ISSR 's "In Conversation" Podcast

Send us Fan MailI am Anthony K Nairn, Assistant Director of the International Society for Science and Religion (ISSR), and welcome back to the ISSR YouTube channel and ISSR’s In Conversation series.For many of us, the terms East and West, science and religion, carry meanings that we associate with specific things in the world. They point to something we intuitively understand, but any comparative analysis of these terms, whether across cultures, across time, across religions, or even across sciences, reveals a complex story that is interwoven with histories, ideologies, languages, cultures, and more. These complexities are not only important for those whose job is to produce scholarship on such topics, but also critical to know more generally, to understanding the complexity behind such seemingly well-known terms that are central to our experiences and orientations in the world, and the part they play in organizing us with respect to our place in the world. For us here in the West, any confrontation with the East usually conjures images of, say, China, Korea, Japan, or India, but this is complicated by the connection to the institution of Orthodox Christianity, sometimes referred to as Eastern Orthodoxy. Greece is an interesting exemplar of this. Not only is it considered by many the birthplace of Western culture, but it is also part of the European Union. It is a place that many Europeans and North Americans view with a type of historical longing, and yet, as we'll hear today, Greece is a peculiar place with a rather complex historical entanglement between science and religion, history and culture, ideology and politics. Its place in history has long been central to the very notion of the West, yet its historical identity challenges any such claim. My guest today is Kostas Tampakis, a Senior Researcher at the Institute of Historical Studies of the National Hellenic Research Foundation. He is a member of the Scientific Board of the European Society for the History of Science and President of the Greek National Commission of the International Union of History and Philosophy of Science and Technology/Division of History of Science and Technology. His research interests include the history of the relations between science and Orthodox Christianity, the history of science and technology in the Greek-speaking world from the eighteenth to the twentieth century, and the history of science education. His work has been published in Isis, The British Journal for the History of Science, and History of Science. Recent publications include “Science and Scientists in Modern Greece,” in The Oxford Handbook of Modern Greek History (Oxford University Press, 2026); Orthodox Christianity and the Study of Nature, co-edited with Ronald Numbers (Brepols, 2024); and Science, Religion and Nationalism: Local Perceptions and Global Historiographies, co-authored with Jaume Navarro (Routledge, 2023).Dr Kostas Tampakishttps://www.eie.gr/en/human-resources/kostas-tampakis/The book discussed in this episode is Orthodox Christianity and the Study of Nature: Histories of Interaction, edited by Kostas Tampakis and Ronald L. Numbers https://www.brepols.net/products/IS-9782503612461-1 And the article we discussed is “‘Like another St Basil’: Astronomy, Orthodox Apologetics and Anticommunism in Twentieth-Century Greece” by Kostas Tampakis, and is available open-sourcehttps://ejournals.epublishing.ekt.gr/index.php/historicalReview/article/view/43838 If you have any questions or comments, please do so below, hit the like button, and consider subscribing for more scholarly content on science and religion. If there are scholars you would like to see on the channel, feel free to write them in the comment section below.Anthony K Nairnwww.anthonyknairn.ca ISSR Executive Assistantwww.issr.org.ukSupport the show

