Talking Theology

How do culture and belief affect the way different people see faith and science? How can faith and science work together for healing? How does the concept of a creative tension help us see faith and medicine as complementary? And how is scientific exploration discovering the footsteps of God? In today's show we are talking to the Right Reverend Dr Karowei Dorgu. Karowei is the Bishop of Woolwich in the Diocese of Southwark. Born and brought up in Nigeria, he trained as a medical doctor before training for ordination in the Church of England. This season of podcasts exploring science and faith is supported by @eclasproject Science in Seminaries.  For more information see www.eclasproject.org.

How might the study of astronomy shape the way we see the world and the way we see ourselves?  How might scientific endeavours be part of pursuing knowledge about God?  What role do questions pay in the work of science and faith?  What are the challenges and opportunities that scientists in churches encounter?  How does the perspective of space remind us of the beauty and fragility of our planet?In today’s show we are talking to Dr Althea Wilkinson. Althea was formerly project manager of the University of Manchester’s Square Kilometre Array Group, building the world’s largest radio telescope. She now works with the same project part time. She was formerly project manager on the UK low frequency instrumentation for Planck, the European Space Agency cosmology mission. She has previously been involved in science-faith communication with Scientists in Congregations and the God and the Big Bang project.This season of podcasts exploring science and faith is supported by @eclasproject Science in Seminaries.  For more information see www.eclasproject.org.

Is Artificial Intelligence just about robots in the future or technology in the present? What are the tensions between human flourishing and human fallibility in the development of AI? How do different world views and value systems affect the way AI is being developed and implemented? How can Christian perspectives on being human shape our approach to new technology? How can the Beatitudes speak to humans amidst the growth of AI technology?The Right Revd Dr Steven Croft is the Bishop of Oxford and a founding member of the UK Centre for Ethics and Innovation. He has served on the House of Lords Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence. His blog can be found here. This season of podcasts exploring science and faith is supported by @eclasproject Science in Seminaries.  For more information see www.eclasproject.org.

Professor Tom McLeish discusses the role of imagination in scientific exploration, medieval history's impact on science, creativity as reflecting God's image, poetry's unity with science, and the importance of churches embracing science. The podcast explores the interdisciplinary journey in science and humanities, the goal of science through natural reflection, the intersection of imagination and science through DNA and poetry, the unity of science and faith, and the interplay of science, theology, and poetry in contemplation.

Why is genomics one of the most exciting areas of scientific discovery today?  Where is God to be encountered in the study of the human genome?  What role do faith and doubt play in scientific exploration?  How do genomic discoveries invite us to worship a God who gives us room to change and grow?Our guest today is Praveen Sethupathy. Praveen is an Associate Professor of Biomedical Sciences and Director of the Center for Vertebrate Genomics at Cornell University, where he directs a research lab focused on genomic approaches to understand human health and disease. He received his BA degree from Cornell University and his PhD in Genomics from the University of Pennsylvania. After completing a post-doctoral fellowship at the National Human Genome Research Institute, he moved in 2011 to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Genetics. In 2017, he returned to Cornell University as an Associate Professor. Praveen has authored over 95 peer-reviewed publications in scientific journals and has served as a reviewer for over 35 different journals. Alongside his career in genomic science, Praveen is a prominent speaker and advisor on the relationship between science, ethics and religion.This season of podcasts exploring science and faith is supported by @eclasproject Science in Seminaries.  For more information see www.eclasproject.org

How do science and theology come together to transform the way we look at the world? How has the philosophy of science affected the way we think about miracles, in the Bible and today? How might studying history be a bridge between science and faith? And why do we need both science and theology to explore life's biggest questions? Mark Harris is Professor of Natural Science and Theology at the University of Edinburgh, where he directs the Science and Religion Programme. Prior to his ordination as an Anglican priest, he worked as an experimental physicist. He leads the Theology of the Quantum World Project and the God and the Book of Nature Research Network.This season of podcasts exploring science and faith is supported by @eclasproject Science in Seminaries.  For more information see www.eclasproject.org.

Does suffering belong to a good creation, or is it just a result of the fall?  How does evolution challenge traditional understandings of the presence of suffering in out world?  What does God's power and love look like in a world of pain?  In a world facing ecological catastrophe, where might hope be found?  How does the way we understand suffering affect the way we experience hard times, for ourselves and for others?Dr Bethany Sollereder is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Science and Religion at the Laudato Si’ Research Institute at Campion Hall and the Ian Ramsey Centre for Science and Religion at the University of Oxford. She has written numerous articles in academic and popular forums, as well as the book God, Evolution and Animal Suffering: Theodicy without a Fall (Routledge 2018). Her new book Why is There Suffering? Pick Your Own Theological Expedition will be published with Zondervan in November 2021.This season of podcasts exploring science and faith is supported by @eclasproject Science in Seminaries.  For more information see www.eclasproject.org

What does studying human behaviour have to offer the dialogue between science and faith? What might religious perspectives have to offer studies in human behaviour? How does the fear of death affect belief? And what can theology learn from the self-critical mode of psychological study?The Revd Dr Jonathan Jong is a Research Fellow at Coventry University where he is Deputy Director of the Brain, Belief and Behaviour group. He is Senior Researcher at the Institute for Cognitive and Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Oxford. Jonathan is also an Anglican priest and serves as part-time Rector of Cocking with West Lavington, Bepton and Heyshott. For more details about his work, see here. This season of the podcast explores science and faith and is supported by the Equipping Leadership in an Age of Science project. For more information see www.eclasproject.org

What do people mean when they talk about science and religion, and why do those assumptions matter? Where does the science and religion conflict myth come from and how is it perpetuated today? How does exploring our humanity help us navigate the significance of science and faith? And why do the incarnation and crucifixion of Jesus matter for our approach to science and faith?Dr Nick Spencer is Senior Fellow at Theos Think Tank, where he leads their work on Science and Religion. He is the author of several books, including The Political Samaritan: How Power Hijacked a Parable and The Evolution of the West. He presented the BBC Radio 4 series ‘The Secret History of Science and Religion’ and hosts the podcast Reading Our Times. For more about Nick, see here.This season of the podcast explores science and faith and is supported by the Equipping Leadership in an Age of Science project. For more information see www.eclasproject.org

What happens when we read scripture as the story of God’s migrant peoples? How has the Church both flourished and failed in embracing migrant communities? How does Catholic Social Teaching help us engage theologically with the lived experiences of migration? How should the stories of migrants shape the life and thought of the Church today?Dr Anna Rowlands is St Hilda Associate Professor of Catholic Social Thought and Practice at Durham University. She teaches on political, moral, and practical theology, and also works closely with a number of leading Faith-Based charities. For more about her work, see here.