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PréCiSNo. 45
Winter 2009www.cis.org.uk
CHRIS
TIAN
S. IN.
SCIEN
CEPerry Enever, CiS Development Officer, 157 Rough Common Road, Canterbury, KENT. CT2 9BS [email protected]
Diana Briggs, CiS Secretary, 5 Northmoor Road, Oxford, OX2 6UW [email protected]
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REPORT OF LONDONCONFERENCE 1 NOVEMBER 2008
Celebrating Darwin? Creation, Evolution andTheological Challenges
About 150 members and visitors gathered atSt Paul’s Church, Robert Adam Street,London on Saturday 1 November 2008 tolisten to talks and to discuss matters relatedto Charles Darwin’s ‘Dangerous Idea’ - theorigin of species by natural selection. Thesubject of evolution, particularly in thecontext of its relationship to certain biblicalpassages, has been the subject of debateever since Darwin first published his book in1859, and this conference continued thattradition. Although there was somediscussion in the breaks about the truth ornot of evolution as a scientific theory, thiswas not the main thrust of the conferenceitself. There were presentations aboutmodern scientific evidence for evolution inBiology and Biochemistry, but much of thediscussion was about related issues such asthe theology of the doctrine of creation,animal suffering, the theology of the fall andhow to interpret the early chapters ofGenesis.
Keith Fox, the National Chairman of CiS,opened by remarking that many people insecular society were using Darwin’sanniversary year to attack Christianity. Hehoped that this conference would show thatthese attacks were unjustified and, even ifwe disagreed with each other we would beable to do so with dignity and remainbrothers and sisters in Christ. This hope wasfully realised during the day.David Wilkinson, Principal of St John’sCollege, Durham started the conferenceproper with his presentation ‘Worshippingthe Creator God: The Doctrine of Creation’.Using Colossians Chapter 1 he
demonstrated that the concept of creationwas not an abstract academic concept; it hasChrist at its centre, and God is the solecreator and sustainer of order in theuniverse. The Christian doctrine of creation,he said, needs to be seen in the reality of thenew creation, and we see in creation the giftof human relationship with God.
Simon McConway of the Durham LocalGroup then presented ‘How is CreationDesigned? Decomposing Paley’s Watch’.Using his industrial engineering experiencehe drew a distinction between ‘craft’ designand ‘engineering’ design, and comparedthese with God’s work in creation. He usedbiblical passages such as Isaiah 64:8 inwhich God is described as a potter to
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conclude that God’s work of creation, and theway evolution works in the world, look like craftrather than engineering design.
After coffee, Darrell Falk, Professor of Biology atPoint Loma Nazarene University, California, gavea lesson in genetics and how it impacts ourunderstanding of evolution, with a talk entitled‘Evolution: Biological Facts and TheologicalChallenges’. He described the way the ‘AluRetrotransposon’ can be inserted into achromosome and transmitted genetically inexactly the same position through manygenerations, giving a positive indication when twoindividuals have a common ancestor.Measurement of the position of just one Aluinsertion shows that all humans andchimpanzees have a common ancestor. Usingother examples of Alu insertions enables us toidentify when other lineages diverged. He wenton to ask whether, if God created humans by agradual process (as appears to be so from hisknowledge of genetics) this would somehowlessen God’s creation. His conclusion was that itwould not.
Anthropologist Clare Merry gave a slightlydifferent view in her lecture ‘Nano-creation andEntropic Evolution’. God created at nano-scaleentities such as atoms and molecules includingDNA, and these give rise to phenomena at themacroscopic scale by natural processes. Shecharacterised nano-evolution as the wind-upphase and entropic evolution as the wind-downphase, giving creation within the context of anevolving world.
Before lunch, we briefly heard about two nationalprojects. Martin Rogers described the ongoingworldwide ‘Science and Religion in SchoolsProject’ designed to lead young people throughan open-minded and informed debate aboutcreationism, scientism, reductionism andmaterialism. Peter Moore then described the‘Wonder Project’, again aimed at schools andwhich meets the QCA requirements for year 9RE. A new version covering Darwin will bereleased at the end of the year.
Lunch gave good opportunities for discussion andcatching up with old friends, after which CiSmembers held the society’s AGM when the usualformalities were completed, including news of
changes to officers and staff, reported in the nextedition of PreCis.
After lunch the conference changed tack slightly,covering ethics, theology and biblicalinterpretation rather than evolution itself. First,Simon Kolstoe and Meric Srocosz of the CentralSouth local group asked ‘Do Animals Suffer LikeUs?’ They pointed out that pain is useful as asurvival aid, and that animals do experience pain,although it is not clear that they actually suffer inthe same way humans do. The so-called ‘hardproblem’ of consciousness is by no means settledfor humans let alone for animals. They warned ofthe danger of viewing animals through humaneyes, and concluded that there is probably lessanimal suffering than our anthropomorphic mindstend to identify. They concluded with a discussionof theodicy and eschatology, and reminded us ofProverbs 12:10 ‘A righteous man cares for … hisanimals’.
