January 30   Introduction: A Niebuhrian Perspective on the Seminar Theme. Philip Hefner, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago/Zygon Center for Religion and Science.

 

I. Does religion need science?

 

February 6   Does religion need science? Open discussion.

 

February 13       Science and religion: examples of beneficial and detrimental relations. Ronald Numbers, history of medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison.

 

February 20       Economics: a social science: Thoughts from Gandhi and Amartya Sen. Joseph Prabhu, philosophy, California State University, Los Angeles, and University of California Berkeley; Senior Fellow, Marty Center and Visiting Professor, University of Chicago Divinity School.

II. Does science need religion?

 

February 27       Science and religion in need of each other? What Ricoeur's hermeneutic method reveals about their relationship. Don Browning, ethics and social sciences, University of Chicago.

 

March 6   The self-sufficiency of science: truth or myth? Gayle Woloschak, radiology and molecular biology, Northwestern University

 

March 13                Reading Week. No session.

 

March 20   What science and religion can do for each other: reflections on benefits and risks. Antje Jackelén, theology, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago/Zygon Center for Religion and Science.

 

III. Does society need science?

 

March 27   “The constructive role of science in an awakened world that is enriched by religion.” V. V. Raman, physics and humanities, Rochester Institute of Technology, NY.

 

April 3   Science for what and what science? Where science and society meet. TBA.

 

April 10   Science, Society and Religion: A View from Bangkok. James Nelson, theology, North Park University.

 

IV. Does society need religion?

 

April 17   Do societies collapse due to religion or in spite of religion? Paul Heltne, primatology, Chicago Academy of Sciences.

 

April 24   Is ethics without religion possible? William Schweiker, theological ethics, University of Chicago.

 

May 1   Society and Religion. A Social Scientific Perspective. Barbara Strassberg, sociology, Aurora University.

 

May 8   Panel discussion and/or open discussion: Answering the question “How do religion, science and society need each other?” Philip Hefner and Antje Jackelén, theology, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago/Zygon Center for Religion and Science.

 

 

Students registered for credit will have group meetings (two hours, biweekly) with the instructors.

 

Seminar members who wish will meet at 5:30 p.m. for dinner.

 

Zygon Center for Religion and Science: [email protected]; 773-256-0670; www.zygoncenter.org