 URL links per day. Many people take this free news feed service for personal interest, but others in order to contribute to the media discussion themselves.
The lecture on Atheism & belief: the difference Jesus makes given by Dr Greg Clarke on 13 March, 2010 at BMW Edge, Federation Square, Melbourne, is now available as a video and mp3.
Ahead of the upcoming 'Groaning Creation - Biodiversity & the Bible' conference (November 20), Mick Pope of 'ETHOS Environment' (and an ISCAST Fellow) reflects on our role in God's wondrous creation.
New images of the "Footprint Crater", or Orcus Patera, taken by the Mars Express probe have intrigued and puzzled Mars-watchers as they hope to discover the origin of this mysterious 385km long depression.
Test of FAITH, in partnership with the Bible Society (UK) has developed a free all-age church service resource which includes ideas for songs, hymns, prayers and liturgy, children’s/all-age activities and sermon notes.
Three videos were developed especially for this service and are dramatic readings of the recommended passages for the service, using visual footage from the Test of Faith documentary.
Those who appreciated James Garth's recent presentation on "New Developments in Military Technology" may also be interested in this alternate perspective presented by Dr John Forge in his talk on "The Morality of Weapons Research" delivered to the Sydney Philosophy Forum on 25 June 2010.
The innovation and dedication of Australia's top scientists have been recognised with the announcement of the winners of the 2010 Eureka Prizes.
"The rigorous science celebrated by the Eureka Prizes demonstrates the vital work being done by our scientists in offices, laboratories and in the field all year ‘round.
A US federal judge has temporarily blocked the Obama administration from funding human embryonic stem cell research, ruling that the work violates a law passed by the US Congress to bar federal funding of the destruction of human embryos.
Did you know that if you are a resident of Victoria you are entitled to free access to the State Library of Victoria external database? This database contains extensive access to a wide variety of resources, including reputable science & technology and theology journals, e-books and encyclopaedias.
A reminder that ISCAST members can obtain quality Science and Religion books at a 20% discount off the cover price from the following website as part of the "Books of Distinction" campaign:
In this new book from the Faraday Institute, Denis Alexander and Ronald Numbers (eds) bring together fourteen experts to examine the varied ways science has been used and abused for non-scientific purposes from the seventeeth century to the present day.
In The Melbourne Anglican, Dr David Young explores the history of the growth of modern science in the 18th and 19th centuries and explores the Revd Frederick Temple's thoughts on divine activity working through the laws of nature, and how his thinking had deep roots in Christian theology.
Big Questions Online, the Templeton Foundation's newest publishing venture, recently launched with a full slate of columns, blogs, and other features. Also, check out this coverage of BQO in the New York Times.
On July 5, the European Space Agency finally released the long-awaited data from the Planck satellite, which has been studying the fading afterglow of the Big Bang that gave birth to the universe 13.7 billion years ago.
Prominent astrophysicist and Christian Dr Jennifer Wiseman has been appointed head of the AAAS Dialogue on Science, Ethics and Religion, an organisation which promotes communication between scientific and religious communities.
Applications are solicited from universities, research centers and other institutions for complete sets of hundreds of the most important books in science and religion.
The International Society for Science and Religion (ISSR), the world’s leading learned society in the field of science and religion, will select up to 150 institutions on a competitive basis to receive libraries consisting of approximately 225 matching hardbound volumes accompanied by a comprehensive Companion edition written by Society members that summarizes and critiques each volume.
The BioCentre website discusses the impact of Dr Craig Venter's recent pioneering achievement in synthesizing a bacterial genome and using it to create the world's first "synthetic cell". Dr Venter believes the organism - nicknamed Synthia - offers the potential to pave the way for beneficial developments; including complex synthetic organisms that can transform environmental waste into clean fuel, vaccinate against disease and soak up pollution. But his development has also triggered debate over the ethics of "playing god" and the dangers the new technology could pose in terms of biological hazards and warfare.
Darrell Falk and Stephen Blake from The BioLogos Foundation have provided a fascinating, positive review of William Dembski's recent book "The End of Christianity", in which Dembski shifts gears from his traditional concern of ID and instead focuses on the question of theodicy. Blake notes that "Dembski examines the perspectives of both Young and Old Earth Creationism, and finally dismisses both as fatally flawed on theological grounds".
US scientists have created a molecular robot made out of DNA that walks like a spider along a track made out of the chemical code for life. The achievement, reported in the journal Nature, is a further step in nanoscale experiments that, one day, may lead to robot armies to clean arteries and fix damaged tissues. The robot is just four nanometres, four billionths of a metre, in diameter.
In her new book, Science vs. Religion: What Scientists Really Think (Oxford University Press), Elaine Howard Ecklund provides the first systematic study of what scientists actually think and feel about religion.
A sociologist at Rice University, Ecklund surveyed nearly 1,700 scientists and interviewed 275 of them, with the support of a grant from the Templeton Foundation.
Video and slides from Dr Bill Newsome's public lecture on "The Mind - Brain or Spirit" on Thursday, 29 April 2010 are now available from the James Gregory website.
Nasa's Solar Dynamics Observatory has provided an astonishing new vista on our turbulent star. "When we see these fantastic images," said Lika Guhathakurta, the SDO programme scientist at Nasa Headquarters, "even hard-core solar physicists like myself are struck with awe, literally,"
Extract from an article written for Brisbane's FOCUS monthly by Charles Sherlock.
