Philip Hefner
Encyclopedia
Philip Hefner is a professor emeritus of systematic theology at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago
His research career has focused on the interaction of religion and science, for which he is most well known. Hefner has held several dozen visiting teaching and lecturing appointments at seminaries, colleges, and universities in the United States, Europe, Africa, and Asia. He is an ordained minister of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, and has taught in numerous Lutheran seminaries in America.
In 1988, Hefner was instrumental in bringing to fruition the vision of Ralph Wendell Burhoe
by helping to create the Chicago Center for Religion and Science, which later was renamed the Zygon Center for Religion and Science
. He was the first director of the center and remained in that capacity from 1988 until 2003, at which point Antje Jackelén
succeeded him.
He is the former editor for Zygon: Journal of Religion & Science
the leading journal of religion and science in the world. He retired as editor at the end of 2008. Dutch scholar Willem B. Drees
was named as his successor at the Journal. Hefner was four times co-chair of the annual conference of the Institute on Religion in an Age of Science
(IRAS). In this activity he has been a leader in the discussions there on the evolving paradigm of Religious Naturalism
. Hefner is a prominent figure in this emergence belief. It distances itself from traditional religions seeing religious aspects in the world which can be appreciated in a naturalistic framework rather than relying on the supernatural. He is an individualist in his approach to it. retrieved 3/30/2011
Hefner writes - “A second alternative response, often identified as “religious naturalism,” is composed of a cross-section of people, many of whom are scientists, who are fashioning a religious worldview that is consistent with their personal outlook and/or free of those encumbrances of traditional religion which they consider conceptually anachronistic and morally dangerous. Religious naturalism is a variety of naturalism which involves a set of beliefs and attitudes that there are religious aspects of this world which can be appreciated within a naturalistic framework.”
Audrey R. Chapman says of him – “Philip Hefner is perhaps the theologian who has grappled the most seriously and explicitly with the evolution of human nature. His approach to this topic, particularly in his work ‘The Human Factor’ is to sacralize the process of evolution….like several other thinkers, Hefner presents a bio-cultural evolutionary paradigm of Homo sapiens…For him, culture is a happening in nature”
The Publications Board of Zygon as established the Philip Hefner Fund to honor the 20 years of outstanding editorial leadership that was demonstrated by Hefner
Over 150 scholarly articles, about half of which deal with religion and the natural sciences, while the other half deal with traditional historical and theological issues.
He translated and edited a volume of Ritschl's shorter writings, Three Essays by Albrecht Ritschl - Fortress Press, 1972. He contributed two essays Creation and Church to the two-volume work, Christian Dogmatics - eds., Carl Braaten and Robert Jenson - Fortress Press, 1984. His 2002 Rockwell lectures, delivered at Rice University, on the theme of the Created Co-Creator were to be published by Trinity International Press.
Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago
The Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago is a seminary of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Its degree programs include Master of Divinity, Master of Arts, Master of Theology, Doctor of Ministry, and Doctor of Philosophy. It offers concentrations in urban ministry, Bible, environment,...
His research career has focused on the interaction of religion and science, for which he is most well known. Hefner has held several dozen visiting teaching and lecturing appointments at seminaries, colleges, and universities in the United States, Europe, Africa, and Asia. He is an ordained minister of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, and has taught in numerous Lutheran seminaries in America.
In 1988, Hefner was instrumental in bringing to fruition the vision of Ralph Wendell Burhoe
Ralph Wendell Burhoe
Ralph Wendell Burhoe was an important twentieth century pioneer interpreter of the importance of religion for a scientific and technological world. He was awarded the Templeton Prize in 1980....
by helping to create the Chicago Center for Religion and Science, which later was renamed the Zygon Center for Religion and Science
Zygon Center for Religion and Science
The Zygon Center for Religion and Science is a non-profit organization housed at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago that is committed to the study of the interaction of religion and science...
. He was the first director of the center and remained in that capacity from 1988 until 2003, at which point Antje Jackelén
Antje Jackelén
Antje Jackelén, born June 4, 1955 in Herdecke, Germany, is the Bishop of Lund in Sweden. She was ordained a priest in the Church of Sweden in 1980 and became a doctor of Theology at Lund University in 1999....
succeeded him.
He is the former editor for Zygon: Journal of Religion & Science
Zygon: Journal of Religion & Science
Zygon: Journal of Religion & Science is an academic journal published quarterly by Wiley-Blackwell.Zygon: Journal of Religion and Science is a premier scholarly journal publishing in the area of religion and science dialogue since 1966 until present....
the leading journal of religion and science in the world. He retired as editor at the end of 2008. Dutch scholar Willem B. Drees
Willem B. Drees
In 2009 Willem B. Drees assumed the editorship of Zygon, Journal of Religion & Science the leading journal of religion and science in the world . It is available in 3,000 academic libraries all over the world and publishes 1000 pages of peer reviewed articles annually...
was named as his successor at the Journal. Hefner was four times co-chair of the annual conference of the Institute on Religion in an Age of Science
Institute on Religion in an Age of Science
The Institute on Religion in an Age of Science is a non-denominational society that promotes and facilitates the ongoing dialectic between religion and science. Both members of IRAS and non-members congregate at the IRAS conference held annually at Star Island in New Hampshire.-History:IRAS...
