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The Zygon Center for Religion and Science was established in 1988 as a partnership program of the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago and the Center for Advanced Study in Religion and Science (CASIRAS). It is dedicated to relating religious traditions and the best scientific knowledge in order to gain insight into the origins, nature, and destiny of humans and their environment, and to realize the common goal of a world in which love, justice, and responsible patterns of living prevail.
The purpose of the Center is to bring together scientists, theologians, and other scholars to discuss and carry out research on basic questions and issues of human concern that include:
- how we understand the world in which we live and our place in that world;
- how traditional concerns and beliefs of religion can be related to that understanding;
- how the joint reflection of scientists, philosophers, and theologians can
contribute to the welfare of the human community;
- how dialogue and cooperation can be promoted among the world's religions;
- how to promote international discussion of the Center's theme areas.
Past Conferences
ZCRS has sponsored or co-sponsored:
Three Religion and Science Symposia at the 2004 Parliament of the World's Religions in Barcelona Spain: “Science and Spirituality,” “Food Justice and Food Safety,” and HIV/AIDS Symposium
Symposium: "Religion and Science: The Questions That Shape
Our Future," May 2003
Two Symposia on HIV/AIDS: "The Possibility of a Global Ethic:
The Potential of a Religion-Science Dialogue on HIV/AIDS" (2001)
and "Toward a Theology of Disease: An Interfaith Religion &
Science Dialogue on HIV/AIDS" (2002).
Symposium at the third Parliament of the World's Religions, Cape
Town, South Africa, “Science and Religion: Resource and Challenge
to Each Other,” December 1999.
Interactive Video Workshop, “Designer Genes: Are We Playing
God?,” March 1999
Templeton Workshops for college, seminary, and university teachers
of religion and science: June 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, and 1999.
Templeton Symposia: “Human Viability and a World Theology,”
Fall 1991; “Science and Religion as Ways of Experiencing and
Interpreting the World,” Summer 1993.
International Colloquia sponsored jointly by ZCRS and the Evangelical
Academy Loccum, Germany: “Cooperation and Competition,”
Fall 1988; “Human Nature and Moral Paradoxes,” Fall 1989;
and “Altruism,” Spring 1992.
ELCA Leadership Conference for shaping the mission of the church,
“The Year 2000 and Beyond,” Spring 1989.
Pannenberg Symposium, “Laying Theological Claim to Scientific
Understanding,” Fall 1988.
Program
The overall program of the Center takes shape in research,
teaching and outreach.
The research program focuses on questions which will benefit
from an approach that is both theologically and scientifically informed.
A special interest is interpreting classic Christian faith in ways
that are credible in the context of contemporary scientific understanding
and which include inter-religious dialogue and cooperation. Research
program activities include:
- supporting the research of resident scholars, including doctoral candidates;
- organizing conferences and seminars on topics of current interest;
- providing support for topical research workshops proposed by Center associates.
The teaching program provides seminary students and other interested people with an appreciation of science and the relationship of religion and science. It helps them to understand the issues that must be addressed if the church is to fulfill its role in a world society in which beliefs are increasingly being shaped by scientific knowledge. The teaching program includes:
- teaching courses at all levels for seminary students;
- cooperating in doctoral programs in the field of religion and science;
- the Epic of Creation series.
The outreach program makes the insights gained from Center activities available to a wider audience. The outreach program includes:
- organizing public lectures, workshops, and continuing education courses;
- attracting pastors, scientists, and laity for periods of study at the Center;
- publishing the newsletter, ZCRS News and Views.
Courses:
Epic of Creation: Scientific, Biblical, Theological Perspectives
on Our Origins
Advanced Seminar in Religion and Science
Who We Are
ZCRS History
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