The immediate need: sex and the scriptures
Anglicans around the globe have been arguing about women, men and God for a generation, but mostly managed to live together. In the past dozen or so years, however, as the argument has focussed on same-sex relationships, divisions have appeared. Many African and other bishops boycotted Lambeth 2008, protesting the actions of some North American Anglicans.
Noted cosmologist and astrophysicist Martin Rees, president of the Royal Society of Britain and Astronomer Royal, said yesterday that although Australia accounted for only 1 per cent of global emissions, it was a country with great capacity for innovation, and, as such, should ''step up''.
The world's biggest atom smasher last night collided particles at record power, mimicking conditions close to the Big Bang and opening a new era in the quest for the secrets of the universe.
Francisco J. Ayala, an evolutionary geneticist and molecular biologist who has vigorously opposed the entanglement of science and religion while also calling for mutual respect between the two, has won the 2010 Templeton Prize.
The AP (3/19, Higgins) reported, "Operators of the world's largest atom smasher on Friday ramped up their massive machine to three times the energy ever previously achieved, in the run-up to experiments probing the secrets of the universe."
New worlds, new life, new bodies: just some of the breakthroughs we may see by 2020, predict a panel of leading Australian scientists interviewed by ABC Science.
There have been some incredible leaps forward in science in the past decade. It's difficult to imagine what life was like before Wi-Fi, and hard to believe how much we've discovered about Mars. And it's only seven years since the entire human genome was sequenced, yet since then, scientists have cracked the genomes of dozens more species.
Three distinguished scholars explored the Big Question of "Does Evolution Explain Human Nature?" during a recent discussion sponsored by the John Templeton Foundation, Yale University, and Discover magazine. The panel featured Kenneth Miller, professor of biology at Brown University; Laurie Santos, a Yale psychologist and primate specialist; and David Sloan Wilson, an evolutionary theorist at Binghamton University.
On the weekend of March 13-14, Melbourne will host the Global Atheism Convention, with Richard Dawkins as a main speaker. No doubt the airwaves, as well as letters to the editor and opinion pieces in the print media and numerous blogs will endlessly recycle a persistent urban myth about the relationship between science and faith.
Save the Date, April 23-24,2010, Berkeley, CA. The Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences (CTNS) will be hosting a special two-day event this coming April celebrating STARS research. You will meet Paul Davies, internationally acclaimed physicist, cosmologist, astrobiologist, and STARS keynote lecturer, who will tell us how the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) can succeed. You will also meet two of the outstanding STARS teams and hear the latest results of their work on virtue ethics in light of the neurosciences and on how a capacity for interpreting the environment helped enable the evolution of life and undergird human openness to transcendence.
Ethos: EA's Centre for Theology of Society has commenced and will be launched on Sat 27th March. Ethos combines the operations of EA's Department of Public Theology with those of Zadok institute for Christianity and Culture. Come along and support this exciting new venture that will offer theological and ethical thinking and comment to a broad range of groups in Australia.
Date: Thursday 25 February 2010 Time: 5.45pm (tallship tours from 4pm) Venue: Nelson Room, Seaworks, 82 Nelson Place Williamstown (Melways 56 E10). Entry off Nelson Place (metered parking)
Sarah is Charles Darwin’s great, great granddaughter and a biologist. She is retracing her ancestor’s steps on the Dutch clipper Stad Amsterdam for TV station VPRO.
The recent ABC audio interview featuring Rev Stephen Ames, Dr Mick Pope and Dr Shane Clifton is now available for download from the Sunday Nights site.
UNIVERSITY leaders are pressing for a public campaign to restore the intellectual and moral authority of Australian science in the wake of the climate wars, writes Luke Slattery in The Australian.
Archbishop Desmond Tutu has become the latest prominent figure to have his full genome deciphered, scientists revealed today.
The South African clergyman and human rights campaigner agreed to the procedure as part of a study into the breadth of human genetic diversity and the role an individual's genetic makeup plays in their health.
CPX has released an exciting new DVD containing interviews with a host of prominent scientists, historians and philosophers examining the place of faith in an age of science. The DVD is now available for pre-order from their online store.
“God is the same God, always and everywhere. . . . In him are all things contained and moved; yet neither affects the other. God suffers nothing from the motion of bodies. [And] bodies find no resistance from the omnipresence of God."
Many would be surprised to discover that the author of these theological musings is none other than Sir Isaac Newton.
“In every field of science, when it’s successful, you think you understand all of it,” says Martin Nowak, professor of mathematics and biology at Harvard University. “In classical mechanics,” he explains, “there was a time when physicists thought, ‘Well, that’s all there is. If I know the place of the particles in the universe, I can predict the future.’ But then came quantum mechanics and relativity theory. There was a total revolution.” Nowak is hard at work trying to launch another revolution, this time in evolutionary biology. “Our understanding of evolution,” he says, “is very incomplete.”
The Cambridge Professor of Evolutionary Palaeobiology is unusually candid about why he rejected materialism and became a Christian in this short video posted on the Test of Faith website and Facebook group.
As the 50th anniversary of a key agreement that governs Australia's involvement with NASA's space program approaches; a more strategic and forward-looking treaty is being considered by the government, writes Ari Sharp in the SMH.
Mark Vernon (pictured left) writes in The Guardian: "Is science closer to religion than is typically assumed? Is religion closer to science? Might rational enquiry, based on evidence, share similarities with faith? These questions were raised by Charles Taylor, the distinguished Canadian philosopher, speaking at a Cambridge University symposium (pdf).
