Christians in Science - Big Questions in Science and the Church: Part 1

The theme of this year's Christian's in Science Spring Conference is 'Big Questions in Science and the Church'.

We believe that science is a good gift from God, but that discoveries in it can often raise questions for the Church and Christian theology. We think that these are moments of excitement and opportunity, rather than threats or problems. At our conference we will explore some of these areas and think about how we can develop good thinking and practices for when science encounters Christian faith.

Everyone is welcome! We will hear from our guest speakers, have time for discussion and enjoy fellowship across the day. To guarantee that lunch is included in your ticket, please book by June 10th. Tea and coffee etc. will also be provided during breaks.

The conference can also be attended via a livestream online. As online attendants can't join us in-person for lunch, we will send you a conference box with some goodies to enjoy whilst attending from home! Due to the cost of postage, only online attendees from the UK will be sent a conference box. To allow sufficient time for posting, any online attendees that book a ticket after June 8th cannot be guaranteed to receive their posted conference box ahead of the conference.

Event registration closes at 3pm, June 14th 2023.

Part 2 of this conference will be in Autumn 2023 and have a more apologetics focus. This conference will be held in the south of England, but will also be fully accessible online.

We have got a great line up of speakers from the day, including both theologians and scientists:

• Dr Bethany Sollereder, Lecturer in Science and Religion, University of Edinburgh - Miracles
• Dr Zachary Ardern, Postdoctoral Fellow, Wellcome Sanger Institute and CiS Oliver Barclay Lecturer 2021/2 - Why does Evolution work?
• Dr Joanna Leidenhag, Lecturer in Theology and Liberal Arts, University of Leeds - What can Theology learn from Science?
• Professor Wilson Poon, Professor of Natural Philosophy, University of Edinburgh - Science and the hiddenness of God: towards a kenotic theology of science

Talk abstracts and a schedule for the day will be uploaded here closer to the event.

It is important that throughout the day we respect the views of everyone around us and positively encourage a safe space for diversity and inclusion.

As a registered charity, Christians in Science abides the charity commission to encourage and positively strive for diversity and inclusion. We wish to be a community that respects difference well and we are committed to working together to create a fully inclusive environment where everyone can flourish.

The thoughts of the guest speakers do not necessarily represent the position of Christians in Science nor the conference venue..

Science and religious faith are two of the most powerful influences on our culture today . The relationship between them is key to some of the big questions of life, but many think that science conflicts with belief in God. Even some within the Christian Church see science as a threat, undermining faith. By contrast, at Christians in Science (CiS) we believe that science actually enhances our faith in God. We are passionate about correcting the view that such a conflict exists. It is widely acknowledged, by historians, that modern science was nurtured and encouraged by a Christian worldview. Many of the pioneering figures in science believed in God and this tradition continues today. We aim to support the faith of Christians working in science and scientists in churches. By helping the Church present its message, CiS can become a church’s partner in mission to a skeptical world.

We are a network of people including research scientists in universities, commercial and government laboratories and hi-tech companies, engineers, theologians and philosophers, as well as students, school teachers, administrators and anyone interested in science and faith issues. CiS works closely with the Faraday Institute of Science and Religion, has links with the University and Colleges Christian Fellowship (UCCF) and is a member of the Evangelical Alliance.

As a membership charity, CiS is funded by our members who pay a fixed rate to be a member. You don’t have to be a member to be involved with CiS or attend our events, but it gives some perks such as a subscription to our newsletter, and discounts on tickets (full information can be found here: https://www.cis.org.uk/join/)

Can I get a discounted ticket?

Yes! Christian's in Science members get discounted ticket prices as part of their membership. If you are a student, your first year of Christian's in Science membership is free! You can find out more about all membership types here.

If the cost of attending is proving a barrier to you attending please drop our Development Officer a line - [email protected]

Is lunch included in the ticket price?

Yes! Please let us know of any dietary requirements when you book your ticket. To guarantee that lunch is included with your ticket, please book before June 10th. The catering is being sorted by an external company and they need our numbers a week before the conference. Whilst we will order a few extra, we cannot guarantee everyone who books after that date will have lunch included with the ticket price. If you are unable to book in time, there are other vendors available nearby where attendees can purchase lunch on the way to the venue or during the lunch break.

How do I get there?

Augustine United Church is located in the centre of Edinburgh, just off the famous Royal Mile and just a short walk from Waverly train station. Local buses also stop very close by. Although there isn't parking directly at the venue, there are many nearby car parks should you wish to drive. We encourage you to use public transport whereever possible, including Edinburgh's park and ride system.

Once you get to Augustine, the conference will be taking place in the main Sanctuary.

I am attending online - how do I access the conference?

Online attendees can join live via a Zoom call. The link for the Zoom will be emailed out to all attendees in the lead-up to the conference. During the Zoom call you will be able to watch the talks live, post questions for the speakers and have opportunities for discussion in breakout groups with other online attendees.

Can I still book an online ticket after 8th June?

Yes - you can still book an online ticket as late as the day before the conference. However, if you book an online ticket after this date, you won't be guaranteed to receive a conference box in the post in time for the event.

Last minute changes..?

It can happen (and has very occasionally!) that circumstances beyond our control, such as changes at our venue or extreme weather, might prevent our in-person events. If this happens then this event will switch to an online only format, we will send the zoom details to you as soon as possible for you to join in this event. Sometimes this change is very last minute. Please accept our apologies, but this will only happen as mentioned when circumstances are beyond our control.

Refund policy?

We will refund any requested cancellations up to 7 days before the conference. Eventbrite's fee is unfortunately not refundable.

What if I have more questions?

You can ask any more questions by emailing Jack, our Development Officer at [email protected]

Follow Christian's in Science on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube to keep up to date with the conference. You can also find out more on our website.

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