Subject: News from the University Church

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 Rethinking Relations Between Science and Religion

The relationship between science and religion is often thought of in terms of competing factual claims or ways of knowing - evolution vs creation, reason vs faith. But arguments along these lines are rarely persuasive. Yet the sense of inherent opposition between science and faith is still pervasive in public conversation and private assumption. What, then, are the alternative frameworks for understanding that relationship between empirical enquiry and theological claims?
 
In this year’s Bampton Lectures, Professor Peter Harrison will explore just this question, over the course of two day conferences here at St Mary’s on 12 and 19 February, 10.00-16.00. These lecture days are open to the public as well as members of the University, and are suitable for anyone with an interest in the relationship between science and religion. The Bampton lectures were founded by the will of John Bampton and have been taking place in the University of Oxford since 1780. 

Peter Harrison, the Bampton Lecturer, will argue that the inherited relation of competition between scientific discipline and theological belief is an expression of commitments to implicit historical narratives about science and religion. The most common is the conflict narrative, which proposes an enduring historical conflict between science and religion. Less commonly remarked upon is a naturalism narrative, according to which there is nothing in the universe but physical forces and entities. The lectures will trace the historical emergence of these powerful narratives and the ways they have unhelpfully shaped contemporary arguments about divine action and purpose.
Peter Harrison is a former Andreas Idreos Professor of Science and Religion at the University of Oxford. He is now an Australian Laureate Fellow and Director of the Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities at the University of Queensland.

PROGRAMME
Tuesday 12 February: Modern myths about science and religion
10.00-11.00 Supernatural Belief in a Secular Age (Church)
11.30-12.30 Science and the Disenchantment of Nature (Church)
A sandwich lunch will be provided for registered participants.
13.30 - 16.00 Evidence and Religious Belief (Old Library)
Tuesday 19 February: Science and divine purpose
10.00-11.00 Nature and the Idea of the Supernatural (Church)
11.30-12.30 Religious Belief and the Myth of Scientific Naturalism (Church)
A sandwich lunch will be provided for registered participants.
13.30 - 16.00 Divine Action in a Disenchanted World (Old Library)

Tickets: 

The Revd James Crockford
Assistant Priest
The Week Ahead 

Next Sunday

Sunday 10 February Fourth Sunday before Lent
10.30 Choral Eucharist - Nave
Preacher: The Revd Dr William Lamb
12.00 Creed & Credibility - Old Library
17.30 Intercollegiate Service with University Sermon
Preacher: Professor Francis Spufford, Author

Next Week

Monday Gilbert, 1189
09.00 Morning Prayer - Chancel
12.15 Eucharist - Chancel
19.45 Moot: Trust - Old Library

Tuesday 
09.00 Morning Prayer - Chancel
10.00 Bampton Lecture 1 - Nave
11.30 Bampton Lecture 2 - Nave
18.00 Bookclub - The Mitre

Wednesday 
09.00 Morning Prayer - Chancel
12.15 Eucharist - Chancel
17.30 Poetry Workshop - Old Library
18.30 Choral Evensong - Queen's College

Thursday Cyril, 869, and Methodius, 885
09.00 Morning Prayer - Chancel
12.15 Eucharist - Chancel
12.45 Lunchtime Bible Study - Old Library 
18.15 Choral Evensong - Merton College

Friday Sigfrid, 1045
09.00 Morning Prayer - Chancel
12.15 Eucharist - Chancel
18.30 Choral Evening Prayer - Magdalen College

Saturday 
18.15 Choral Evensong - New College

For full listings of weekly evening services across the University, see our website. 

Next Sunday

Sunday 17 February  Third Sunday before Lent
10.30 Choral Eucharist - Nave
Preacher: The Revd James Crockford
12.00 Creed & Credibility - Old Library
15.30 Evening Prayer (said) - Chancel
18.00 Choral Evensong - Oriel College
Preacher: The Revd Dr Jenni Williams. Wycliffe Hall
Hilary Termcard

Click here to see our new termcard for Hilary 2019. It provides information about services and forthcoming events at St Mary's. 
The Bampton Lectures

The Bampton lectures were founded by the will of John Bampton and have been taking place in the University of Oxford since 1780. These two day conferences are open to the public as well as members of the University. They are suitable for anyone with an interest in the relationship between science and religion.

The relationship between science and religion is often thought of in terms of competing factual claims or ways of knowing - evolution vs creation, reason vs faith. But arguments along these lines are rarely persuasive.

Peter Harrison, the Bampton Lecturer, will argue that this is because the dialogue is an expression of commitments to implicit historical narratives about science and religion. The most common is the conflict narrative, which proposes an enduring historical conflict between science and religion. Less commonly remarked upon is a naturalism narrative, according to which there is nothing in the universe but physical forces and entities.

The lectures will trace the historical emergence of these powerful narratives and the ways they have unhelpfully shaped contemporary arguments about divine action and purpose.

Peter Harrison is a former Andreas Idreos Professor of Science and Religion at the University of Oxford. He is now an Australian Laureate Fellow and Director of the Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities at the University of Queensland. He has written numerous books and articles on the historical and contemporary relations between science and religion. In 2011 he delivered the Gifford Lectures at the University of Edinburgh, now published as The Territories of Science and Religion (2015). His most recent book is Narratives of Secularization (2017).

Tuesday 12th February 2019
Modern myths about science and religion

Tuesday 19th February 2019
Science and divine purpose

10.00 - 16.00 in the Old Library.

This event is free and open to members of the public. To register, please follow this link:
St Mary's Church, High Street, OX1 4BJ, Oxford, United Kingdom
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