The BioLogos blog "Science and the Sacred" has posted a fascinating and mature dialogue between Dr Stephen C. Meyer and Dr Darrel Falk regarding Meyer's new book "Signature in the Cell".
What did Charles Darwin believe? And what can we learn from it? For Darwin, Christianity was like a proof to be established. His faith was based on the natural world, rather than on the Bible and knowing God. Without real appreciation of the Cross, suffering and loss made it impossible for Darwin to hold on to his so-called 'rational' faith. Nick Spencer explores Darwin's complex loss of faith in this new article.
Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institute of Heath and New York Times bestselling author of The Language of God, is releasing a new book called "Belief: Readings on the Reason for Faith". Similar to what Christopher Hitchens did in The Portable Atheist, Collins draws together the most important writings on faith and belief, from C. S. Lewis to Madeline L'Engle, Martin Luther King to Merton to create a a definitive anthology of readings on the rationality of faith.
British philosopher and theologian Dr Conor Cunningham was featured on the Compass program on 22nd November on the ABC. Dr Conor Cunningham argued that it’s possible to be a Christian and accept the theory of evolution, noting that when Darwin’s theory was first published in Britain it was welcomed by both the Anglican and Catholic Churches.
The Test of FAITH DVD, Book, Study Guide and Leaders Guide are now available for purchase from Koorong. Visit www.koorong.com and search for "test of faith" in the search bar.
Three experts explored the question “Does evolution explain human nature?” at a panel discussion in late September sponsored by Yale University, Discover magazine, and the John Templeton Foundation. The discussion was based on the Foundation’s recent Big Questions essay series, which can be found online and is available in booklet form by request. Video of the event can be found here.
"With the rise of modern science, the pursuit of wisdom gave way to the acquisition of useful truths" writes historian of science Ronald Numbers in the latest edition of Templeton's "In Character" magazine.
"Tellingly, President Obama’s pick to head the National Institutes of Health - Francis Collins - touts this symbiotic relationship today", writes Mark I. Pinsky of USA Today. "The God of the Bible is also the God of the genome," Collins says, "God can be found in the cathedral or in the laboratory. By investigating God's majestic and awesome creation, science can actually be a means of worship."
Marc Kaufman in the Washington Post discusses the Vatican's Pontifical Academy of Sciences, which is holding its first major conference on astrobiology. Kaufman reports that the field of "astrobiology" has "arrived, and religious and social institutions - even the Vatican - are taking note."
Prof. Keith Ward will be discussing "God, Science and the New Atheism" at the next upcoming James Gregory Public Lecture on 29th October. Keith is a well-known speaker with a strong interest in comparative theology and the interface between science and faith. He is a Fellow of the British Academy and former regius Professor of Divinity at Oxford.
Multimedia from the lecture will be posted on the James Gregory site following the event.
The Associated Press recently reported that astronomers at the European Southern Observatory have "found 32 new planets outside our solar system, adding evidence to the theory that the universe has many places where life could develop.
Cardinal George Pell's recent address on the 4th October at the Festival of Dangerous Ideas held in Sydney engaged significantly with the question of science's relationship to God, containing references to Hawking, Einstein, Swinburne, Flew, and many more distinguished thinkers.
A debate on the topic "Is Intelligent Design viable?" will take place between Dr. Francisco J. Ayala and Dr. William Lane Craig on Thursday, November 5, 2009 at 7 p.m. EST at Indiana University Auditorium, Indiana. The debate is sponsored by Campus Crusade for Christ at Indiana University and will be moderated by Dr. Bradley Monton, author of the new book "Seeking God in Science: An Atheist Defends Intelligent Design".
Barney Zwartz, religion editor of The Age, talks with Simon Conway Morris and engages with his thoughts on Darwinism in a follow up to his recent visit to Australia.
Resources for students based on the Test of FAITH documentary are now available from the Stapleford Centre. The materials have been developed for UK students between 14 and 18 years old, and include background information, glossary, bibliography and curriculum links.
At its latest meeting the ISCAST Board asked Assoc Prof Alan Gijsbers to be its new President following on from Prof John Pilbrow who will be stepping down at the next Annual General Meeting of the Institute on 20 September 2009 (at COSAC).
Prof John Pilbrow, Assoc Prof David Young [Melbourne University] and Dr Nicola Hoggard-Creegan [Laidlaw College and Carey Graduate School, Auckland, NZ] will be interviewed on John Cleary's Sunday Nights program on ABC 774 from 10 pm on Sunday 20th September.
The 2009 “ALBERT EINSTEIN” World Award of Science will be presented to Professor Sir John Houghton, President of the John Ray Initiative. Sir Houghton was President of the Royal Meteorological Society from 1976 until 1978.
Dr. Scott McKnight from the respected Jesus Creed Blog at Beliefnet.com has just begun an interactive discussion series exploring Simon Conway-Morris' book "Life's Solution".
Note the following reference to John White in the UK Journal, Physics World, August 2000. Speaking at the opening ceremony for the new $1.5 billion J-PARC facility, that consists of two protoron synchrotrons, a neutron source and a neutrino experiment and a hadron facility all rolled into one, John White from the ANU, 'who was chair of the International Advisory Committee for J-PARC, praised the long term vision of the Japanese government and its "acceptance of world-leading science as an investment for the future....World-leader status is assured by what has been done, and future investment in both operation and development will maintain this high status", he told delegates'.
Prof. Hugh McLachlan makes some thought-provoking crtiques of Hume and Dawkins and analyzes the relationship between science and miracles in an opinion piece in the 5 August 2009 edition of New Scientist.