Old Testament expert Professor Rick Hess ofDenver Seminary then presented ‘God andOrigins: Interpreting the early chapters ofGenesis’. He set the context of how Israel wouldhave viewed the origin of the world, and how their
worldview was shaped by other texts as well asby the books of the Pentateuch. He showed howthe text illuminated the questions whichinterested the first readers, described thestructure, location and grammar of Genesis 1:1-2:4, and the latitude it allows modernreaders,finishing with the conclusion that God’simage is reflected in the ongoing work oftransforming culture according to his divine will.
The last presentation was by French evangelicaltheologian Henri Blocher, and covered ‘Theologyof the Fall and Origins of Evil’. He outlined themany kinds of evil, including victimisation, politicalcorruption and abuse of power, distinguishedbetween the origin of pain and that of evil, anddrew the inference that evil is either sin or theconsequence of sin. Animal death, he said, was
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not due to Adam’s sin. Blocher said that such ’natural’ evils as earthquakes and viruses wereevil because we have lost the powers originallygiven to Adam: the original humans had super-health and such things were not a problem tothem.
Finally Keith Fox chaired a panel discussion inwhich Denis Alexander and Sir Ghillean Prancejoined speakers, Falk, Hess and Blocher.Questions ranged through the amount of pain inthe world; the chronology of humans evolving tobe in the image of God; whether there is an ’evilgene’; and there was extensive discussion ashow we can apply what we have learned atconference in our everyday lives.
Overall the conference was efficiently organisedand run, although this reviewer would have likedmore time for questions and discussion.Nevertheless, we left St Paul’s with much to thinkabout and all the speakers are due thanks forstimulating and authoritative presentations. Weshall look forward to next year.
Rob Heather, Chairman, CiS Central South Local Group, 8November 2008
INTERVIEW WITH RICHARD LEGGETT
Richard Leggett is currently doing a PhD incomputational biology at the University of EastAnglia, modelling microbial growth.
Richard is part of the team who set up the CiS’snewest local group in Norwich. For more detailssee the website or [email protected]
1. Tell us what you've been doing until now.
From school, I went to Warwick University tostudy Physics and after graduating, I worked for10 years as a software engineer in the computerindustry. Whilst working, I got the opportunity tostudy for an MSc in Advanced ComputingScience and it was this that led me to embarkupon a PhD in Computational Biology. Myresearch involves the use of computer modelingand image processing techniques to betterunderstand the growth of the antibiotic-producingbacteria Streptomyces.
2. What do you do for fun?
For the first time in my life, this year I’m a seasonticket holder at Norwich City - unfortunately, it’sone of their worst seasons ever! I’m also a reallykeen follower of Motorsport and enjoy playingsquash, badminton and basketball. When we getthe chance (finance and environmentalconsiderations notwithstanding!), my wife and Ilove to travel, particularly to places withmountains or skyscrapers!
3. Who have been the most important rolemodels in your life?
In terms of myChristian life, I think it’sfair to say my parentshave been the mostimportant role modelsfor me. They’ve alwaysshown completeconsistency betweentheir behaviour inchurch and theirbehaviour during therest of the week andthey are both very
much thinking Christians with tremendous Bibleknowledge. I’ve also valued great role models inevery church I’ve attended and I remain gratefulfor the welcome I received from CanleyEvangelical Church in Coventry while anundergraduate.
More generally, I’ve got great admiration for anyprominent scientist that is willing to stand up andbe counted as a Christian. So I have a great dealof respect for people like Francis Collins, JohnLennox, Sam Berry and others. It was a pleasureat our Norwich inaugural lecture to meet Prof SirGhillean Prance, a man of great scientificreputation who retains a sense of humility anddevotes large amounts of time to promotingscience and Christian belief.
4. What challenges have you come across asa Christian and a scientist?
I don’t think the challenges I have as a Christianscientist are too much different to those of anyother Christian. So there are the same difficulties
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with regard to trying to be an honest worker,finding opportunities to explain my faith andmaintaining good relationships with allcolleagues.
The environment I work in has a huge mix ofnationalities, so people tend to be quite acceptingof other people’s cultures. However, thissometimes leads to people making the mistake ofseeing Christianity as something that Britishpeople do and not thinking it might be relevant tothem.
