[Paleopsych] Claremont: Religious Interpretations of Evolutionary Biology
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Religious Interpretations of Evolutionary Biology
Conference at the Center for Process Studies
http://www.ctr4process.org/news/evolutionconf.htm
October 21-24, 2004
Claremont School of Theology
1325 N. College Ave.
Claremont, CA 91711
Evolutionary theory as usually formulated excludes any role for divine
causation in the development of living things on Earth. Instead, it
explains all living things as the result of a purely natural,
ateleological process. Insofar as human beings are the product of this
process, the logical implication is that we too are the product of a
random process, and hence there is no overarching purpose to our
existence or actions. If, as usually presented, the process is
fundamentally deterministic, then the idea that human beings, as parts
of this process, are free and responsible is undercut.
This is religiously distressing. Some theologians oppose all Darwinian
explanations; others accept the neo-Darwinian synthesis, while
separating it dualistically from the sphere of human meanings. Process
theologians want to avoid this dualism while still formulating a
theory of evolution that is responsibly scientific. To do so, they
posit the basic model of the organism against that of the machine, and
they attribute purposes to the organism involved in evolution. The
result is a theory of evolution that includes a role for divine
purpose and influence.
This conference, entitled "Religious Interpretations of Evolutionary
Biology: Neo-Darwinism in Dialogue with Lynn Margulis and Process
Thought," will bring together orthodox Darwinian biologists,
evolutionary biologists who raise questions about the neo-Darwinian
synthesis, and process theologians. Our hope is to formulate and to
publish a theoretical approach that does justice to the evidence
provided by the biological sciences, but interprets it in a way that
includes creaturely freedom and divine purpose.
_________________________________________________________________
Public Lectures
Each lecture will be held at 7:30 p.m. in Mudd Theatre, Claremont
School of Theology, 1325 North College Avenue, Claremont, California,
91711. These lectures are free and open to the public.
[ayala.jpg] October 21, 2004; 7:30 p.m.
"From Paley to Darwin: Design to Natural Selection"
by Francisco Ayala
Francisco J. Ayala, a biologist at the University of California at
Irvine, is noted for his contributions to population and evolution
genetics. He has made singular contributions not only to his
discipline but to education, philosophy, ethics, religion and
national science policy. Ayala has served on the governing council
of the National Academy of Sciences and as president and chairman
of the board of the American Association for the Advancement of
Science.
[margulis.jpg] October 22, 2004; 7:30 p.m.
"Evolution: The Inheritance of Acquired Genomes"
by Lynn Margulis
Renowned biologist Margulis, of the University of Massachusetts, is
known for her long collaboration with British scientist James E.
Lovelock, originator of the provocative Gaia Hypothesis, which
suggests that life has had a greater influence on the evolution of
the Earth than is ordinarily assumed, affecting the global
environment in ways that favor the continuity of life. An energetic
popularizer of science and spokesperson for environmental issues,
Margulis has written many books on a wide range of scientific
topics.
[van-till.jpg] October 23, 2004; 7:30 p.m.
"From Calvinism to Claremont: Now That's Evolution!
One Scientist's Evolution from Calvin's Supernaturalism to
Griffin's Naturalism"
by Howard Van Till
Howard J. Van Till is Professor Emeritus of Physics and Astronomy
at Calvin College. Having concluded that the usual
creation/evolution debate is the product of serious
misunderstandings, Van Till's goal is to encourage a
non-adversarial and mutually-informative engagement of Christian
theology and the natural sciences.
[goodenough.jpg] October 24, 2004; 7:30 p.m.
"Exploring the Concept of Religious Naturalism"
by Ursula Goodenough
Ursula Goodenough, of Washington University of St. Louis, is one of
the forces behind a growing movement that calls itself "religious
naturalism" and suggests that whatever our religious beliefs, and
even if we have none at all, we can all come together to celebrate
nature, tell the epic of evolution with awe and joy, and protect
the earth.
_________________________________________________________________
Conference Schedule
Besides the public lecturers, daytime sessions will be held for
participants and registered attendees only. Other participants in the
conference include David Ray Griffin, Charles Birch, Ian Barbour,
Philip Clayton, John B. Cobb, Jr., Pete A. Y. Gunter, Jack Haught,
Thomas Jay Oord, Jeff Schloss, Dorion Sagan, and Robert Valenza. All
daytime sessions will be held in Haddon Conference Room, Claremont
School of Theology.