The Centre for Apologetic Scholarship and Education (CASE) will be conducting two upcoming training sessions for those who would like to be able to give talks on Christian ethics at the beginning and end of life. The two evenings of training will be held at New College Village, University of NSW on 23rd September and 3rd November and are open to all.
On 8-10 September Professor John Wyatt from University College London will be visiting New College, NSW to speak on bioethics and future hope. The 2009 New College Lectures will offer a Christian perspective on the impact of technology on contemporary medical practices. Informed by a biblical understanding of God’s purposes Prof Wyatt will consider the bioethical issues that we face every day as we make decisions about creating, preserving and protecting life.
R.J.Berry's latest book "Real Scientists, Real Faith" is now available for purchase from Koorong and other local bookstores.
Publisher's description:
The science / faith debate rages on. Yet many leading scientists have an active Christian faith. Here 17 scientists, all esteemed by their peers, tackle two questions:
NASA's brand new Kepler space telescope has demonstrated the ability to take measurements that are precise enough to "prove we can find Earth-size planets", according to William Borucki, Kepler's principal science investigator. Kepler has just begun a 3½-year mission to search for exoplanets and determine how common these planets are. According to NASA scientists, Kepler's "current mission is to identify Earth-like planets with water and oxygen, but what scientists are so excited about is t
Dr Karl Kruszelnicki examines the long-held myth that medieval Christians thought the Earth was flat in his July 22 article written for ABC Science. Kruszelnicki engages with the research of historian Jeffrey Burton Russell, whose book Inventing The Flat Earth unearthed a fascinating fact: that educated ancient and medieval thinkers, including Greeks, Christians and Muslims, all knew that the Earth was a ball (or sphere) for a long time.
A group of concerned scientists and former NASA Astronauts has written an open letter to the Rudd government urging the reinstatement of the Spaceguard Australia program and underscoring Australia's critical role in the worldwide planetary defence effort. According to science writer Leigh Dayton in The Australian, since 1996 no southern hemisphere telescopes have been scanning the sky, resulting in a blind spot in coverage which could potentially delay NEO detection by four to twelve years.
St. Paul’s Cathedral Welcomes you to: Science Week @ The Cathedral
16th - 23rd August
SERVICE SUNDAY 16 August 4.00pm Preacher: John Pilbrow, Emeritus Prof. of Physics at Monash University Topic: 'Making sense of faith in the age of Science and Technology'.
Check out Science & Religion Today's sleek new redesign (and new Web address: www.scienceandreligiontoday.com). Now it's even easier to browse the stories, search the archive, and get involved in the conversation.
We've also got a new Facebook page, and we'd love for you to take a look and become a fan.
Some of the nation's leading journalists gathered in Key West, Fla., in May 2009 for the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life's Faith Angle Conference on religion, politics and public life.
Francis S. Collins, the former director of the Human Genome Project and an evangelical Christian, discussed why he believes religion and science are compatible and why the current conflict over evolution vs. faith, particularly in the evangelical community, is unnecessary.
Former Human Genome Project leader Francis Collins will be nominated to lead the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH).
“Dr. Collins is one of the top scientists in the world,” President Obama said in a White House statement today. “And his groundbreaking work has changed the very ways we consider our health and examine disease.”
The Centre for Apologetic Scholarship and Education (CASE) has just released its latest issue of CASE Magazine, dedicated to the theme of "God and Science".
Enhancement involves giving abilities integral to the body beyond those we would normally consider a human to possess. Transhumanism is an influential philosophy based on human autonomy in which enhancement technologies play a central role. This paper summarises transhumanism, describes the scope of current enhancing technologies, and provides a Christian critique, presenting the biblical strategy for human transformation as a compelling alternative to the transhumanist project.
Tom Frame is an Australian academic and author of 23 books. He is a former Naval Officer and from 2001 - 2007 was Bishop to the Australian Defence Force. He has degrees in theology and history and is a regular commentator on ABC radio on military and church history as well as social matters. He is Director and Professor of Theology at St Marks National Theological Centre at Charles Sturt University in Canberra.
An article by Penny Mulvey from The Melbourne Anglican, (June 2009, No. 471, page 4), featured one of our ISCAST Fellows Mr Ian Hore-Lacy.
On 19 May, Archbishop Freier was joined by Mr Ian Hore-Lacy, Prof. Ross Garnaut and the Prime Minister's advisor on climate change to explore the question 'Is our future sustainable?'.
A reminder that ISCAST members can obtain quality Science and Religion books at a 20% discount off the cover price from the following website as part of the "Books of Distinction" campaign:
Our COSAC 2009 keynote speaker Simon Conway Morris features in the most recent 'Big Questions' discussion forum hosted by the John Templeton foundation. The topic, "Does evolution explain human nature'" also features distinguished contributors including Jeffrey Schloss, Francis Collins, David Sloan Wilson, Francisco Ayala, and more, and can be accessed at http://www.templeton.org/evolution/
On 5th May 2009, Bernard d'Espagnat, a French physicist and philosopher of science whose explorations of the philosophical implications of quantum physics have opened new vistas on the definition of reality and the potential limits of knowable science, was formally presented with the 2009 Templeton Prize.
The Centre for Public Christianity has published a fascinating review of Richard Holmes' book "The Age of Wonder: How the Romantic Generation Discovered the Beauty and Terror of Science.” by Dr Steven Micklethwaite, a Research Fellow at the University of Tasmania.
