God and Science Lectures

A series of lectures aimed at the discussion of relevant current issues in the area of science and Christianity. The lectures are aimed to be of relevance to a wider audience, and are held in an informal atmosphere to encourage discussion. We also organise the annual E.T.S. Walton Lecture on Science and Religion.

Upcoming lectures

Because of Covid-19, the scheduling of new lectures has been put on hold.

Previous lectures

"Test of Faith"

In the 2018-19 academic year we have organised 6 evenings in Belfast, led by Dr. Neville Cobbe, covering the material of Test of Faith. The evenings were held on 9 October, 6 November, 4 December, 29 January, 26 February, and 19 March. Topics included an introduction to science and faith, the big bang, fine tuning of the universe, miracles, Genesis and evolution, bioethics and the brain.

"Children Book into Science - Encouraging Young People to Read Science Books for Pleasure"

Dr. Joy Alexander and Dr. Ruth Jarman
(Queens University Belfast)
Tuesday 8 May 2018

Slides (pdf, 4.5 Mb)

"Creation Care in the Old Testament: Genesis in Context"

Rev. Dr. Ron Elsdon
(Belfast)
Tuesday 6 March 2018

Audio recording of lecture (mp3, 16 Mb)

"Machines Take Me by Surprise with Great Frequency -- Super-AI: Controversy, Conflict and … Cooperation (?)"

Prof. David Bell
(Computer Science, Queens University Belfast)
Belfast, 30 January 2018

Slides (pdf, 1.1 Mb)

"The Christmas Star Mystery Resolved !?"

Dr. Mart de Groot
(Armagh Observatory)
Belfast, 5 December 2017

Audio recording of lecture (mp3, 16 Mb)

"Chance and Necessity: on the Natural Philosophy of Modern Biology"

Dr. Neville Cobbe
(Queen's University, Belfast)
Belfast, 7 November 2017

Audio recording of lecture (mp3, 18 Mb)

"Has Creation got a Future?"

Rev. Dr. Ron Elsdon
(Rector, St Bartholomew’s Church, Stranmillis Road, Belfast)
Belfast, 7 March 2017

Audio recording of lecture (mp3, 9 Mb)
Slides (pdf, 20 Mb)

"Soil – Muck or Mystery?"

Dr. Ethel White
(Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute, Belfast)
Belfast, 31 January 2017

Audio recording of lecture (mp3, 14 Mb)
Slides (pdf, 3 Mb)

"God, Design and Contingency: A Christian Perspective on Evolutionary Catastrophes"

Dr. Peter van der Burgt
(Maynooth University)
Belfast, 6 December 2016

Audio recording of lecture (mp3, 14 Mb)
Slides (pdf, 4.7 Mb)

"Little Red Wolf and the Big Bad Riding Hood: Promoting Peace between People and Predators in the 21st Century"

Jonny Hanson
(Doctoral researcher, University of Cambridge)
Belfast, 18 October 2016

Audio recording of lecture (mp3, 16 Mb)
Slides (pdf, 822 kb)

"Why Jonah Can't Swallow a Whale – A Look at What Science Can and Can't Explain"

Graham Veale
(City of Armagh High School, and author of "New Atheism, A Survival Guide")
Belfast, 24 May 2016

(No paper available)

"Theistic Evolution and the Fall"

Prof. Stephen Williams
(Union Theological College, Belfast)
Belfast, 19 April 2016

(No paper available)

"Are Science and God Compatible?"

Dr. David Glass
(Explaining and Explaining Away & University of Ulster)
Dublin, 2 February 2016 (in collaboration with the Trinity College Christian Union)

Audio recordings are available of Dr. Glass' earlier talk "Can Science Explain Away God?" (see below)

"Mathematics and God: Beauty, Truth, and the Square Root of 666"

Dr. Mark McCartney
(Explaining and Explaining Away & University of Ulster)
Belfast, 2 February 2016

Audio recording of lecture and questions (mp3, 24 Mb)
Slides (pdf, 1 Mb)

"New Perspectives on Genesis 1"

Dr. T. Desmond Alexander
(Biblical Studies Department, Union Theological College, Belfast)
Belfast, 1 December 2015

Audio recording of lecture and questions (mp3, 22 Mb)
Slides (pdf, 14 Mb)

"An Introduction to Test of Faith, a Teaching Resource on Faith and Science"

Dr. Ruth Hogg
(School of Medicine, Dentistry and Biomedical Science, Queen's University Belfast)
Belfast, 3 November 2015

(No paper available)

"Privileged Earth"

Dr. Mart de Groot
(Armagh Observatory)
Belfast, 28 April 2015

(No paper available)

"The New Atheists"

Rev. David Montgomery
(Minister, Greystones Presbyterian Church)
Belfast, 21 January 2013 and Maynooth, 14 April 2015 (in collaboration with the Maynooth CU)

(No paper available)

"Super-intelligence, Artilects and the Singularity? Could AI Mean the End of Humankind?"

Prof. David Bell
(Computer Science, Queens University Belfast)
Belfast, 24 March 2015

David Bell: Some notes on super-intelligence (pdf, 240 kb)

"Can Science Explain Away God?"

