Alliance For Science

All too often, the relationship between religion and science is portrayed as two rival armies, dug-in deeply, lobbing shots at one another whenever a target presents itself. On the creationist side, we have groups like Answers in Genesis (operators of that dubious ‘Creation Museum’ near Cincinnati) that would lead people to believe that evolution is the root of all evil and is utterly incompatible with any theistic belief. Among scientists, there are those like Richard Dawkins, who has made a lasting contribution to the advancement of evolutionary biology, but whose atheistic philosophy as promoted in books like The God Delusion, has reinforced the perception of implacable hostility between religion and science.

Those who have studied the subject for a while realize that there are other voices, calmer and more reflective, and perhaps a bit humbler, who reject the polarizing antagonistic approach, and who see a whole spectrum of possible modes of interaction between religion and science. At the Alliance for Science, we have tried to consistently reflect an attitude of constructive engagement. We do not compromise on the core principles through which science has excelled at describing the natural world, but we are very mindful of the harm that comes from demeaning sincere expressions of religious faith. We have been a long-time supporter of The Clergy Letter Project and Evolution Weekend, highly successful initiatives that clearly demonstrate that there is a much stronger and resilient middle ground than most media reports would have you believe.

As part of our ongoing efforts to promote intelligent discussion of a range of views on science and religion, we are pleased to help spread the word about an interesting short course on “Some New Views on Darwinism and Religion” presented by Joseph E. Earley, Sr., Professor of Chemistry, Emeritus, Georgetown University. The course will consist of three 90-minute sessions on consecutive Thursdays, February 28, March 6, and March 13, from 1:15 to 2:45 p.m. on the Georgetown University campus. A particularly intriguing aspect of the course is that each session will focus on a different book, all of them written in 2007. The book authors present thoughtful and contrasting perspectives.

Details on the course can be viewed by downloading this course flyer. The course is part of the Georgetown University Learning Community series, Spring, 2008, and is offered for persons over 55. There is no charge for the course, but pre-registration is necessary. See the flyer for important details re parking and shuttle service from various metro stations.