As part of the Pentecost Festival, the Faraday Institute is holding three lectures in London on 26th, 27th and 28th May 2009.
Prof. Colin Humpreys will speak on 'Can a scientist believe in miracles today?', Revd Dr David Wilkinson will speak on 'God and the Big Bang' and Dr Denis Alexander will speak on 'Creation or Evolution - do we have to choose'.
Prominent physician-geneticist Dr. Francis Collins has established a new organisation called the BioLogos Foundation, which endeavours to promote the search for truth in both the natural and spiritual realms, seeking harmony between these different perspectives.
ISCAST Victoria is proud to congratulate Dr Alan Gijsbers on his recent appointment to Honorary Clinical Associate Professor at the University of Melbourne, held in the Department of Medicine at the Royal Melbourne and Western Hospitals. The title acknowledges his important contribution to scholarship, recognising his professional achievements as one of the leading clinicians in the Faculty of Medicine.
Date & Time: 7pm Thursday 25 June - 5pm Saturday 27 June 2009 Venue: Laidlaw College, Auckland Campus, Waitakere NZ Keynote Presenter: Christopher Southgate, Research Fellow University of Exeter, theologian, poet and editor, and author of The Groaning of Creation.
A conference to celebrate and interact with Darwinism, on the 200th anniversary of Darwin’s birth and the 150th anniversary of On the Origin of Species.
American Public Media's "Speaking Of Faith" programme has produced a fascinating podcast entitled "Evolution and Wonder: Understanding Charles Darwin".
The programme takes a fresh and thought-provoking look at Darwin's life and ideas, and suggests that he did not argue against God but against a simple understanding of the world — its beauty, its brutality, and its unfolding creation.
You are invited to attend the book launch of 'Beyond Stereotypes' by the EA Working Group on Human Sexuality on Monday March 30.
This book launch features one of our ISCAST Fellows, Dr Brian Edgar. Download the invitation for full details.
Acclaimed physicist John Polkinghorne has just released his latest book, "Questions of Truth", together with a special promotional mini-site; www.questionsoftruth.org. The website contains extensive background material for the book, including contents, reviews and a collection of videos from the Launch Event and panel discussion held at the Royal Society.
Sir John Houghton presented the James Gregory Public lecture on 19th February 2009, entitled "Global Warming, Climate Change and Sustainability: Challenge to Scientists, Policy Makers and Christians".
A movie, powerpoint presentation of the lecture, and 16-page pamphlet which covers the lecture material in more detail can be downloaded from the James Gregory website.
We have received many expressions of concern regarding the bushfires in Victoria from our friends all over the world. As far as we know no one in the ICSAST family has been directly affected and for this we are profoundly grateful.
There have been a few close shaves with the fires burning close to several of our members’ houses. The wind change that can so often double the size of the fire in very quick time also redirected the blazes, saving many houses and lives but catching many others.
The Kuhn Foundation, in association with PBS, has produced a television series entitled 'Closer to Truth', which is billed as "the most complete, compelling and accessible series on Cosmos, Consciousness and God ever produced for television".
Noted pioneering Catholic theologian John Haught has recently given a fascinating interview for the December 2008 – February 2009 issue of EnlightenNext magazine.
The John Templeton Foundation has recently listed "A Friendly Letter to Skeptics and Atheists: Musings on Why God is Good and Faith Isn't Evil" as its Featured Book. The book, published by Jossey-Bass/Wiley in 2008, has already attracted highly positive reviews from Alister McGrath, Michael Shermer, Francis Collins, Owen Gingerich and others. The Templeton review notes:
A very significant report has just been released by the UK public theology think-tank Theos in conjunction with the Faraday Institute. It considers the public awareness and acceptance of evolution in the UK. The preamble describes the report thus:
Rescuing Darwin is the title essay of a wide-ranging project exploring the extent and nature of evolutionary and non-evolutionary beliefs in the UK today and their perceived relationship with theism and atheism.
The project is managed and run by Theos, the public theology think tank, in partnership with the Faraday Institute for Science and Religion.
The Science Religion Society program at Trinity College Theological School – which is part of the United Faculty of Theology – with the assistance of the Melbourne College of Divinity, is sponsoring a conference to mark the 150th anniversary of Charles Darwin’s, The Origin of Species. The theme of the conference, After Darwin, is set out below. The conference will be held at The Centre for Theology and Ministry from 21-23 July, 2009. Dr. Christopher Southgate from the Department of Theology at Exeter University will commence the conference by giving a public lecture at 7.00pm, 21 July. The lecture will be via an interactive satellite link in the Woodhouse Theatre at The University of Melbourne.
The Rev Dr John Polkinghorne presented this lecture at St.Andrews University on 9 October 2008 as one of the James Gregory lectures, a series of presentations from eminent international speakers promoting open dialogue and exchange of ideas on manny intriguing points of contact between Science and Religion.
ISCAST members may be pleased to learn that the 2008 James Backhouse lecture by Prof. George Ellis is now available for download as a PDF from the Quakers' Australia website:
In this fascinating paper, Ellis argues that a moral reality as well as a physical reality and a mathematical reality underlies the world and the universe, and that human moral life is a search to understand that true nature of morality, which is centred in love, with the idea of kenosis ('letting go') playing a key role.
Hard copy booklets may also be purchased from the ISCAST Store.
Noted author and researcher Michael Poole has published an article in the September 2008 issue of the School Science Review entitled "Creationism, Intelligent Design and Science Education" in which he attempts to diffuse some curent tensions over the teaching about origins, contending that a rejection of creationist or ID arguments does not by extension entail rejection of other traditional concepts of creation and design that have been historically held by Christians, Jews and Muslims alike.
