Emerging Voices In Science And Theology

This volume engages with the relative absence and underrepresentation of female voices in the field of science and religion, which tends to be dominated by male academics who are in the later stages of their careers. It makes a valuable contribution to correcting this imbalance by showcasing the work of a talented set of rising female scholars, which is not necessarily explicitly feminist in content or approach. All the authors featured are at a relatively early stage in their careers with diverse backgrounds and interests. Engaging with traditional and new questions, they promise to contribute much to the future development of the field of science and religion.

There are some new voices emerging in Christian theological conversation these days. They do not speak with American or Western European accents, but reflect their settings in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Since they come from many places, the theological questions they ask are not ones we are used to in the West. They are as likely to speak of ancestor worship or political oppression as they are of church growth or evangelism. One thing is clear: we cannot listen to their cries of hope (or despair) without being deeply moved. This book gives an opportunity to listen in to important conversations going on in different parts of the world. These Christian theologians do not respond to a common set of questions, but are setting their own agendas of theological discussion. With some general introductory comments, these pieces are meant to stimulate an appetite for further exploration. There seems little doubt that the major voices in theology in the next generation will share these non-western accents.

There are some new voices emerging in Christian theological conversation these days. They do not speak with American or Western European accents, but reflect their settings in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Since they come from many different places, the theological questions they ask are not ones we are used to in the West. They are as likely to speak of ancestor worship or political oppression, as they are of church growth or evangelism. One thing is clear: we cannot listen to their cries of hope (or despair) without being deeply moved. This book gives an opportunity to listen in to important conversations going on in different parts of the world. These Christian theologians do not respond to a common set of questions, but are setting their own agendas of theological discussion. With some general introductory comments, these pieces are meant to stimulate an appetite for further exploration. There seems little doubt that the major voices in theology in the next generation will share these non-western accents.

There are some new voices emerging in Christian theological conversation these days. They do not speak with American or Western European accents, but reflect their settings in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Since they come from many places, the theological questions they ask are not ones we are used to in the West. They are as likely to speak of ancestor worship or political oppression as they are of church growth or evangelism. One thing is clear: we cannot listen to their cries of hope (or despair) without being deeply moved. This book gives an opportunity to listen in to important conversations going on in different parts of the world. These Christian theologians do not respond to a common set of questions, but are setting their own agendas of theological discussion. With some general introductory comments, these pieces are meant to stimulate an appetite for further exploration. There seems little doubt that the major voices in theology in the next generation will share these non-western accents.

This book explores ways in which Western literature has engaged with themes found within the field of science and religion, both historically and in the present day. It focuses on works of the imagination as important locations at which human arguments, hopes and fears may be played out. The chapters examine a variety of instances where scientific and religious ideas are engaged by novelists, poets and dramatists, casting new light upon those ideas and suggesting constructive ways in which science and religion may interact. The contributors cover a rich variety of authors, including Mary Shelley, Aldous Huxley, R. S. Thomas, Philip Pullman and Margaret Atwood. Together they form a fascinating set of reflections on some of the significant issues encountered within the discourse of science and religion, indicating ways in which the insights of creative artists can make a valuable and important contribution to that discourse.

This book investigates the nature and relevance of conjunctive explanations in the context of science and religion. It explores questions concerning how scientific and religious explanations for features of the world or phenomena within it relate to each other and whether they might work together in mutually enriching ways. The chapters address topics including the relationship between Darwinian and teleological explanations, non-reductive explanations of mind and consciousness, and explanations of Christian faith and religious experience, while others explore theological and philosophical issues concerning the nature and feasibility of conjunctive explanations. Overall, the contributions help to provide conceptual clarity on how scientific and religious explanations might or might not work together conjunctively as well as exploring how these ideas relate to specific topics in science and religion more generally.

Science challenges faith to seek fuller understanding, and faith challenges science to be socially and ethically responsible. This book begins with faith in God the Creator of the world, and then expands our understanding of creation in light of Big Bang cosmology and new discoveries in physics. Examining the expanding frontier of genetic research, Ted Peters draws out implications for theological understandings of human nature and human freedom. Issues discussed include: methodology in science and theology; eschatology in cosmology and theology; freedom and responsibility in evolution and theology; and genetic determinism, genetic engineering, and cloning in relation to freedom, the comodification of human life, and equitable distribution of the fruits of genetic technology. The dialogue model of relationship between science and religion, proposed in this book, provides a common ground for the disparate voices among theologians, scientists, and world religions. This common ground has the potential to breathe new life into current debates about the world in which we live, move, and have our being.

This book sets out a new agenda for science-theology interactions and offers examples of what that agenda might look like when implemented. It explores, in innovative ways, what follows for science-theology discussions from recent developments in the history of science. The contributions take seriously the historically conditioned nature of the categories ‘science’ and ‘religion’ and consider the ways in which these categories are reinforced in the public sphere. Reflecting on the balance of power between theology and the sciences, the authors demonstrate a commitment to moving beyond traditional models of one-sided dialogue and seek to give theology a more active role in determining the interdisciplinary agenda.