JACKSON, Tenn. — March 18, 2004 — 51’s Baconian Society will host Dr. John Hedley Brooke as the guest speaker for its bimonthly meeting on Tuesday, March 30. Brooke’s lecture is entitled “Darwin’s Religious Odyssey and its Contemporary Relevance.”
Darwin’s theory of natural selection is often confused with evolution, but they deal with different matters, said Dr. Hal Poe, Charles Colson Professor of Faith and Culture who helped establish the society. He explained that natural selection is a philosophical explanation for life, while evolution deals with the science of how things change.
“One hundred and fifty years later, the theory of natural selection continues to have profound social and religious implications,” Poe said. “Most people are not aware of the philosophical aspects of Darwin’s theory that are unrelated to science.”
Brooke is the Andreas Idreos Professor of Science and Religion and Director of the Ian Ramsey Centre at the University of Oxford. He has served as president of the British Society for the History of Science and of the Historical Section of the British Association for the Advancement of Science. He has lectured extensively and has published several books, including Science and Religion: Some Historical Perspectives and Reconstructing Nature: The Engagement of Science & Religion. His research interests include the history of natural theology, the Darwinian revolution and the use of historical analysis to construct critical perspectives of the discussion of science and religion.
The Baconian Society was established in August 2002 to encourage dialogue about science and religion. Each bimonthly meeting begins with a presentation by a featured speaker, followed by an open discussion.
The March 30 meeting will be held at 7 p.m. in Harvey Hall in the Student Union Building on Union’s campus.
For more information, call Dr. Hal Poe at (731) 661-5404 or Dr. Jimmy Davis at (731) 661-5461.