The Centre for Public Christianity has recently produced a fascinating interview with world-renowned philosopher and theologian Professor Keith Ward. Ward has held positions teaching philosophy and theology at Glasgow, London and Cambridge Universities before taking up the position of Regius Professor of Divinity at Oxford. In this four-part interview, Ward discusses atheism, philosophy, science and belief.
On 15th November, ISCAST Fellow Ross Macmillan and Mark Zimsak, the National Coordinator of the Australian Network to Ban Landmines gave a challenging and thought-provoking presentation which discussed the technical and political challenges involved with developing technologies and strategies to eliminate anti-personnell mines and cluster munitions.
For those wishing to learn more about the effects of these devices, or how they can assist with this campaign, please visit:
Scientists are debating whether or not to publish a recent H5N1 study after virologists said they had developed a bird flu virus - with a 60 per cent human mortality rate - that could spread as easily as the common cold.
Australia has ramped up its multimillion-dollar bid to host the world's largest and most sensitive radio telescope, before a February decision on where to put the 3000-dish instrument.
Leonardo da Vinci's Vitruvian Man is the most widely recognised drawing on the planet, an iconic study of human form and proportion depicting a man standing with arms outstretched, framed by a circle and square. In his new book, Da Vinci's Ghost, Toby Lester uncovers its long and intricate history, explaining how the drawing built on the idea that the human form was a precisely proportioned structure representing the measure of all things - a philosophy developed by the Roman architect Vitruvius during the rule of Caesar Augustus.
The richest countries caused the problem, but it is the world's poorest who are already suffering from its effects, and the international community must commit to righting that wrong, argue Desmond Tutu and Mary Robinson at the Durbin climate talks.
Eminent thinker and commentator Revd Dr John , Fellow of the Royal Society, gives an overview of his talk at St Edmund's College, Cambridge, entitled A Destiny Beyond Death, sharing his understanding of the relationship between science and religion.
Ruth Bancewicz reviews Richard Dawkins' latest book "The Magic of Reality" on the Test of Faith website. The review finds that there is much to appreciate in this book, especially Dawkins' sense of wonder at the natural world and the many beautiful illustrations and analogies, notwithstanding his underlying reliance on a logical positivist philosophy and a rather blunt treatment of metaphysics and myths.
Is it possible to be both a Christian and a scientist? Ian Hutchinson, professor of nuclear science and engineering at MIT, argues that it is, drawing from the testimony of history and of his own life.
Leading Australian scientists including Ian Chubb, Penny Sackett and Stephan Lewandowsky share their thoughts on science education, scepticism, self-criticism and other topics in an extensive twelve-part series called "The State of Science" published by The Conversation.
Prof. Clark is an ISCAST fellow and the Florey medal is awarded biennially to an Australian biomedical researcher for significant achievements in biomedical science and / or human health advancement.
The controversial Australian bioethicist Julian Savulescu has argued the case for a 'new eugenics' and that we have a moral obligation to pursue human perfection. Now, on ABC's All in the Mind program, Savulescu proposes that we should be using science and technology for moral enhancement itself.
An interesting article in the latest issue of Theology, (Nov.c 2011, Vol 114 #6, pages 403-413_ ), "Is the world unfinished? On interactions between science and theology in the concepts of nature, time and the future" by Jürgen Moltmann (the Boyle Lecture for 2011), with an acute response from Alan Torrance.
Barney Zwartz examines the assumptions that form the 
“Treasures in the archive include Isaac Newton’s first published scientific paper, geological work by a young Charles Darwin, and Benjamin Franklin’s celebrated account of his electrical kite experiment.”
A review of ‘Reasonable Atheism’ in The Philosopher’s Magazine finds that the book is “a worthwhile read” for believers, atheists, and agnostics.
Date: 30 November – 2 December
On ABC radio, research fellow at The Faraday Institute Kevin Dutton discusses the personalities of psychopaths.
On BBC Radio 4, Andrew Marr discusses the wonders of the universe with Lisa Randall, Richard Dawkins and the Chief Rabbi Jonathan Sacks.
Will Australia’s future be godless? Should there be chaplains in public schools? Should faith inform politics? Should religious belief be reflected in Australian law? Does scientific inquiry preclude belief in God? These are questions raised by the emergence of the ‘new atheism’ in Australia. They are serious questions not only for people of faith but for Australian society as a whole.
Mick Pope writes on the Ethos Environment Blog: "As someone who has suggested Christians become active in caring for 'the environment' or more theologically correct 'the creation', even if it means being involved with, following information from and copying those who do not share our faith, I have been labelled a pagan. Is this fair?"
The past 30 years have seen the most remarkable advances in the study of the brain. And the past ten have seen more advances in our understanding than all the other years combined.
For the first time since 1915, an Australian has taken home the Nobel Prize for Physics.
Audio is now availalble from Prof. Nancey Murphy's presentation at the Rollie Busch Memorial Lecture delivered at 7.30pm, Wednesday 24th August 2011, at Trinity Theological College, Brisbane.
Sarah Coakley, Professor of Divinity, gives an honest appraisal of the key problems that evolution proposes for theism, and develops some sophisticated responses, drawing on the Christian doctrines of Incarnation, Trinity and kenosis.
Physicists report that sub-atomic particles called neutrinos can travel faster than light, a finding that, if verified, would blast a hole in Einstein's theory of relativity.
