Faraday Institute
Encyclopedia
The Faraday Institute for Science and Religion is an interdisciplinary academic research institute
based at St Edmund's College, Cambridge
, England
. It conducts research, holds seminars and lectures, and disseminates publications on various topics at the intersection of science and religion.
It was established in 2006 by a $2,000,000 grant
from the John Templeton Foundation
.
, who is also an Editor of Science and Christian Belief
. The Institute's Associate Director is Robert (Bob) White FRS, and its Course Director is Rodney Holder.
Members of the Faraday Institute's Advisory Board include Brian Heap
, R.J. Berry
, Sarah Coakley
, Martin Evans
, John T. Houghton
, Alister McGrath
, John Polkinghorne
, and Eric Priest
.
Activities of the Faraday Institute have included:
In his capacity as Director of the Institute, the director comments on science and religion in UK national media and international media.
In May 2007 the Institute published 15 papers discussing various science and faith issues, which are available online. Its website has been noted as being especially useful for those interested in the field, due to its audio recordings of more than 200 lectures. Its work, along with that of other similar organizations, has led to a "complete reassessment of historical literature on the relationship between science and religion."
Research institute
A research institute is an establishment endowed for doing research. Research institutes may specialize in basic research or may be oriented to applied research...
based at St Edmund's College, Cambridge
St Edmund's College, Cambridge
Saint Edmund's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. It is the second oldest of the four Cambridge colleges oriented to mature students, which only accept students reading for either Masters or Doctorate degrees, or undergraduate degrees if they are aged 21 or older, the...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It conducts research, holds seminars and lectures, and disseminates publications on various topics at the intersection of science and religion.
It was established in 2006 by a $2,000,000 grant
Grant (money)
Grants are funds disbursed by one party , often a Government Department, Corporation, Foundation or Trust, to a recipient, often a nonprofit entity, educational institution, business or an individual. In order to receive a grant, some form of "Grant Writing" often referred to as either a proposal...
from the John Templeton Foundation
John Templeton Foundation
"The John Templeton Foundation is a philanthropic organizationthat funds inter-disciplinary research about human purpose and ultimate reality. It is usually referred to simply as the Templeton Foundation...
.
Senior staff and Advisory Board
The Institute's Director is Denis AlexanderDenis Alexander
Dr. Denis Alexander is the director of the Faraday Institute for Science and Religion at St Edmund's College, Cambridge, a molecular biologist and an author on science and religion. He is also an editor of Science and Christian Belief. He is an evangelical Christian.-Scientific work:Alexander was...
, who is also an Editor of Science and Christian Belief
Science and Christian Belief
Science and Christian Belief is an academic journal published twice yearly by Christians in Science and the Victoria Institute. The journal focuses on the traffic of ideas between science and religion, with particular reference to Christianity...
. The Institute's Associate Director is Robert (Bob) White FRS, and its Course Director is Rodney Holder.
Members of the Faraday Institute's Advisory Board include Brian Heap
Brian Heap
Professor Sir Brian Heap CBE FRS is a biologist.He was born on 27 Feb. 1935 and educated at New Mills Grammar School and the University of Nottingham . He also has an MA and a DSc from Cambridge and Honorary DScs from Nottingham , York and St Andrews .-Career:* 1960 University Demonstrator,...
, R.J. Berry
R.J. Berry
Robert James "Sam" Berry FRSE FSB is a British geneticist, naturalist and Christian. He was professor of genetics at University College London between 1974-2000. He was president from 1983 to 1986 of the Linnean Society, the British Ecological Society and the European Ecological Federation...
, Sarah Coakley
Sarah Coakley
Sarah Coakley is an Anglican systematic theologian and philosopher of religion with wide interdisciplinary interests.-Life and work:...
, Martin Evans
Martin Evans
Sir Martin John Evans FRS is a British scientist who, with Matthew Kaufman, was the first to culture mice embryonic stem cells and cultivate them in a laboratory in 1981...
, John T. Houghton
John T. Houghton
As co-chair of the IPCC, he defends the IPCC process, in particular against charges of failure to consider non-CO2 explanations of climate change. In evidence to, the Select Committee on Science and Technology in 2000 he said:...
, Alister McGrath
Alister McGrath
Alister Edgar McGrath is an Anglican priest, theologian, and Christian apologist, currently Professor of Theology, Ministry, and Education at Kings College London and Head of the Centre for Theology, Religion and Culture...
, John Polkinghorne
John Polkinghorne
John Charlton Polkinghorne KBE FRS is an English theoretical physicist, theologian, writer, and Anglican priest. He was professor of Mathematical physics at the University of Cambridge from 1968 to 1979, when he resigned his chair to study for the priesthood, becoming an ordained Anglican priest...
, and Eric Priest
Eric Priest
Eric Priest, FRSE, FRS, holds the Gregory Chair of Mathematics and is a Bishop Wardlaw Professor at St Andrews University....
.
Activities
The Institute states that its main activities are:Activities of the Faraday Institute have included:
- Hosting a workshop on "The Social, Political, and Religious Transformations of Biology" in September 2007.
- A project on evolutionEvolutionEvolution is any change across successive generations in the heritable characteristics of biological populations. Evolutionary processes give rise to diversity at every level of biological organisation, including species, individual organisms and molecules such as DNA and proteins.Life on Earth...
, faith, and Charles DarwinCharles DarwinCharles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory...
, in collaboration with the think tankThink tankA think tank is an organization that conducts research and engages in advocacy in areas such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, and technology issues. Most think tanks are non-profit organizations, which some countries such as the United States and Canada provide with tax...
TheosTheos (think tank)Theos is a public theology think tank based in the United Kingdom which exists to undertake research and provide commentary on social and political arrangements. Theos aims to impact opinion around issues of faith and belief in society through research, publications, media engagement and events...
. - The "Test of Faith" documentary, course, and books.
- Commissioning the play Let Newton Be, which was reviewed in ScienceScience (journal)Science is the academic journal of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and is one of the world's top scientific journals....
. - Public commentary by members of the Institute on issues relating to science and religion.
In his capacity as Director of the Institute, the director comments on science and religion in UK national media and international media.
In May 2007 the Institute published 15 papers discussing various science and faith issues, which are available online. Its website has been noted as being especially useful for those interested in the field, due to its audio recordings of more than 200 lectures. Its work, along with that of other similar organizations, has led to a "complete reassessment of historical literature on the relationship between science and religion."
External links
- Faraday Institute webpage
- The Compatibility of God and Science Evans, Katie, Interview with Rodney Holder, Course Director of the Faraday Institute, "Cambridge Medicine", Vol 21, No 1 (2007)