Send us Fan MailThe International Society for Science and Religion (ISSR) is pleased to share a discussion with the award-winning author of the 2025 ISSR Book Prize for Science and Religion, Emily Qureshi-Hurst, for her 2024 book, Salvation in the Block Universe: Time, Tillich, and Transformation (Cambridge University Press).https://www.emilyqureshihurst.com/https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/salvation-in-the-block-universe/4A92AE269AA9585E211111CF8AE8F3A6In conversation with Emily is Russell Re Manning.https://www.crassh.cam.ac.uk/about/people/russell-re-manning/Originating with a donation from the Templeton World Charity Foundation, the ISSR Book Prize is intended to understand ‘religion’ broadly and seek excellence in content and communication. We seek to reward books that make a major contribution to the field, especially those with the potential to take it in new directions. We expect three books to be selected each year, one suitable for a general audience, one for an academic audience, and one for a professional audience. Each year there are three financial prizes of £500 for the winning authors presented to the winning authors at the American Academy of Religion’s (AAR) annual meeting. For more information about the Book Prize and to find out how to nominate books, please visit this link: https://www.issr.org.uk/projects/issr-annual-book-prize/Each year, we have awarded three prizes in distinct categories: Academic, General, and Professional. ISSR is pleased to have awarded the following authors the 2025 ISSR Book Prize on Science and Religion:   In the academic category, the prize goes to Emily Qureshi-Hurst for Salvation in the Block Universe: Time, Tillich, and Transformation (Cambridge University Press, 2024).In the category of books for a general readership, the prize goes to Francis Collins for The Road to Wisdom: On Truth, Science, Faith and Trust (Little Brown & Worthy Books, 2024).In the category of books for professionals and educators, the prize goes to Beth Singler for Religion and Artificial Intelligence: An Introduction (Routledge, 2024).ISSR, a leader of interdisciplinary learning and research in the fields of science and religion, was established with a global and multi-faith perspective. Thank you for joining us. Anthony K Nairnwww.anthonyknairn.caISSR Assistant Directorwww.issr.org.ukSupport the show

Send us Fan MailWelcome back to the ISSR YouTube channel and ISSR’s In Conversation series. I am Anthony K Nairn, Assistant Director of the International Society for Science and Religion (ISSR), and I am pleased to bring you the next episode of our In Conversation series. This conversation, recorded on 21 July 2026, is with ISSR Executive Secretary Fraser Watts, who, if you have been following us since the beginning, has been visible many times but has never been the focus of conversation—I wanted to change that. In this episode, we discuss Fraser's long story from his undergraduate years at Oxford to his time with ISSR. This episode reflects the past and present of both the field of science and religion and ISSR; I am sure you will enjoy this discussion. Fraser Watts http://epiphanyphilosophers.org/ep-history/principal-players/fraser-watts/https://www.issr.org.uk/fellows/user/59/The YouTube version of this episode is available by clicking this link: https://youtu.be/CJPbYqLvV7APlease enjoy this episode.If you enjoy this content and want to see or hear more, please consider hitting the like button and subscribing to our channel. Your support helps us keep content like this coming. If there are scholars you would like to see on the channel, feel free to write them in the comment section below or email me at [email protected]. Anthony K Nairn, PhDwww.anthonyknairn.caISSR Executive Assistantwww.issr.org.ukSupport the show

Send us Fan MailThe International Society for Science and Religion (ISSR) is pleased to share the Plenary talks from the ISSR 2025 Summer Conference, titled "Ecology between Religions and Sciences: Minds and Bodies in Nature."The fifth talk in this series was given by Arthur Petersen, Professor of Science, Technology and Public Policy at University College London, and Chief Scientific Adviser to the Dutch Delta Commissioner. His talk was titled "Climate Change, Worldviews and Spirituality: The Interface between Science and Public Policy". This was the fifth of seven Plenary talks at the conference, which publicly launched ISSR's new priority research area on ecology and the environment, drawing on the field of science and religion. It was designed to encourage growth on a wide range of topics relevant to religious and scientific engagements with environmental/ecological issues from interdisciplinary angles, including:• The role of the natural, social, and human sciences in current discourse about climate change• Diverse religious approaches to environmental issues in world faith traditions, and their history and sociology;• The relationship between worldview beliefs and environmental emotions, anxieties, actions and commitments;• Eco-theologies and conceptualizations of the environment;• Pedagogies of environmental awareness,• Experiences of nature and official discourses in religious and scientific environmentalisms;• Planetary intelligence and environmental sensitivity in relation to spiritual intelligence. View the rest of the Plenary talks on the YouTube playlist can be found here:   https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDJNG998NhMIMYQnpl2ZDdUFDTMKHs2gl&si=4pqgAvid0y6w7eGhWe hope you enjoy these deeply engaging and inspiring talks and take away positive lessons. These seven Plenary talks comprise a playlist featuring leading thinkers in science and religion who engage with ecological and environmental issues. ISSR, the premier academic society focused on interdisciplinary learning and research in the fields of science and religion, was established with a global and multi-faith perspective. We invite you to learn more about us and consider becoming an Associate member by visiting our website: https://www.issr.org.uk.Thank you for joining us. We look forward to having you again on the ISSR podcast channel. Anthony K Nairn, PhDwww.anthonyknairn.caISSR Executive Assistantwww.issr.org.ukSupport the show