5. How has your faith helped you as ascientist or vice versa?
The more I’ve explored science, the more I’vefound it has enriched my Christian faith. Eachlayer of understanding that gets peeled awayreveals another layer more complicated andfascinating than the last. I can’t understand howpeople can study science and not think about thebigger philosophical issues! But I also think thatfaith helps the science by giving you a bit moreperspective on what you’re doing - it seems to bean easy temptation for scientists to get obsessedwith their research, but I think it’s important tohave more to your life than just work!
6. What science-faith book have you mostenjoyed/found most helpful?
The first book on this topic I read was atuniversity and was an IVP book called “Windowson Science and Faith” by Tim Hawthorne. I foundit tremendously helpful in developing my views onthe compatibility between evolutionary theory andmy Christian faith and I ended up lending it to anumber of friends. Sadly it’s out of print now.Another IVP book, “Can we believe Genesistoday?” by Ernest Lucas looks more broadly atthe book of Genesis and provides a usefulsummary. More recently, Alistair McGraths bookshave been useful - particularly “Dawkin’s God”and “The Dawkins Delusion”.
Finally, one of the best ways to explore science-faith issues is to stay up late debating with family,friends and colleagues!
LOCAL GROUPS
CAMBRIDGECiS Cambridge Local Group Fellowship meetingsJoin us every six weeks or so for an informal timeof Bible study, prayer, and a talk on an issuerelating to life as a Christian in the lab. ContactAlan Roberts ([email protected]) or Nicole Chan([email protected]) for more details.
Faraday Institute seminars:The Faraday Institute for Science and ReligionResearch Seminars are held at 1.00 p.m. onalternate Tuesdays in the Garden Room, LibraryBuilding, St. Edmund's College. A free light buffetlunch and drinks are served from 12.30 p.m.onwards. All are welcome.Next Event: 3rd February Dr. Allan ChapmanHistorical Perspectives on Christianity and MentalIllnessVisit http://www.st-edmunds.cam.ac.uk/faraday/Seminars.php oremail [email protected] for more information.
CiS-Faraday lectures:This termly lecture series on science and religionis a continuation of the earlier CiS - St. Edmund'sCollege lecture series, re-named due to the factthat the series is now being funded as part of theactivities of the Faraday Institute. The Dinner-Discussions held after each lecture will continueto be held at St. Edmund's College as previously.
CAN YOU HELP?Local groups are not just for CiS members, soplease encourage friends and colleagues tocome to the events.
Groups vary in their size and activities, buteven if very active, your nearest local groupwould always welcome additional support ifyou can provide it.
Details and webpages of of local groups canbe found at www.cis.org.uk.
If you are interested in forming a new localgroup please contact the DevelopmentOfficer, Perry Enever ([email protected] or callon 08453 252 196)
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Most recent event: Revd Prof. Keith WardGod, Science and the New AtheismTuesday 27th January 2009Queen's Lecture Theatre Emmanuel College
Next Event: Prof. Kenneth Miller God, Darwinand Design 5.30 pm Tuesday 28th April 2009Queen's Lecture Theatre Emmanuel College
http://www.st-edmunds.cam.ac.uk/faraday/Lectures.php
CENTRAL SOUTHScience and Faith at War: Myths and Fables Old andNew
On 18 November about 250 people came toSouthampton to hear Professor Colin Russell talkabout the history of the 'conflict' between scienceand faith and how it has been misrepresentedover the centuries. Struggling against a recentinjury which meant he was forced to use a stick,and the vagaries of a sound system that meanthe could barely hear questions from the floor,Russell explained how the story of the trial ofGalileo at the hands of a corrupt and reactionaryCatholic church was a travesty of the truesituation which had more to do with politics thanwith religion. This myth was typical of the(deliberate?) mis-reporting of other historicalepisodes, all of which have conspired to makethe general public believe that science and faithare at odds when nothing could be further fromthe truth. Video and sound recordings of the talkand the discussion are to be found on the CentralSouth local group page at http://www.cis-centralsouth.org.uk/ or via the CiS home page.
The next day Russell engaged with a small groupfrom the Southampton University AtheistsSociety. He started with a presentation entitled'Chemistry and God', in which he concentrated onthe very special properties of water and how ifany of these properties had been slightly differentlife as we know it would have been impossible.The subsequent wide-ranging discussion wasstimulating for the 20-or-so people who attended.
