Christian Perspectives in Science
Seminar Series
This seminar series explores interactions between Christian faith and scholarship in the natural and applied sciences. A schedule of future seminars (and a list of past seminars) is given below. Seminar topics vary over a range of interdisciplinary issues, drawing insights from religion, philosophy, astronomy, geology, biology, biotechnology, chemistry, physics, engineering, nursing, mathematics, computer science, psychology, sociology, history, and other departments and programs.
Time and place:
Seminars are typically held several Fridays per semester, 3:30-4:45
p.m., at
Leading a seminar: If you
are interested in leading a seminar, contact Loren Haarsma. You don’t have to write an entirely new
lecture in order to lead a seminar. You
could also
--present a lecture you have given elsewhere or an article you have recently
published;
--present a preliminary draft of a lecture or an article on which you are
working, to get some feedback;
--lead a discussion about how to teach Christian perspectives on a certain
topic in the classroom.
Other
science-and-religion seminar series in the
Grand Dialogue in Science and Religion
Spring 2008 Schedule
|
Date |
Title |
Speaker |
|
Saturday February 9* (10:00
a.m.) (Loosemore Auditorium, |
Is the Cosmos All There Is? The quest for answers to big cosmological
questions* (Keynote lecture of the Grand Dialogue
in Science and Religion Annual Conference.) (Additional talks in breakout sessions at 1:00 p.m.) |
Howard J.
VanTill, Professor Emeritus of Physics and Astronomy, Calvin
College |
|
February 15 (3:30 p.m.) (SB-110) |
Randomness, Purpose, God, and Evolution – Can they
go together? powerpoint slides audio recording (Quicktime) |
Richard Colling, Professor
of Biology, Olivet Nazarene University.
Author of Random Designer: Created from Chaos to
Connect with the Creator |
|
February 29 (3:30 p.m.) (SB-110) |
Where is the “C” in Developing E-Type Systems? powerpoint slides audio recording (.wma) |
Patrick Bailey, Computer
Science & Information Systems Department, Calvin College. |
|
March 28 (3:30 p.m.) (SB-110) |
Interactive Cellular Assemblies, Neural Suppression,
and the Unified Character of Consciousness |
Eric LaRock, Assistant Professor of
Philosophy, Oakland University. |
|
Monday, April 7 (3:30 p.m.) (SB-110) |
Real Faith and Fictional Worlds abstract audio recording (.wma)
|
George Murphy, Pastoral associate
at |
|
|
Rescheduled to fall, 2008
|
Rolf Bouma, Director
of the Center for Faith and Scholarship, University of Michigan |
|
May 2 (3:30 p.m.) (SB-110) |
Christianity and Climate Change: Understanding the Range of Responses abstract This is a repeat of seminar presented last October 26, to be given for a group of visiting alumni. If you missed the earlier seminar, feel free to attend this one. |
Janel Curry,
Dean of Research and Professor of Geology, Geography and Environmental
Studies, |
*Events
with an asterix are not part of the CPiS seminar series, but should be of
interest to many attenders of CPiS seminars.
Previous seminars
Fall 2007 Schedule
|
Date |
Title |
Speaker |
|
September 21 (3:30 p.m.) (SB-110) |
Revisiting the “God of the gaps” |
Ronald Larson, Chair
and George Granger Brown Professor of
Chemical Engineering, University of |
|
September 28 (3:30 p.m.) (SB-110) |
A Classical Christian Emergent Anthropology |
John Cooper, Professor
of Philosophical Theology, Calvin Theological Seminary. |
|
October 12 (3:30 p.m.) (SB-010) |
Origins: A Reformed Look at Creation, Design, and
Evolution |
Deborah Haarsma, Physics
& Astronomy Department; Loren
Haarsma, Physics & Astronomy Department, |
|
October 26 (3:30 p.m.) (SB-110) |
Christianity and Climate Change: Understanding the Range of Responses |
Janel Curry,
Dean of Research and Professor of Geology, Geography and Environmental
Studies, |
|
November 30 (3:30 p.m.) (SB-110) |
Animal Welfare and Global Sustainability: Compassionate Eating as Care of Creation |
Matthew C.