Send us Fan MailWelcome back to the ISSR YouTube channel and ISSR’s In Conversation series. I am Anthony K Nairn, Assistant Director of the International Society for Science and Religion (ISSR), and I am happy to not only introduce this new episode of our In Conversation series but also to introduce a new format for the channel. While in the past we have had ISSR Fellows in conversation with one another on topics of shared interest and expertise, today I am introducing a new format to accompany these conversations. While maintaining the original format, I will also add interviews I conduct with ISSR Fellows, in which I ask them about their experiences, research, and interests. My hope is that these conversations develop organically and reach questions you find interesting.This first conversion, recorded on 24 March 2026, is with Professor Robert Geraci, who, if you have been following us since the beginning, was the first to be on our YouTube channel. I am grateful to Robert for joining us once again. In this episode, we discuss a wide range of topics, from the US college system generally, to science and religion as a field, to the motivations and particulars of Geraci’s books. I am sure you will enjoy this discussion. Prof Robert Geraci, Knight Distinguished Chair for the Study of Religion and Culture and Professor of Religious Studies https://www.knox.edu/academics/faculty/geraci-robert https://robertgeraci.com/ See Geraci's new book, Futureproofing Humanity, here: https://www.amazon.com/Futureproofing-Humanity-Existential-Technomyths-Intelligence/dp/B0GH868DP3/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0 Here is the link to the Instagram account mentioned at the end of the video!https://www.instagram.com/mythmonstersandtech/ The YouTube version of this episode is available by clicking this link: https://youtu.be/BNDIyKPUnaYPlease enjoy this episode.If you enjoy this content and want to see or hear more, please consider hitting the like button and subscribing to our channel. Your support helps us keep content like this coming. If there are scholars you would like to see on the channel, feel free to write them in the comment section below or email me at [email protected]. Anthony K Nairnwww.anthonyknairn.caISSR Executive Assistantwww.issr.org.ukSupport the show

Send us Fan MailOn YouTube, watch here: https://youtu.be/pVP6BDFlMEU?si=Qqsk65MdtnRmeIz9The International Society for Science and Religion (ISSR) is pleased to share a discussion with the award-winning author of the 2025 ISSR Book Prize for Science and Religion, Francis Collins, for his 2024 book, The Road to Wisdom: On Truth, Science, Faith and Trust (Hachette Books). https://www.francisscollins.com/In conversation with Francis is Ron Cole-Turner, with an introduction by the chair of the Prize Committee, Fraser Watts.https://www.issr.org.uk/fellows/user/137/Originating with a donation from the Templeton World Charity Foundation, the ISSR Book Prize is intended to understand ‘religion’ broadly and seek excellence in content and communication. We seek to reward books that make a major contribution to the field, especially those with the potential to take it in new directions. We expect three books to be selected each year, one suitable for a general audience, one for an academic audience, and one for a professional audience. Each year there are three financial prizes of £500 for the winning authors presented to the winning authors at the American Academy of Religion’s (AAR) annual meeting. For more information about the Book Prize and to find out how to nominate books, please visit this link: https://www.issr.org.uk/projects/issr-annual-book-prize/Each year, we have awarded three prizes in distinct categories: Academic, General, and Professional. ISSR is pleased to have awarded the following authors the 2025 ISSR Book Prize on Science and Religion:   In the academic category, the prize goes to Emily Qureshi-Hurst for Salvation in the Block Universe: Time, Tillich, and Transformation (Cambridge University Press, 2024).In the category of books for a general readership, the prize goes to Francis Collins for The Road to Wisdom: On Truth, Science, Faith and Trust (Little Brown & Worthy Books, 2024).In the category of books for professionals and educators, the prize goes to Beth Singler for Religion and Artificial Intelligence: An Introduction (Routledge, 2024).ISSR, a beacon of interdisciplinary learning and research in the fields of science and religion, was established with a global and multi-faith perspective. Thank you for joining us. We look forward to seeing you next time on the ISSR YouTube channel. Anthony K Nairnwww.anthonyknairn.caISSR Assistant Directorwww.issr.org.ukSupport the show

