Dialogo Conf 2014: The First Virtual International Conference on the Dialogue between Science and Theology. Cosmology, Life & Anthropology
DIALOGO. Proceedings of the Conferences on the Dialogue between Science & Theology: Volume 1, Issue 1, 2014
155 Pages Posted: 10 Jan 2015
Date Written: November 28, 2014
Abstract
The annual "DIALOGO" CONFERENCES promote reflection and research on important public issues to which Christian theology can make a constructive contribution and is essential in the relation between science and religion in this era; scientists are also invited to manifest their ideas/theories on the topics in a constructive manner. This virtual conferences series gives you a great new way to participate in the fully fledged, scientific and professional conference without personal participation.
We invite you to enter this dialogue with your knowledge, research and findings to help people understand if/how it is possible for someone to believe in God without convicting science, and, vice versa, if/how it is possible for a scientist to keep his findings and never renounce his faith in God. As Francisco J. Ayala said, "I can believe that I am God's creature without denying that I developed from a single cell in my mother's womb by natural processes."
In the light of the many challenges that the world is now facing, a broad understanding of modern science is indispensable in today's society, so that we are both competitive in today's high-tech job market, and well informed on scientific matters. The methodology of modern science has been remarkably successful in uncovering the working of the Earth and universe for us. Just in the past half-century science has unlocked the code of life and read the DNA of many organisms, traced the history of the known universe and discovered a set of mathematical laws that explain, at a fundamental level, virtually all physical phenomena with remarkable precision. It is increasingly clear that any movement that opposes the progress of modern science is simply digging a pit for itself. On the other hand, religion plays a similarly important foundation in the lives of the vast majority of people worldwide. Religion has indisputably inspired some of the world's greatest art and literature, as it is evident even from a casual stroll through any of World's great art museums. Even more importantly, religion has played an enormous role worldwide as a governor of moral and ethical conduct through the ages. Modern science is the most powerful tool known to explore the physical laws and processes that govern the universe. Yet it can say next to nothing about morality, salvation, ethics or the ultimate meaning of life, nor were its methods ever designed to probe such fundamental questions. Similarly, religion through the ages has addressed morality, salvation, the purposes of existence, and is a powerful force for mutual understanding and charity worldwide, but scriptures alone provide no clues as to the mass of the electron or the equations of general relativity, nor were they ever intended to be read in such a technical sense. In general, there is nothing in modern science that is fundamentally anti-religious or in any way negates the many positive aspects of living a moral, charitable, purposeful life; and there is nothing in modern religion that is fundamentally anti-science or should in any way stand in the way of scientific progress.
The dialog between science and theology has always existed whether it led to agreements or controversies. The desire to demonstrate the richness of such a dialog has given birth to our Research Center on the Dialog be-tween Science and Theology, whose mission is to stimulate interdisciplinary scientific research in the above-mentioned fields, as well as in compared and apologetic theology, resulting in solutions regarding the greater issue of today's society on a par with Christian spirituality and faith.
Keywords: dialogue, science, theology, religion, cosmology, life, anthropology, human, social, extraterestrial, behavior, begining, beliefs, faith, God, nutrition,neurology, neuroscience, Math, physics, genetics, biology, Christianism, conference, proceedings
JEL Classification: J11, J7, K32, Q00, Z00, Z10, O15
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation