Much has been made of the conflict between Darwinism and religion, but the recent suggestion that Darwin's theory has no relevance to religion goes too far in providing a corrective.
We are delighted to invite you to a lecture by and explore with us a few more caricatures that often arise when Darwin is mentioned in the context of religion.
Find out about Darwin’s religious or anti-religious beliefs and what he has to say about religion. Did Darwin believe that his theory of evolution by natural selection was incompatible with belief in a creator? Was it his revolutionary science that turned him into an agnostic?
As Professor Hedley Brooke concludes 'it is important to answer these questions in as balanced a way as possible because Darwin’s authority and example are continually invoked to justify metaphysical and theological claims that go far beyond the details of his evolutionary biology.'
The lecture is being held as part of a conference entitled Teaching Evolution: Theoretical and Pedagogical Issues organised by Geitonas School in Athens on 7 and 8 November 2009, in which a number of leading international and Greek experts and scientists will be taking part.
Professor John Hedley Brooke is Emeritus Professor at the Faculty of Theology in Oxford University. He is the President of the International Society for Science and Religion. He was the first Andreas Idreos Professor of Science and Religion within the Faculty of Theology at The University of Oxford from 1999 until 2006.