Send us Fan MailThe International Society for Science and Religion (ISSR) is pleased to present the ISSR 2026 Boyle Lecture Discussion, which was recorded live following the Premiere of the 2026 Boyle Lecture on YouTube on 16 April.  Since the COVID-19 global pandemic, the ISSR Boyle Lectures (available on our channel) have been offered online for all to listen to, learn from, and enjoy this most prestigious lecture series. These Digital Lectures have been followed by a Live Discussion on Zoom with the Lecturer, Respondent, and a panel of experts.This year's discussion included:Dr Iain McGilchristhttps://channelmcgilchrist.com/home/along withDr Mari van Emmerik https://www.divinity.cam.ac.uk/staff/dr-mari-van-emmerikChris Oldfieldhttps://www.chrisoldfieldphilosophy.com/ Dr Marius Dorobantuhttps://vu.nl/en/research/scientists/marius-dorobantuRespondent the Revd Prof Michael J Reisshttps://profiles.ucl.ac.uk/48389-michael-reissand chairing, ISSR President Professor Niels Gregersenhttps://researchprofiles.ku.dk/en/persons/niels-henrik-gregersen/The original Boyle Lectures were given as a series of sermons at several churches in London and Westminster following their establishment in 1692. The ‘original Boyles’ lasted until about 1730, although sporadic later ‘Boyle Lectures’ continued to be given in the centuries since then. The lecture series was revived in 2004 at one of its original locations, the Wren church of St Mary-le-Bow on Cheapside in the City of London, where it continues to be hosted each year. The International Society for Science and Religion was founded in 2002 under the guidance of Sir John Templeton to promote education through interdisciplinary learning and research in the field of science and religion, conducted in an international and multi-(non)faith context. To find out more about ISSR, please visit our website here: https://www.issr.org.uk/ISSR is thankful to all who continue to make the Boyle Lectures possible each year. Anthony K Nairnwww.anthonyknairn.caISSR Assistant Directorwww.issr.org.ukSupport the show

Send us Fan MailThe International Society for Science and Religion (ISSR) is pleased to present the ISSR 2026 Boyle Lecture on Science and Religion, which was given by Dr Iain McGilchrist, on:“God, the Brain, and the nature of Truth”This year's Response was given by The Revd Professor Michael J Reiss, Professor and Chair of Science Education at the Institute of Education, University College London.The original Boyle Lectures were given as a series of sermons at several churches in London and Westminster following their establishment in 1692. The ‘original Boyles’ lasted until about 1730, although sporadic later ‘Boyle Lectures’ continued to be given in the centuries since then. The lecture series was revived in 2004 at one of its original locations, the Wren church of St Mary-le-Bow on Cheapside in the City of London, where it continues to be hosted each year. We are grateful to St Mary-le-Bow, the Rector Fr Simon Cuff, the Parish Council, the Boyle family, and the Boyle Lecture Trustees for their continued support and guidance. Since the COVID-19 global pandemic, the Boyle Lectures (available on our channel) have been offered online for all to listen to, learn from, and enjoy this most prestigious lecture series. Prior Boyle Lectures before 2021 can be found on St Mary-le-Bow’s YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/user/stmarylebowThe International Society for Science and Religion was founded in 2002 under the guidance of Sir John Templeton to promote education through interdisciplinary learning and research in the field of science and religion, conducted in an international and multi-(non)faith context. To find out more about ISSR, please visit our website here: https://www.issr.org.uk/ISSR is thankful to all who continue to make the Boyle Lectures possible each year. Anthony K Nairnwww.anthonyknairn.caISSR Assistant Directorwww.issr.org.ukSupport the show