Halteman, Philosophy Department, |
Spring 2007
|
Date |
Title |
Speaker |
|
February 2 (3:30 p.m.) SB-010 |
Epiphany for a Small Planet: Christology, Astronomy, and Mutuality
(co-sponsored by Calvin Philosophy Department) |
Alan Padgett, Professor of Systematic Theology,
Luther Seminary. Crosson Fellow at the Center for Philosophy of Religion at Notre
Dame University, 2006-2007. |
|
February 9 (3:30 p.m.) (SB-110) |
De ordine
creationis: a theological approach to the nature of
mathematical reasoning |
Jim Turner, Mathematics
& Statistics Department, |
|
Thursday February 22 (3:30 p.m.) SB-010 |
Naturalism, Nanotechnology, and Our “Post-human”
Future: A Reformed Perspective (co-sponsored by Calvin Engineering
Department, Calvin Center for
Christian Scholarship, and Seminars
in Christian Scholarship.) |
Charles Adams,
Dean of the Natural Sciences and Professor
of Engineering, Association of Reformed Institutions of Higher Education
(ARIHE) Lecturer, 2006-2008. |
|
February 23 (3:30 p.m.) Meeter Center Lecture Hall |
Teaching “Technical Courses” from a Christian
Perspective: A Reformed Approach to Pedagogy (co-sponsored by Calvin Engineering
Department, Calvin Center for
Christian Scholarship, and Seminars
in Christian Scholarship.) |
Charles Adams,
Dean of the Natural Sciences and Professor
of Engineering, Association of Reformed Institutions of Higher Education (ARIHE) Lecturer, 2006-2008. |
|
Saturday February
24* (10:00
a.m.) (Loosemore Auditorium, |
Body, Mind, and Spirit: Emerging
Perspectives in Science and Religion.* (Keynote lecture of the Grand Dialogue in Science and
Religion Annual Conference.) (Additional talks in breakout sessions at 1:00 p.m.) |
Philip
Clayton, Ingraham
Professor of Theology at Claremont School of Theology; Professor of
Religion and Philosophy at |
|
Tuesday March 27* (7:30 p.m.) (Calvin Seminary
Auditorium) |
Scripture, God and Time* (Calvin Philosophy Department: 2007 Jellema
Lectures) |
Brian
Leftow, Professor, |
|
Wednesday March 28* (3:30 p.m.) (Calvin Seminary
Auditorium) |
Creation ex Nihilo* (Calvin Philosophy Department: 2007 Jellema
Lectures) |
Brian
Leftow, Professor, |
|
April 20* (7:00 p.m.) (Calvin Seminary
Auditorium) |
Topic:
Public health issues surrounding factory farms.* (Sponsored by Farms Without Harm, in conjunction
with the Calvin College Philosophy and Biology Departments.) |
Michael Greger,
M.D., physician, Director of
Public Health and Animal Agriculture at The Humane Society of the United
States |
*Events with an asterix are not part of the
CPiS seminar series, but should be of interest to many attenders of CPiS
seminars.
Fall 2006
|
Date |
Title |
Speaker |
|
September 15 (3:30 p.m.) (SB-110) |
Is There a Purpose in the Living World? Some Thoughts about Creation and Emergent
Evolution |
Jaap Klapwijk,
Free University in |
|
September 29 3:45 p.m. |
Outdoor Experiences for the Young and Young at Heart abstract audio
recording first half (.wma) |
Cheryl Hoogewind,Calvin
Ecosystem Preserve Manager, |
|
October 12* (Thursday) (3:30 p.m.) (North Hall 078) |
Evangelicals and Climate Change |
Rev. Jim Ball, Ph.D., Executive Director, Evangelical Environmental Network |
|
October 27 (3:30 p.m.) (SB-110) |
Human Origins:
Scientific Theories and Christian Theologies (audio recording unavailable due to
technical glitch) |
John Cooper, Professor of Philosophical Theology, Calvin Theological Seminary |
|
November 3 (3:30 p.m.) (SB-110) |
What is a Number?
Augustine’s Philosophy of Mathematics |
Jim Bradley, Mathematics
Department; Director of Assessment & Institutional Research, |
|
November 10 (3:30 p.m.) (SB-010) |
The Realm of Ghosts:
Sickness and Death in the Early |
Dr. Jan Peter Verhave, Visiting Research Fellow Van Raalte Institute, |
|
November 17 (3:30 p.m.) (SB-110) |
Intelligent Design on Trial |
Edward B. Davis, Professor of
the History of Science, |
|
December 1 (3:30 p.m.) (SB-110) |
The Search for Extra-terrestrial Life |
Larry Molnar and
Loren Haarsma, Physics &
Astronomy Department, |
*Events with an asterix are not part of the
CPiS seminar series, but should be of interest to many attenders of CPiS
seminars.