Thursday, October 21
7:30 p.m. Public lecture by Francisco Ayala:
"From Paley to Darwin: Design to Natural Selection"
Friday, October 22 (Theme: Ayala and Goodenough)
8:45 Greetings and introductions
9:00 Comments by Ayala and Goodenough
9:30 Invited Response by Valenza
10:50 Break
11:10 Invited Response by Barbour
12:30 Lunch
2:00 Invited Response by Haught
3:20 Break
3:40 Invited Response by Schloss
5:00 Break
7:30 p.m. Public lecture by Lynn Margulis:
"Evolution: The Inheritance of Acquired Genomes"
Saturday, October 23 (Theme: Margulis and Sagan)
9:00 Summary by Margulis and Sagan
9:30 Invited Response by Haught
10:50 Break
11:10 Invited Response by Ayala
12:30 Lunch
2:00 Invited Response by Clayton
3:20 Break
3:40 Invited Response by Cobb
5:00 Break
7:30 p.m. Public lecture by Howard Van Till:
"From Calvinism to Claremont: Now That's Evolution! One
Scientist's Reformation from Calvin's Supernaturalism to Griffin's
Naturalism"
Sunday, October 24 (Theme: Birch and Griffin)
9:00 Summary by Birch and Griffin
9:30 Invited Response by Goodenough
10:50 Break
11:10 Invited Response by Van Till
12:30 Lunch
2:00 Invited Response by Gunter
3:20 Break
3:40 Invited Response by Sagan
5:00 Break
7:30 p.m. Public lecture by Ursula Goodenough:
"Exploring the Concept of Religious Naturalism"
_________________________________________________________________
Registration Info
Though the evening lectures are free, the daytime discussion panels
require registration [DEL: (fee of $50) :DEL] . The fee includes
lunch each day. After October 07, 2004, the registration fee
increases to $100.
[arrow.gif] [21]Register for the Conference
_________________________________________________________________
Logistics and Lodging
The conference will take place October 21 - 24, 2004. It will be
held at Claremont School of Theology, 1325 N. College Ave,
Claremont, California 91711. Events will begin the evening of the
21st and conclude the evening of the 24th.
For lodging, we have organized a special offer with the Claremont
Inn. The package includes:
* A Standard Room
* Free taxi service from Ontario airport (Bell Cab only, not Yellow
Cab).
* Free shuttle to Ontario Airport
* $69 + tax
* Upgrade to Premium Room: $82 + tax
* Add full breakfast (bacon, eggs, hash browns, fruit, and cereal):
extra $5
To take advantage of this offer, please contact the Claremont Inn
at (909) 626-2411 or (800) 854-5733 or
[22]fwilson at theclaremontinn.com and mention the Center for Process
Studies "Religion and Evolution" Conference.
[arrow.gif] [23]The Claremont Inn
[arrow.gif] [24]Other Local Hotels
_________________________________________________________________
Suggested Reading List
Non-specialists who are interested in attending the conference may
benefit from the following works:
Barbour, Ian G. Religion In An Age of Science. San Francisco, CA :
Harper Collins, 1990.
_____. When Science Meets Religion; Enemies, Strangers, or
Partners? San Francisco, CA : Harper, 2000.
Birch, Charles. Feelings. Kensington, NSW, Australia : New South
Wales University Press, 1995.
_____. On Purpose. Kensington, NSW, Australia : New South Wales
University Press, 1990.
_____. Biology and the Riddle of Life. Kensington, NSW, Australia
: New South Wales University Press, 2000.
_____, and John B. Cobb, Jr. The Liberation of Life: From Cell to
Community. New York, NY : Cambridge University Press, 1981.
Clayton, Philip. Explanation from Physics to Theology:. Yale
University Press, 1989.
Goodenough, Ursula. The Sacred Depths of Nature. New York : Oxford
University Press, 1998.
Griffin, David Ray. Religion and Scientific Naturalism; Overcoming
the Conflicts. Albany, NY : SUNY Press, 2000.
Haught, John F. Science and Religion; From Conflict to
Conversation. New York , NY : Paulist Press, 1995.
_____. God After Darwin; A Theology of Evolution. Westview Press,
2001.
Holmes, Rolston III. Genes, Genesis, and God; Values and Their
Origins in Natural and Human History.
Marguilis, Lynn. Mystery Dance; On the Evolution of Human
Sexuality. New York, NY: Summit Books, 1991.
_____, Dorion Sagan, and Niles Elredge. What Is Life? Berkeley, CA:
University of California Press, 2000.
_____, Dorion Sagan, and Ernst Mayer. Acquiring Genomes; The
Theory of the Origin of the Species. New York, NY: Basic Books,
2003.
Miller, Kenneth R. Finding Darwins God; A Scientists Search for
Common Ground Between God and Evolution. New York, NY: Cliff Street
Books, 1999.
Morrison, Reg. The Spirit in the Gene; Humanitys Proud Illusion
and the Laws of Nature. Ithaca, NY: Comstock Publishing, 1999.
Peacocke, Arthur. Theology for a Scientific Age; Being and Becoming
Natural, Divine, and Human. Minneapolis, MN: Fortress Press, 1993.
Post, Stephen G., et. al. Altruism and Altruistic Love; Science,
Philosophy, and Religion in Dialogue. New York: Oxford University
Press, 2002.
Ruse, Michael. Darwin and Design; Does Evolution Have a
Purpose? Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2003.
Russell, John Robert, William R. Stoeger, and Francisco J. Ayala,
eds. Evolutionary and Molecular Biology; Scientific Perspectives
on Divine Action. Berkeley: Center for Theology and the Natural
Science, 1998.
References
20. mailto:sweeney at ctr4process.org
21. https://chippewa.vervehosting.com/~process/join/evolution.htm
22. mailto:fwilson at theclaremontinn.com
23. http://www.theclaremontinn.com/
24. http://www.ctr4process.org/about/hotels.htm
25. mailto:webmaster at ctr4process.org
26. http://www.ctr4process.org/disclaimer.htm
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