Science and religion intersect at public Laurier conference

Mar 12/14

WATERLOO – Science and religion: a tired battleground or a vibrant interface? Should these pillars of so many world cultures be in perpetual conflict? How can people best use them to discover and re-discover what it means to know and to grow? Wilfrid Laurier University’s Department of Religion and Culture invites you to explore these questions at a conference that is free and open to the public March 21-22 on Laurier’s Waterloo campus.

Scientists, scholars and social activists will present their research and perspectives at the conference, titled “Religions, Science and the Secular.” All events take place in the Paul Martin Centre.

Friday, March 21 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

• “The Secular, the Religious, the Scientific and the Political: Two Views,” Professor Paul Freston and Assistant Professor Ashley Lebner from Laurier’s Department of Religion and Culture.

Saturday, March 22 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• “Evolution and its Misconceptions: the work of an evolutionary biologist,” Assistant Professor Tristan Long from Laurier’s Department of Biology.
• “Conflicts between Religion and Evolution,” Professor Gabo Moreno-Hagelsieb from Laurier’s Department of Biology.
• “Human or Natural Science: Implications for Psychological Approaches to the Contemporary Interface between Science and Religions,” Professor Richard Walsh from Laurier’s Department of Psychology.
• “An Aboriginal Approach to Religions and Science: Belief and Truth?” Jean Becker, senior advisor of Laurier’s Office of Aboriginal Initiatives.
• “Religions, Science and the Secular: the Possibility of New Relationships?” a concluding plenary panel and discussion.

A continental breakfast will be available before the Saturday sessions at 9 a.m. Both the continental breakfast and conference admission are free of charge. Participants may register at RSVPReligionPublicLife@wlu.ca.

For further information, visit the conference website.

The conference is sponsored by Laurier’s Department of Religion and Culture, the Department of Psychology, the dean’s office of the Faculty of Science, and the dean’s office of the Faculty of Arts.

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Contact:
Christopher Ross, Associate Professor
Department of Religion and Culture
519-884-0710 ext. 3679 or cross@wlu.ca

NT4