DNA sequencing of a 100-year-old lock of hair has established that Aboriginal Australians have a longer continuous association with the land than any other race of people.
P.W.Singer's article in Nature regarding military robotics urges us “to wrestle with the implications of our technologies”.
ACMI presents the world premiere of Star Voyager: Exploring Space on Screen, a major exhibition charting the history and future of space exploration as experienced through the moving image.
The following is is a compilation of online videos featuring Prof. Alister McGrath, courtesy of his official Facebook page:
Jon Borwein and David H. Bailey provide a primer on the mystery of Fermi's Paradox, and discuss several proposed resolutions, in The Conversation.
ISCAST Gippsland is pleased to report that our event last Saturday night (
It may come as a big surprise to many, but there is actually no difference between how science works in astronomy and climate change – or any other scientific discipline for that matter, writes Matthew Bailes of Swinburne University.
Cybertheology: Just how much does Christian doctrine have in common with the open-source software movement? Quite a lot, argues Antonio Spadaro, an Italian Jesuit priest.
Many neuroscientists believe free will is an illusion—and that they are on track to prove it. But a new report in Nature (September 1) highlights efforts by philosophers to convince these scientists to re-think their approach.
In the past decade, many scientists have come to believe that ours is only one of many universes, and that the laws of physics may be different in each one. If this “multiverse” theory is correct, it would appear to resolve many fundamental issues about the nature of existence.
Melissa Mack writes for Australian online paper InDaily about the science and faith conference currently being held at Tabor College in Adelaide, jointly organised by The Faraday Institute and Tabor College.
ISI has released an expansive compendium called 'The Nature of Nature: Examining the Role of Naturalism in Science", which is now widely available at a very affordable price. At over 900 pages and 500,000 words, the book features over forty essays from an extremely diverse field of philosophers and thinkers including Alvin Plantinga, Robert Koons, Stephen Meyer, Michael Shermer, Alan Guth, Nancey Murphy, Roger Penrose, John Searle, Dallas Willard, Michael Behe, Michael Ruse, William Lane Craig and Howard Van Till.
The ethical challenges of memory-dampening drugs are likely to be manageable and the pay-offs considerable says Adam Kolber in Nature.
CNN reports on a recent study in the US into the correlation between levels of education and levels of religious belief. It turns out that the secularist truism "more educated = less religious" is not accurate. It all boils down to what you mean by "religious".
A review of Nancy Ellen Abrams and Joel R. Primack’s Yale University Press-published book on developing a “shared cosmology”. The book has received positive reviews from Desmond Tutu, Martin Rees and Paul Davies.
Enclosed in a metal spacecraft, the Mars500 crew have endured 438 days of isolation, living on a spartan diet of cereal bars and pasta with precious little contact with friends and family back home.
Denis Overbye reports for the New York Times on the latest attempts by scientists to create life artificially in the lab. By some accounts, they are getting very close indeed.
What is emergence? Ross McKenzie explains this key concept in science and religion using examples from different areas of science. The concept of emergence is examined from both philosophical and theological standpoints. The key question is, does it have an relevance for our lives today?
Are you interested in working in aid and development within Australia or overseas? Do you see Climate Change as a social justice issue but not sure how we can address this?
A malaria vaccine expected to protect against all known strains of the deadly disease will be launched at a Queensland university this week.
For those who cannot attend this week's debate between 
Australia's Chief Scientist, , has lamented the quality of public debate on climate change, saying it ''borders on appalling'' and the level of scientific literacy among politicians is ''not high'', reports The Age.
The 2011 
The New Atheism - A Christian Response
Event: Science & Religion seminar @ Christian Union 'Super Summit' 
The first annual Borderlands Seminar was a great success, with Professor Tom McLeish, Durham University's Pro-Vice-Chancellor of Research. Tom explored ‘the Borderlands of Science and Faith.' If you would like to watch the seminar, it was broadcast online and is available 
Dr. Scot McKnight writes on the 
Prominent Australian research biologist Sir Gustav Nossal discusses science, vaccinations, climate change, uncertainty and belief in a wide-ranging interview with Jo Chandler in The Age.
Prof. Alister McGrath, one of the world’s leading authorities on Richard Dawkins and the New Atheism, speaks about the challenges of radical secularism. Beginning from the premise that New Atheism is the start of an important theological conversation, Prof McGrath moves on to discuss some of the major themes and a Christian critique of them. *Please note the last few minutes of the talk was not recorded*
Mark Vernon reviews Keith Ward's latest book "More Than Matter?" in the May/June issue of Philosophy Now magazine. In his book, Ward comes down squarely on the side of the dualists and idealists in the major intellectual battle currently underway about what it is to be human, suggesting that materialism is inadequate in areas of scientific investigation such as quantum physics and consciousness, and that "human persons are not accidental mistakes in a pointless perambulation of fundamental particles. They are a window into the inner reality, value, and purpose of the cosmos."
Professor John Lennox will deliver a stimulating and provocative lecture on the alleged conflict between faith and science.
Prominent scholar N.T. Wright has weighed into the debate over 
Searching for God in a Time of Doubt - Frank Brennan SJ will be interviewing a very interesting Czech thinker - Tomas Halik from Prague. 
Talks and resources from CiS's recent Northern Conference are now available online. Featured talks linclude:
Australia wants to show the world it is serious about space and is using years of well-honed hypersonic know-how to prove it by developing technology for a scramjet-based system for access to space, writes Guy Norris of Aviation Week.