Next Event: AGM and Book Launch: on TuesdayMarch 10 the Central South Group will host a talkby Peter Williams (author of 'I Wish I CouldBelieve in Meaning') to launch his new book 'ASceptic's Guide to Atheism' being published
shortly by Paternoster. This will take place inHighfield Church Centre, Highfield Lane,Southampton, SO17 1RL, and will be precededby the group's first formal AGM. Tea and biscuitswill be served from 7.30pm, there will be a briefAGM at 8.00pm, and the talk and discussion,which are open to the general public, will startimmediately afterwards. Signed copies of PeterWilliams' book will be on sale. More informationwill appear athttp://www.cis.org.uk/groups/central-south/shortly
DURHAMYou are invited to the CiS/St. John's CollegeNorthern Conference 2009What Does It Mean To Be Human?14th March 2009, Leech Hall, St. John'sCollege, University of Durham.Visit www.cis.org.uk for booking and for moreinformation, which will beupdated as organisationprogresses.
Short contributions (up to 10-15minutes) are invited fromindividuals and local groups:please submit title and abstractto [email protected] consideration by theorganising team (acceptance is not guaranteed).Perhaps a local group would like to tell us abouttheir activities, or you or the group would like toaddress briefly the conference topic.
EDINBURGHThe December meeting was an openconversation on bioethics with three experts inthe field: Professor Hugh McLachlan, (Professorof Applied Philosophy, Glasgow CaledonianUniversity); Dr Calum MacKellar (Director ofResearch, Scottish Council on Human Bioethics);and Dr Donald Bruce (Director of Edinethics Ltd.(ethics in science and technology).
Next Meeting: What does it mean to be human?7.30pm February 23rd 2009 @ MorningsideBaptist Church, EH10 4DBAn evening of short presentations and debate onaspects and ideas on the nature of humanitydrawn from theological and scientific contexts.For more information contact Neville Cobbe
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([email protected]) or Gavin Merrifield([email protected]).
Gavin is also involved in an interesting projectknown as Jesus and the Scientist, although not aCiS project it will be of interest to members.Details can be found athttp://jesusandthescientist.squarespace.comThe next event is a briefing in Science andChristianity in 21st Century aimed mainly atstudents 7.30pm March 12th + 19th 2009.
GLASGOWPast meetings have taken place during lunchtimes at the Bower Building, Institute ofBiomedical and Life Sciences, University ofGlasgow For information about upcoming eventsplease contact Ari Sandanandom on 0141 3308639, [email protected].
HARROWFor details of the next meeting please contactRev. Lyndon North 07747 638783 or [email protected]
IRELANDMost Recent Event: Interpreting Genesis -Strategies and Current Trends. Prof. PattonTaylor (Union Theological College, Belfast).Common Grounds Café, 12-24 UniversityAvenue, Belfast. 7.00 pm on Monday 26 January2009.
For further information contact Dr. Scott Peddie,phone 0044-(0)2894-487669, or [email protected].
NORWICHMost Recent (Inaugural) event: Prof. SirGhillean Prance The Eden Project: Biodiversityas a Moral Imperative
We were pleased to have the then CiS Presidentspeak on 9th Oct 2008 at the University of EastAnglia which was a well attended inauguralmeeting We're planning to organise monthly
prayer and/or discussion meetings for members,with a public lecture once or twice a year. At themoment, we're keen for people to get in contactwith us and join our mailing list. Please contact uson [email protected]
NOTTINGHAMThe Nottingham group usually meets every twomonths (1st Tuesday of even numbered months)for a discussion about a topic relating toChristianity and Science.
Most recent meeting: members brought along abook they had been reading. After anintroduction, there was a time of discussion.Books/publications included The GoldilocksEnigma by Paul Davies, Redeeming Science: AGod-Centered Approach by Vern S. Poythressand an article from Science & Christian Belief onthe Fall by Sam Berry
Next meeting: Feb 3rd one of the memberswill initiate a discussion on the Flood.
Anybody in the Nottingham area who isinterested can contact me: Geoff Bagley,[email protected]. tel:0115 9258801
OXFORDIn July we had a stimulating evening withProfessor Cees Dekker from Holland who spokeon "Science and religion - looking beyondFlatland". Professor Dekker is a key player in therevival of Dutch interest in science and religionhas recently edited a Dutch version of "Realscience real faith" to which our InternationalSecretary, Dr Ard Louis, has contributed. Thisautumn, Professor Andrew Briggs guided usthrough the minefield of developments inquantum information, ending with a vigorousdiscussion of how ideas on quantum informationcan help us better understand our Christian faith.
Next meeting: Friday, February 6th, when wewill join in the Darwin commemorations with a talkby Dr Denis Alexander, Director of the FaradayInstitute. The meeting will be held at St Andrew'sChurch, Linton Road, Oxford and will begin withcoffee at 7.30 pm.
SOUTH WESTFor details of the next meeting please contactMatthew Frost email: [email protected].
Opportunity Arising: Ari will be moving toWarwick University in the spring. Would you beinterested in getting involved in the Glasgowlocal group in any capacity? If so pleasecontact Ari or the CiS Development Officer.
