Discussions about Intelligent Design and Creation Science continue to trouble media and the public even after the U.S. District Court declared Intelligent Design to be unconstitutional in Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District. These discussions create furor with school boards and leave believers of many faith traditions confused.
The Zygon Center for Religion and Science in Chicago offers a unique resource in this situation: The Epic of Creation lecture series provides a thorough presentation of scientific, religious, and theological knowledge about the evolution of the universe, life and culture.
The Epic of Creation presents the scientific story of emergence and evolution from the beginning of the universe to the emergence of humans; interpretation of the biblical stories of creation; and theological reflection on creation and our origins. Prominent scientists tell the scientific story, which begins with the origins of the universe presented from a cosmological perspective. It continues through the origin of life on earth, the evolution of life to its present forms, and the development of humans, including brain evolution and the development of social structures. Religious scholars present a variety of reflections on the biblical creation stories. Theologians discuss how scientific and religious creation stories affect our sense of meaning today.
The Epic of Creation series was started by the Zygon Center for Religion and Science in 1989 and has been running annually since that time. Our speakers include top scientists and scholars from the University of Chicago, the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, Northwestern University, Loyola University, Notre Dame University, McCormick Theological Seminary, DePauw University, and other distinguished institutions.
All Epic of Creation lectures are free and open to the public, and the series may be taken for course credit through the Association of Chicago Theological Schools (ACTS).
If you would like further information, please contact the Zygon Center for Religion and Science by phone 773-256-0670 or e-mail [email protected] or [email protected]
Epic of Creation Schedule - Fall 2011
| Date | Time | Topic | Speaker |
|---|---|---|---|
| September 12, 2011 | 6:30 pm | The Ongoing Creation of Stars, Planets, and, Possibly, Life | Grace Wolf-Chase, astrophysics, University of Chicago and Adler Planetarium |
| September 12, 2011 | 8:00 pm | The Quantum and the Cosmos | Edward “Rocky” Kolb, astrophysics, University of Chicago |
| September 19, 2011 | 6:30 pm | The Origin of It All | Dan Hooper, astrophysics, University of Chicago |
| September 19, 2011 | 8:00 pm | The Story of Creation from Hydrogen to the Earth | Donald York, astrophysics, University of Chicago |
| September 26, 2011 | 6:30 pm | Molecular Evolution/Evolution of the Body Plan | Gayle Woloschak, molecular biology, Northwestern University |
| September 26, 2011 | 8:00 pm | The Origin of Life | Tatjana Paunesku, molecular biology, Northwestern University |
| October 3, 2011 | 6:30 pm | “What is a transitional form?” Or, why ‘mammal-like reptiles’ aren’t reptiles | Kenneth Angielczyk, Field Museum of Natural History |
| October 3, 2011 | 8:00 pm | Primate Precursors to Human Behavior | Paul Heltne, primatology, Chicago Academy of Sciences |
| October 10, 2011 | 6:30 pm | The Radiation of Genus Homo and the Origin of Modern Humans | Fred Smith, anthropology, Illinois State University |
| October 10, 2011 | 8:00 pm | The Evolution of Culture and the Capacity for Culture in the Human Descent Line | William Irons, anthropology, Northwestern University |
| October 17, 2011 | 6:30 pm | The Point of It All? Reading Purpose and Direction in the Universe Story | J. Matthew Ashley, theology, University of Notre Dame |
| October 17, 2011 | 8:00 pm | Social and Cultural Responses to Evolution | Barbara Strassberg, sociology, Aurora University |
| October 24, 2011 | 6:30 pm | The Greco-Roman Context for New Testament Ideas of Cosmogony and Cosmography | Edgar Krentz, New Testament, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago |
| October 24, 2011 | 8:00 pm | The Ancient Near Eastern Background for Hebrew Conceptions of Creation | Bernard Batto, religious studies, DePauw University |
| October 31, 2011 | 6:30 pm | The New Testament on Creation | Edgar Krentz, New Testament, LSTC |
| October 31, 2011 | 8:00 pm | Human Salvation in the Epic of Creation | Karl Peters, religion and philosophy, Rollins College |
| November 7, 2011 | 6:30 pm | The Epic of Creation and Interfaith Dialogue | James F. Moore, theology, Valparaiso University |
| November 7, 2011 | 8:00 pm | From the Enlightenment to Technoscience: Religion as a Problem | Mladen Turk, religious studies, Elmhurst College |
| November 14, 2011 | 6:30 pm | The Qur’an and Evolution: Contemporary Muslim Responses | Ghulam-Haider Aasi, American Islamic College and LSTC |
| November 14, 2011 | 8:00 pm | Social Dimension of the Epic | Richard Busse, theology, Zygon Center for Religion and Science |
| November 21, 2011 | No Lectures (Thanksgiving Break at LSTC) | ||
| November 28, 2011 | 6:30 pm | Reconstructing Human Nature: Knowing our Place | Anna Case-Winters, theology, McCormick Theological Seminary |
| November 28, 2011 | 8:00 pm | Creation and Wisdom (Proverbs and Psalms) | Esther Menn, Old Testament, LSTC |
| December 5, 2011 | 6:30 pm | The Epic of Creation—What Does It Mean? | Philip Hefner, theology, LSTC and ZCRS |
| December 5, 2011 | 8:00 pm | Panel Discussion |