Spring 2006
|
Date |
Title |
Speaker |
|
February 8 Wed., 3:30 pm Meeter Center |
Science and Religion:
Nature as Interpreted Book (Co-sponsored by Calvin Center for Christian Scholarship) (Co-sponsored by Seminars
in Christian Scholarship) |
Arie Leegwater,
Chemistry & Biochemistry Department, |
|
March 3 (3:30 p.m.) (SB-110) |
Daniel C. Harlow,
Religion Department, |
|
|
March 8 Wed., 3:30 pm Commons Lecture Hall |
Putting
Science in its Place: The Culture of Scientific Practice (Co-sponsored by Calvin Center for Christian Scholarship) (Co-sponsored by Seminars
in Christian Scholarship) |
Arie Leegwater,
Chemistry & Biochemistry Department, |
|
March 10 (3:30 p.m.) (SB-110) |
Ronald A. Buelow,
Professor of Mathematics, |
|
|
April 1* Saturday 10:00 am |
(This is
the keynote address of the spring
conference of |
John F. Haught, Landegger Distinguished
Professor of Theology, |
|
April 21* |
A New Image of Science and Nature* (Sponsored by the Metanexus Local
Society Initiative of Calvin
College and the Calvin Center
for Christian Scholarship) |
Joseph Rouse, Professor
of Philosophy, |
|
April 27 (Thursday) (3:30 p.m.) (SB-110) |
Randy Isaac, Executive Director, American Scientific Affiliation |
|
|
May 5 (3:30 p.m.) (SB-110) |
Judith A. Baker, Nursing
Department, |
*Events with an asterix are not part of the
CPiS seminar series, but should be of interest to many attenders of CPiS
seminars.
Fall 2005
|
Date |
Title |
Speaker |
|
September 16 |
Ken Piers,
Chemistry & Biochemistry Department, |
|
|
September 29* (7:30 p.m.) (SB-010) |
Einstein
and His World
(Lecture for a general audience) |
Martin Klein, Eugene Higgins Professor Emeritus of Physics and History of Science, |
|
September 30* (3:30 p.m.) (SB-110) |
New Paths
to the Depths of Physics: Einstein in 1905 |
Martin Klein, Eugene Higgins Professor Emeritus of Physics and History of Science, |
|
October 7 |
Douglas Kindschi,
Professor of Mathematics and Philosophy, |
|
|
October 13* (3:30 p.m.) (Meeter Center) |
Beliefs in Natural Science, Then and Now (This is a Meeter Center colloquium. It will be held in the
Meeter Center Lecture Hall.) |
Christopher B. Kaiser, Professor of Historical and Systematic Theology,
Western Theological Seminary |
|
October 21 |
Ralph Stearley,
Geology, Geography and Environmental Studies Department, |
|
|
October 28 |
Matthew Heun,
Engineering Department, |
|
|
November 3-5* |
Conference
on “The
‘Nature’ of Belief” at the |
Sponsored by the Templeton
Foundation and by the Calvin
Seminars in Christian Scholarship |
|
November 18 |
Uko Zylstra,
Prof. of Biology and Dean of Natural Sciences, |
*Events with an asterix are not part of the
CPiS seminar series, but should be of interest to many attenders of CPiS
seminars.
Spring 2005
Fall 2004
|
Date |
Title |
Speaker |
|
October 8 |
(Co-sponsored by Calvin Center for Christian Scholarship) (Co-sponsored by
the Calvin Philosophy
Department) |
Steven Horst, Associate
Professor and Chair, Philosophy Department, |
|
October 12 7:30 p.m. Calvin Chapel |
But
It’s Only a Rat! Christian Reflections
on Painful Animal Research (Sponsored by Templeton/ASA Lecture Series) |
Robert
N. Wennberg, Professor, Philosophy Department, |
|
October 29 |
The
Birth of Mathematical Astronomy: |
Steve Wykstra,
Philosophy Department, |
|
November 12 |
John H. Scofield,
Professor and Chair, Physics and Astronomy Department, |
|
|
December 3 |
Christian
Philosophy, Spatiality and Geography (Co-sponsored by Calvin Center for Christian Scholarship) (Co-sponsored by
the Calvin GGES Department) |
Henk Aay,
Geology, Geography and Environmental Studies Department, |
|
December 10 |
(Co-sponsored by Calvin Center for Christian Scholarship) (Co-sponsored by
the Calvin GGES Department) |
Janel Curry,
Dean of Research; Professor of Geology, Geography and Environmental Studies, |
Spring 2004
|
Date |
Title |
Speaker |
|
February 13 |
Douglas
VanderGriend, Chemistry Department, |
|
|
March 12 |
Rebecca Flietstra, Associate Professor of Biology, |
|
|
March 30 |
Can
We Allow Climate to Change and Biodiversity to Become Extinct? (Sponsored by Templeton/ASA Lecture Series) |
Sir Ghillean
Prance, former Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, adjunct
professor at the City University of New York and a visiting professor at the |
|
March 31 |
The
Eden Project (www.edenproject.com) (Sponsored by Templeton/ASA Lecture Series) |
|
|
April 16 < |