Send us Fan MailWelcome back to the ISSR YouTube channel and ISSR’s In Conversation series. ISSR In Conversation is a discussion series in which ISSR Fellows discuss topics related to their work and developments in the academic field of science and religion. In this episode, the pedagogy of science and religion, and the classroom context, are discussed. This episode will be especially interesting to anyone who engages with teaching in this field, or anyone interested in how science and religion are taught at the university level in different geographic and cultural environments.In conversation in this episode are: Jörg Matthias Determann is a Professor of History in the Liberal Arts & Sciences program at Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar, specializing in the history of science, technology, and scholarship in the modern Middle East. https://qatar.vcu.edu/our-faculty/dr-jorg-matthias-determann/andShoaib Ahmed Malik, a Lecturer in Science and Religion in the School of Divinity at New College, University of Edinburgh, is working at the intersection of Islamic theology and the contemporary sciences. https://edwebprofiles.ed.ac.uk/profile/shoaib-ahmed-malikIf you enjoy this content and want to see or hear more, please consider hitting the like button and subscribing to our channel. Your support helps us keep content like this coming. This is also available on most major podcast services, so consider subscribing if you enjoy listening on the go. https://youtu.be/iOJPmM3szf8Please enjoy this episode.Anthony K Nairnwww.anthonyknairn.caISSR Executive Assistantwww.issr.org.ukSupport the show

Send us Fan MailRe-Uploaded from 2022Welcome back to ISSR’s In Conversation series. ISSR In Conversation is a discussion series in which ISSR Fellows discuss topics related to their work and the happenings in the academic field of science and religion. If you enjoy this content and want to see or hear more, please consider hitting the like button and subscribing to our channel. Your support helps us keep content like this coming. This is also available on most major podcast services, so do consider subscribing to the podcast if you enjoy listening while on the go. You can access the YouTube video directly using this link: https://youtu.be/Ef4BeA79ChgIn this episode, Prof Robin Dunbar discusses his 2022 book, How Religion Evolved: And Why It Endures, with Dr Miguel Farias. A rich mix of storytelling and insights into the book, Dunbar and Farias engage in a lively and thoroughly enjoyable conversation about life, motivations, experimental psychology, and, of course, the psychology and anthropology of religion. In conversation are: Emeritus Professor of Evolutionary Psychology Robin Dunbar - https://www.psy.ox.ac.uk/people/robin-dunbarDr Miguel Farias - https://pureportal.coventry.ac.uk/en/persons/miguel-farias/ ISSR was founded to promote education through inter-disciplinary learning and research in the field of "science and religion" (broadly conceived), conducted in an international and multi-(or non-) faith context. For more information about us, please visit our website at https://www.issr.org.uk Thank you for watching the ISSR YouTube Channel.Anthony K Nairnwww.anthonyknairn.caISSR Executive Assistantwww.issr.org.ukSupport the show