Dr. David Glass
(Explaining and Explaining Away & University of Ulster)
Belfast, 3 February 2015

Audio recording of lecture and questions (mp3, 26 Mb)
Slides (pdf, 822 kb)

"The Damaged Doctor: the Infection of Killing in Dr. Who"

Rev. Mercia Malcolm
(Minister, Carnmoney Parish Church)
Belfast, 29 April 2013 and Maynooth, 2 April 2014 (in collaboration with the Maynooth CU)

(No paper available)

"Faith Healing and Evidence Based Practice"
(part of a series of lectures on prayer, healing and miracles)

Dr. Jonathan McCrea
Belfast, 3 December 2012, and Maynooth 6 June 2013

Audio recording of lecture (mp3, 12 Mb)
Slides (pdf, 850 kb)

"Theology of Creation"

Prof. Stephen Williams
(Union Theological College, Belfast)
Belfast, 20 May 2013 and Maynooth, 4 December 2013 (in collaboration with the Maynooth CU)

Audio recording of lecture (mp3, 20 Mb)

"Scientific Studies of Prayer: a Look at the Scientific Evidence and the Theological Implications"
(part of a series of lectures on prayer, healing and miracles)

Dr. Dónal O'Mathúna
(Dublin City University)
Belfast, 8 April 2013

(No paper available)

"E. T. S. Walton, Physicist and Nobel Laureate: His Life, Work, and Faith"

Marian and Derek Woods
(Marian is E. T. S. Walton's daughter)
Belfast, 25 February 2013

(No paper available)

"The Theology of the Fall"

Prof. Stephen Williams
(Union Theological College, Belfast)
Belfast, 11 June 2012, and Maynooth, Co. Kildare, 4 December 2012

Audio recording of lecture (mp3, 13 Mb)
Audio recording of questions (mp3, 9 Mb)

"Caring for Creation"

Mr. Jonathan Hanson
(Christian Aid)
Belfast, 30 April 2012

(No paper available)

"Ordinary Faith, Ordinary Science"

Dr. William D. Phillips
(Nobel Laureate in Physics)
Dublin, 29 March 2012

(No paper available)

"Geology, Genesis and the Generosity of God"

Rev. Graham Nevin
(Independent EIA Consultant)
Belfast, 28 March 2011

(No paper available)

"Stem Cell Research: Has Science Solved the Ethical Dilemma?"

Dr. Dónal O'Mathúna
(School of Nursing, Dublin City University)
Belfast, 22 November 2010

Audio recording of lecture and questions (mp3, 11 Mb)

"From iPods to iHumans: Ethical Issues and Nanotechnology"

Dr. Dónal O'Mathúna
(School of Nursing, Dublin City University)
Lucan, Co. Dublin, 18 November 2010

See God and Science Paper 9 below

"Gene Therapy: Playing God or Being Human"

Rt. Rev. Dr. Lee Rayfield
(Bishop of Swindon, Canterbury, England)
Belfast, 26 April 2010 and Dublin 27 April 2010

Audio recording of lecture (mp3, 16 Mb)
Audio recording of questions (mp3, 9 Mb)
Slides (pdf, 900 kb)

"Douglas Adams: Life, the Universe and Atheism."

Rev. Dr. Ron Elsdon
(Rector, St Bartholomew’s Church, Belfast)
Belfast, 15 February 2010

(No paper available)

"From iPods to iHumans: What Will Nanotechnology Do to Us"

Dr. Dónal O'Mathúna
(School of Nursing, Dublin City University)
Belfast, 18 January 2010

God and Science Paper 9 (pdf, 220 kb)
Audio recording of lecture (mp3, 14 Mb)
Audio recording of questions (mp3, 5 Mb)

"The Historical Darwin"

Prof. Peter Bowler
(School of History & Anthropology, Queen's University Belfast)
Belfast, 30 November 2009

(No paper available)

"Neuroscience and Religion"

Prof. Ingrid Allen
(School of Biology & Biochemistry, Queen's University Belfast)
Belfast, 16 November 2009

(No paper available)

"God, Gravity and the Universe"

Dr. Joan Centrella
(Gravitational Astrophysicist, Maryland, USA)
Maynooth, 24 April 2009

(No paper available)

"Interpreting Genesis - Strategies and Current Trends"

Prof. Patton Taylor
(Union Theological College, Belfast)
Belfast, 26 January 2009

Audio recording (mp3, 17 Mb)

"Should Christianity be Insulated from Science, or Integrated with It?"

Prof. Roddy Cowie
(School of Psychology, Queen’s University, Belfast)
Belfast, 8 December 2008

God and Science Paper 5 (pdf, 393 kb)
See also Will and Testament, William Crawley's broadcasting diary (BBC NI)

"Religion and Scientific Reason: Dawkins, Locke and Pascal"

Prof. Stephen Williams
(Union Theological College, Belfast)
Belfast, 20 October 2008

God and Science Paper 4 (pdf, 462 kb)

"Science and Christianity: An Uneasy Coupling?: A Mathematicians Perspective"

Prof. Alan Hibbert
(Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, Queen's University, Belfast)
Belfast, 22 January 2007

(No paper available)

"Human Genetics and the Image of God"

Dr. Graeme Finlay
(Dept. of Molecular Medicine and Pathology, University of Auckland, New Zealand)
Belfast, 30 October 2006

God and Science Paper 2 (pdf, 610 kb)

"Claiming Back Genesis From the Creationists: Reading The Bible From An Environmental Perspective"

Rev. Dr. Ron Elsdon
(Rector, St Bartholomew’s Church, Stranmillis Road, Belfast)
Belfast, 30 April 2006

God and Science Paper 1 (pdf, 409 kb)