Charles Darwin’s theory profoundly challenged the prevailing worldview of his time. Most notably, it called into question the biblical account of human creation and redefined humanity’s relation to other species and to creation as a whole.
Resistance to evolutionary theory on theological grounds has persisted to this day. In the United States, for example, nearly 40% of the population continues to reject the theory outright, particularly within evangelical communities. This resistance has at times led to efforts to influence educational curricula and scientific research in ways that align more closely with religious convictions. At the same time, there have also been constructive attempts to reconcile evolutionary theory with systems of faith.
In our workshop, “Evolutionary Theory as an Existential Challenge for Humankind,” we will explore both the historical development and contemporary dynamics of the relationship between religion and science, using evolutionary theory as a central case study. We will also reflect on the broader existential questions raised by Darwin’s work.
Agenda
- 15:00 Welcome
- 15:05 Prof. Norbert Krüger (SDU) [https://www.sdu.dk/en/forskning/dias/people/chairs/norbert-krueger]: The development of modern science and its exclusion of mankind’s existential questions
- 15:30 Prof. Duur Aanan (Wageningen University, Netherlands) [https://research.wur.nl/en/persons/duur-aanen/]: The two sides of Methodological Naturalism – no scientific inferences based on metaphysics but neither metaphysical inferences based on science
- 15:55 Anders Stjernholm (Ateistik Selvskab) [https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anders_Stjernholm]: Separating life and religion: Dealing with scientific and existential questions without the concept of a God
- 16:20 Hans Henrik Hjermitslev (UC-SYD) [https://www.ucsyd.dk/medarbejdere/hans-henrik-hjermitslev-hhhj]: Protestant responses to Darwinism from the 1860s to modern-day creationism
- 16:45 Discussion
- 17:15 End
- 18:00 Joint dinner in Odense downtown
Resistance to evolutionary theory on theological grounds has persisted to this day. In the United States, for example, nearly 40% of the population continues to reject the theory outright, particularly within evangelical communities. This resistance has at times led to efforts to influence educational curricula and scientific research in ways that align more closely with religious convictions. At the same time, there have also been constructive attempts to reconcile evolutionary theory with systems of faith.
In our workshop, “Evolutionary Theory as an Existential Challenge for Humankind,” we will explore both the historical development and contemporary dynamics of the relationship between religion and science, using evolutionary theory as a central case study. We will also reflect on the broader existential questions raised by Darwin’s work.
Agenda
- 15:00 Welcome
- 15:05 Prof. Norbert Krüger (SDU) [https://www.sdu.dk/en/forskning/dias/people/chairs/norbert-krueger]: The development of modern science and its exclusion of mankind’s existential questions
- 15:30 Prof. Duur Aanan (Wageningen University, Netherlands) [https://research.wur.nl/en/persons/duur-aanen/]: The two sides of Methodological Naturalism – no scientific inferences based on metaphysics but neither metaphysical inferences based on science
- 15:55 Anders Stjernholm (Ateistik Selvskab) [https://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anders_Stjernholm]: Separating life and religion: Dealing with scientific and existential questions without the concept of a God
- 16:20 Hans Henrik Hjermitslev (UC-SYD) [https://www.ucsyd.dk/medarbejdere/hans-henrik-hjermitslev-hhhj]: Protestant responses to Darwinism from the 1860s to modern-day creationism
- 16:45 Discussion
- 17:15 End
- 18:00 Joint dinner in Odense downtown
- Organizer: Danish Institute for Advanced Study - DIAS
- Address: Fioniavej 34, 5230 Odense M
- Add to your calendar: https://eom.sdu.dk:443/events/ical/5b7fdd8b-b600-43aa-92d2-7566e40feaf1