Send us Fan MailRe-Uploaded from 2021Welcome back to the ISSR Podcast.I am pleased to be (re)introducing you to this special episode on the late John Polkinghorne. John was the founding President of ISSR, and his involvement in the field of science and religion cannot be understated. His intellectual work has been a source of ongoing discussion over the years and remains so today, as you will see here. John was a professor of theoretical physics at Cambridge University until 1979, when he resigned from that prestigious position to pursue theology, entering the priesthood in 1982. A prolific writer, he authored over 30 books, exploring in depth the relationship between the discoveries of modern physics and the doctrines of the Christian faith.In 1989, he became President of Queens' College, Cambridge, a position he held until he retired in 1996. The next year, in 1997, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for distinguished service to science, religion, learning and medical ethics. In 2002, he received the prestigious Templeton Prize in recognition of his modern and compelling treatment of theology as a complement to natural science, which, when viewed together, offer what he called a “binocular” vision of the truth. That same year, ISSR was founded, with John as Founding President. We had a number of speakers present for the event, and all gave thoughtful reflections and respectful criticism of John’s life, work and influence. In Conversation for this episode are: Michael J Reiss, Professor of Science Education at the Institute of Education, University College London. Prof Reiss is also past president of ISSR. https://iris.ucl.ac.uk/iris/browse/pr...Mark Harris is Professor and Andreas Idreos Chair in Science and Religion, and Director of the Ian Ramsey Centre in Science and Religion at Oxford University.https://www.theology.ox.ac.uk/people/...Michael Welker is Senior Professor of the Faculty of Theology at the University of Heidelberg https://www.uni-heidelberg.de/fakulta...Nicholas Saunders is a barrister and former lecturer at Cambridge University.https://www.faraday.cam.ac.uk/about/p...Nicholas Beale is the founder and director of ScitebSupport the show

Send us Fan MailThe International Society for Science and Religion (ISSR) is pleased to share the Plenary talks from the ISSR 2025 Summer Conference, titled "Ecology between Religions and Sciences: Minds and Bodies in Nature."The fourth talk in this series was given by Panu Pihkala, adjunct professor of environmental theology in the Faculty of Theology at the University of Helsinki. His talk was titled "Environmental emotions, attitudes, and religion". This was the fourth of seven Plenary talks at the conference, which publicly launched ISSR's new priority research area on ecology and the environment engaged from the field of science and religion. It was designed to encourage growth on a wide range of topics relevant to religious and scientific engagements with environmental/ecological issues from interdisciplinary angles, including:• The role of the natural, social, and human sciences in current discourse about climate change• Diverse religious approaches to environmental issues in world faith traditions, and their history and sociology;• The relationship between worldview beliefs and environmental emotions, anxieties, actions and commitments;• Eco-theologies and conceptualizations of the environment;• Pedagogies of environmental awareness,• Experiences of nature and official discourses in religious and scientific environmentalisms;• Planetary intelligence and environmental sensitivity in relation to spiritual intelligence. View the rest of the Plenary talks in the playlist here:   https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDJNG998NhMIMYQnpl2ZDdUFDTMKHs2gl&si=4pqgAvid0y6w7eGhWe hope that you enjoy and take away positive lessons from these deeply engaging and inspiring talks. These seven Plenary talks comprise a playlist featuring leading thinkers in the field of science and religion who engage with ecological and environmental issues. ISSR, the premier academic society focused on interdisciplinary learning and research in the fields of science and religion, was established with a global and multi-faith perspective. We invite you to learn more about us and consider becoming an Associate member by visiting our website: https://www.issr.org.uk.Thank you for joining us. We look forward to seeing you next time on the ISSR YouTube channel. Anthony K Nairnwww.anthonyknairn.caISSR Executive Assistantwww.issr.org.ukSupport the show (https://www.buzzsprout.com/1920567/support)Support the show