(IRAS). In this activity he has been a leader in the discussions there on the evolving paradigm of Religious Naturalism
Religious naturalism
Religious naturalism is an approach to spirituality that is devoid of supernaturalism. The focus is on the religious attributes of the universe/Nature, the understanding of it and our response to it . These provide for the development of an eco-morality...
. Hefner is a prominent figure in this emergence belief. It distances itself from traditional religions seeing religious aspects in the world which can be appreciated in a naturalistic framework rather than relying on the supernatural. He is an individualist in his approach to it. retrieved 3/30/2011
Hefner writes - “A second alternative response, often identified as “religious naturalism,” is composed of a cross-section of people, many of whom are scientists, who are fashioning a religious worldview that is consistent with their personal outlook and/or free of those encumbrances of traditional religion which they consider conceptually anachronistic and morally dangerous. Religious naturalism is a variety of naturalism which involves a set of beliefs and attitudes that there are religious aspects of this world which can be appreciated within a naturalistic framework.”
Audrey R. Chapman says of him – “Philip Hefner is perhaps the theologian who has grappled the most seriously and explicitly with the evolution of human nature. His approach to this topic, particularly in his work ‘The Human Factor’ is to sacralize the process of evolution….like several other thinkers, Hefner presents a bio-cultural evolutionary paradigm of Homo sapiens…For him, culture is a happening in nature”
Biography
Hefner is a Senior Fellow at the Metanexus Institute where one can find his biography.,The Publications Board of Zygon as established the Philip Hefner Fund to honor the 20 years of outstanding editorial leadership that was demonstrated by Hefner
Works
- Faith and the Vitalities of History: A Theological Study Based on the Thought of Albrecht Ritschl - Harper and Row, 1966
- Changing Man: The Threat and the Promise- Doubleday, 1968
- The Promise of Teilhard - Lippincott, 1970, (with Robert Benne),
- Defining America: A Christian Critique of the American Dream - Fortress Press, 1974
- The Human Factor: Evolution, Culture, Religion - Fortress Press, 1993(Templeton Foundation's Best Books in Religion and Science Award also Good Reads Award)
- Natur-Weltbild-Religion - Bavarian Evangelical Press, Munich, 1995
- Biocultural Evolution and the Created Co-Creator - in Ted Peters (ed.), Science and Theology: The New Consonance - Westview Press, 1998
- When Worlds Converge: What Science and Religion Tell Us about the Story of the Universe and Our Place in It (with others) - Open Court, 2001, ISBN 0-8126-9451-1(Good Reads Award)
- Technology and Human Becoming - Fortress Press, 2003 (Good Reads Award)
- Religion-and-Science as Spiritual Quest for Meaning - Pandora Press, 2008
He translated and edited a volume of Ritschl's shorter writings, Three Essays by Albrecht Ritschl - Fortress Press, 1972. He contributed two essays Creation and Church to the two-volume work, Christian Dogmatics - eds., Carl Braaten and Robert Jenson - Fortress Press, 1984. His 2002 Rockwell lectures, delivered at Rice University, on the theme of the Created Co-Creator were to be published by Trinity International Press.
Further reading
- 2010 – Michael Hogue – The Promise of Religious Naturalism, Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc., Sept.16, 2010, ISBN 0742562611
- 2009 – Willem B. DreesWillem B. DreesIn 2009 Willem B. Drees assumed the editorship of Zygon, Journal of Religion & Science the leading journal of religion and science in the world . It is available in 3,000 academic libraries all over the world and publishes 1000 pages of peer reviewed articles annually...
- Religion and Science in Context: A Guide to the Debates Routledge; 1 edition, October 16, 2009, ISBN 9780415556170 - 2008 – Jerome A. StoneJerome A. StoneJerome Stone—author, philosopher, and theologian—is best known for helping to develop the religious movement of Religious Naturalism. Dr. Stone is on the Adjunct Faculty of Meadville Lombard Theological School; is Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at William Rainey Harper College; is in Preliminary...
- Religious Naturalism Today: The Rebirth of a Forgotten Alternative, State University of New York PressState University of New York PressThe State University of New York Press , is a university press and a Center for Scholarly Communication. The Press is part of the State University of New York system and is located in Albany, New York.- History :...
, December 2008, ISBN 0791475387 - 2006 – Loyal RueLoyal RueDr. Loyal D. Rue is professor of religion and philosophy at Luther College of Decorah, Iowa , and focuses on naturalistic theories of religion.He has been awarded two John Templeton Foundation fellowships....
– Religion Is Not About God, Rutgers University Press, July 24, 2006, ISBN 0813539552