Sir John Houghton discusses fractals, their intricacy, beauty and uncanny similiarity with patterns found in nature, in the May 2011 edition of Third Way magazine:
Cultural and intellectual historian Jackson Lears has published a comprehensive critique of Sam Harris' "The Moral Landscape: How Science Can Determine Human Values" in the May 16th edition of The Nation. Lears finds Harris' approach to be seriously deficient, based on underdeveloped neuroscientific inferences and relying on a confused philosophical blend of reductionism and consequentialism that is reminiscent of widely-discredited early 20th century positivism.
While Science can tell us how an earthquake or tsunami happens, faith asks ‘why?', writes Canon Dr Andrew McGowan, Warden of Trinity College, the University of Melbourne:
Graeme Clark Research Institute Launch
Marek Kohn writes for The Guardian on a new book by Tim Flannery entitled "Here on Earth: A New Beginning". He reviews it critically, questioning the weight which its author assigns to the argument that the ideas of Alfred Russell Wallace hold the key to sustainable existence on earth.
Jeremy Stangroom interviews physicist Russell Stannard on the further development of his prayer experiment, in which two groups of heart surgery patients are compared, one prayed for, and the other not.
AN Australian ethicist has advocated genetically screening embryos to create superior "designer babies" with higher IQs.
Bishop John Wilson, former Bishop of the Southern Region, Anglican Diocese of Melbourne, died recently after a long battle with cancer. We in ISCAST are all of course saddened by John's death. He was a good friend to ISCAST and attended many meetings over the years as time permitted. Both he and his wife, Jill, attended COSAC07 at Geelong, to hear Professor Alister McGrath speaking about the nature of reality.
Responsible Dominion: A Christian Approach to Sustainable Development 
Dr Nancey Murphy surveys the history of personhood on the Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences website, and asks whether modern reductionist accounts of what it means to be human are fundamentally incompatible with the Christian faith.
Alister McGrath's recent book "The Passionate Intellect" has won the 2011 Christianity Today Book Award for Apologetics / Evangelism.
Sr. Joan Chittister's lastest column has been posted to 
Ted Peters writes on the possible implications of discovering that we are not alone in the universe for the Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences.
Author Nancy Marie Brown has released a new book entitled The Abacus and the Cross: The Story of the Pope Who Brought the Light of Science to the Dark Ages (Basic Books; December 2010) which explores the fascinating story of "The Scientist Pope", Gerbert of Aurillac, Pope Sylvester II.
CiS held a conference entitled "The Christian Roots Of Modern Science - Learning from the Past" 
UNSW has launched the Australian Centre for Space Engineering and Research (ACSER), using $4.7 million from Australia's space research program to investigate ways of flying satellites in formation to create super-accurate models of the Earth's surface. Australian researchers, in collaboration with some of the best minds around the world, will develop new satellite technologies that will greatly enhance earth observation and navigation services.
This question was debated last weekend in Puebla Mexico, the newly dubbed Ciudad de las ideas (City of Ideas) at the third annual International Festival of Great Minds. Contributing speakers included Richard Dawkins and William Lane Craig.
Baroness Susan Greenfield CBE and Deloitte Digital’s Peter Williams debated "The role social technology plays in society and the knowledge community - is it a blessing or hindrance?" at the Keynote Plenary Session at the Melbourne 2010 Knowledge Cities World Summit on 18th November.
Theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking (pictured left) says in his latest book* that the big questions of life can be answered “within the realms of science.” Stephen Ames explains why he thinks such a conclusion is flawed.
Eminent scientists, theologians and philosophers have mounted a strong response to Stephen Hawking, challenging his recent assertation that science renders God unnecessary in the creation of the universe.
TO: All members of the Institute for the Study of Christianity in an Age of Science and Technology:
Applications are solicited from universities, research centers and other institutions for complete sets of hundreds of the most important books in science and religion.
The 
Darrell Falk and Stephen Blake from 
US scientists have created a molecular robot made out of DNA that walks like a spider along a track made out of the chemical code for life. The achievement, reported in the journal 
In her new book, 
Video and slides from Dr Bill Newsome's public lecture on "The Mind - Brain or Spirit" on Thursday, 29 April 2010 are now available from the James Gregory website. 
Acclaimed physicist John Polkinghorne has just released his latest book, "Questions of Truth", together with a special promotional mini-site; 
The Kuhn Foundation, in association with PBS, has produced a television series entitled 
The 
A very significant report has just been released by the UK public theology think-tank 
The Rev Dr John Polkinghorne presented this lecture at St.Andrews University on 9 October 2008 as one of the James Gregory lectures, a series of presentations from eminent international speakers promoting open dialogue and exchange of ideas on manny intriguing points of contact between Science and Religion.
ISCAST members may be pleased to learn that the 2008 James Backhouse lecture by Prof. George Ellis is now available for download as a PDF from the Quakers' Australia website:
Noted author and researcher Michael Poole has published an article in the September 2008 issue of the School Science Review entitled "Creationism, Intelligent Design and Science Education" in which he attempts to diffuse some curent tensions over the teaching about origins, contending that a rejection of creationist or ID arguments does not by extension entail rejection of other traditional concepts of creation and design that have been historically held by Christians, Jews and Muslims alike.
The 
On 15th November, ISCAST Fellow Ross Macmillan and Mark Zimsak, the National Coordinator of the Australian Network to Ban Landmines gave a challenging and thought-provoking presentation which discussed the technical and political challenges involved with developing technologies and strategies to eliminate anti-personnell mines and cluster munitions.
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