Send us Fan MailYou can listen to the YouTube version here: https://youtu.be/U--QBn4GlwgThe International Society for Science and Religion (ISSR) is pleased to share the Plenary talks from the ISSR 2025 Summer Conference, titled "Ecology between Religions and Sciences: Minds and Bodies in Nature."The third talk in this series was given by Niels Henrik Gregersen, Professor of Systematic Theology at the University of Copenhagen. His talk was titled "Three Irreducible Aspects of Ecology: Alterity, Power, and Entanglement". This was the third of seven Plenary talks at the conference, which publicly launched ISSR's new priority research area on ecology and the environment. It was designed to engage with a wide range of topics relevant to religious engagements with environmental/ecological issues, including:• The role of the natural, social, and human sciences in current discourse about climate change• Diverse religious approaches to environmental issues in world faith traditions, and their history and sociology;• The relationship between worldview beliefs and environmental emotions, anxieties, actions and commitments;• Eco-theologies and conceptualizations of the environment;• Pedagogies of environmental awareness,• Experiences of nature and official discourses in religious and scientific environmentalisms;• Planetary intelligence and environmental sensitivity in relation to spiritual intelligence. View the rest of the Plenary talks in the playlist here:   https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDJNG998NhMIMYQnpl2ZDdUFDTMKHs2gl&si=4pqgAvid0y6w7eGhWe hope that you enjoy and take away positive lessons from these deeply engaging and inspiring talks. These seven Plenary talks comprise a playlist featuring leading thinkers in the field of science and religion who engage with ecological and environmental issues. ISSR, the premier academic society focused on interdisciplinary learning and research in the fields of science and religion, was established with a global and multi-faith perspective. We invite you to learn more about us and consider becoming an Associate member by visiting our website: https://www.issr.org.uk.Thank you for joining us. We look forward to seeing you next time on the ISSR YouTube channel. Anthony K Nairnwww.anthonyknairn.caISSR Executive Assistantwww.issr.org.ukSupport the show

Send us Fan MailWatch the YouTube version here: https://youtu.be/NJAza_N9SpUThe International Society for Science and Religion (ISSR) is pleased to share the Plenary talks from the ISSR 2025 Summer Conference, titled "Ecology between Religions and Sciences: Minds and Bodies in Nature."The second talk in this series was given by Susan P Bratton, Professor Emeritus of Environmental Science at Baylor University. Her talk was titled "Religion, scientific ecology, and environmental problem solving: Shared worldviews, constructive cooperation, separation, or conflict?". This was the second of seven Plenary talks at the conference, which publicly launched ISSR's new priority research area on ecology and the environment. It was designed to engage with a wide range of topics relevant to religious engagements with environmental/ecological issues, including:• The role of the natural, social, and human sciences in current discourse about climate change• Diverse religious approaches to environmental issues in world faith traditions, and their history and sociology;• The relationship between worldview beliefs and environmental emotions, anxieties, actions and commitments;• Eco-theologies and conceptualizations of the environment;• Pedagogies of environmental awareness,• Experiences of nature and official discourses in religious and scientific environmentalisms;• Planetary intelligence and environmental sensitivity in relation to spiritual intelligence. View the rest of the Plenary talks in the playlist here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDJNG998NhMIMYQnpl2ZDdUFDTMKHs2glWe hope that you enjoy and take away positive lessons from these deeply engaging and inspiring talks. The seven Plenary talks comprise a playlist featuring leading thinkers in the field of science and religion who engage with ecological and environmental issues. ISSR, the premier academic society focused on interdisciplinary learning and research in the fields of science and religion, was established with a global and multi-faith perspective. We invite you to learn more about us and consider becoming an Associate member by visiting our website: https://www.issr.org.uk.Thank you for joining us. We look forward to seeing you next time on the ISSR YouTube channel. Anthony K Nairnwww.anthonyknairn.caISSR Executive Assistantwww.issr.org.ukSupport the show

