Dr Graeme Finlay provides delegates with a personal theological reflection on evolution. He refers to evolution as being an ‘ambiguous context’ depending on whether we are thinking about the the evolution of disease or our own biological evolution, which brings about the amazing diversity of life. Finlay is a Senior lecturer in molecular medicine based at the University of Auckland, New Zealand.
In his lecture Dr Graeme Finlay (a Cancer Biologist) focuses on a new branch of study which has been comparing genomes of different species. He notes that it is an extraordinarily new development which has brought home to us the facts of our common descent with other species.
Professor Tom McLeish reflects on the themes of chaos and freedom as a theologically interested and committed scientist. On completion of his publication Faith and Wisdom in Science he is often asked ‘does your Christian faith change the way you do physics?’. McLeish reflects on the answer to this important question.
Professor John Hedley Brooke, historian of science, presents delegates with a historical account of evolution. His work has been significant to the area of science and religion and he is most well-known for his thesis on ‘complexity’.
In this lecture Professor Tom Greggs considers the theological issues relating to time and eternity, he assesses the relationship of God to a created reality and analyses the inter-relationship of God’s freedom from and for creation in its temporal complexity.
Professor Karen Kilby reflects on the place and status of suffering in Christian thought. Kilby is Bede Professor of Catholic Theology at Durham University.