Send us Fan MailYou can watch the YouTube version here: https://youtu.be/oz42NeALXKE?si=-9GjOWwV1oou7Gpd The International Society for Science and Religion (ISSR) is pleased to share the Plenary talks from the ISSR 2025 Summer Conference, titled "Ecology between Religions and Sciences: Minds and Bodies in Nature."The first talk in this series was given by Mike Hulme, Professor of Human Geography and Fellow, as well as Director of Studies in Geography at Pembroke College, University of Cambridge. His talk was titled "Climate, Ecological, and Social Crises – Scientific and Religious Perspectives". A Response to the talk was given by Celia Deane-Drummond, Senior Research Fellow in Theology, and Director of the Laudato Si Research Institute, Campion Hall, University of Oxford. This was the first of seven Plenary talks at the conference, which publicly launched ISSR's new priority research area on ecology and the environment. It was designed to engage with a wide range of topics relevant to religious engagements with environmental/ecological issues, including:• The role of the natural, social, and human sciences in current discourse about climate change• Diverse religious approaches to environmental issues in world faith traditions, and their history and sociology;• The relationship between worldview beliefs and environmental emotions, anxieties, actions and commitments;• Eco-theologies and conceptualizations of the environment;• Pedagogies of environmental awareness,• Experiences of nature and official discourses in religious and scientific environmentalisms;• Planetary intelligence and environmental sensitivity in relation to spiritual intelligence. We hope that you enjoy and take away positive lessons from these deeply engaging and inspiring talks. The seven Plenary talks comprise a playlist featuring leading thinkers in the field of science and religion who engage with ecological and environmental issues. ISSR, a beacon of interdisciplinary learning and research in the fields of science and religion, was established with a global and multi-faith perspective. We invite you to learn more about us and consider becoming an Associate member by visiting our website: https://www.issr.org.uk.Thank you for joining us. We look forward to seeing you next time on the ISSR YouTube channel. Anthony K Nairnwww.anthonyknairn.caISSR Executive Assistantwww.issr.org.ukSupport the show

Send us Fan MailLink to the YouTube version: https://youtu.be/sLza_1H2aJoThe International Society for Science and Religion (ISSR) is pleased to share a discussion with the award-winning author of the 2024 ISSR Book Prize for Science and Religion, Nicholas Spencer, for his Magisteria: The Entangled Histories of Science & Religion (2023, OneWorld Press). https://oneworld-publications.com/work/magisteria/Funded by the Templeton World Charity Foundation, the ISSR Book Prize is intended to understand ‘religion’ broadly and seek excellence in content and communication. We seek to reward books that make a major contribution to the field, especially if they have the potential to take the field in new directions. We expect three books to be selected each year, one suitable for a general audience, one for an academic audience, and one for a professional audience. Each year there are three financial prizes of £500 for the winning authors presented to the winning authors at the American Academy of Religion’s annual meeting. For more information about the Book Prize and to find out how to nominate books, please visit this link: https://www.issr.org.uk/projects/issr-annual-book-prize/Each year, we have awarded three prizes in distinct categories: Academic, General, and Professional. ISSR is pleased to have awarded the following authors the 2024 ISSR Book Prize on Science and Religion:   – In the academic category – Peter N. Jordan for Naturalism in the Christian Imagination: Providence and Causality in Early Modern England. Cambridge University Press, 2022.– In the category for a general readership – Philip Goff for Why? The Purpose of the Universe. Oxford University Press, 2023.– In the category for professionals and educators – Nicholas Spencer for Magisteria: The Entangled Histories of Science & Religion. OneWorld, 2023.In conversation with Nicholas is John Hedley Brooke, with an introduction by the chair of the Prize Committee, Fraser Watts.https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-spencer-1085967/?originalSubdomain=uk https://johnhedleybrooke.com/http://www.fraserwatts.co.uk/ ISSR, a beacon of interdisciplinary learning and research in the fields of science and religion, was established with a global and multi-faith perspective. We invite you to learn more about us and consider becoming an Associate member by visiting our website: https://www.issr.org.uk.Thank you for joining us. We look forward to seeing you next time on the ISSR YouTube channel. Anthony K Nairnwww.anthonyknairn.caISSR Executive Assistantwww.issr.org.ukSupport the show

Send us Fan MailThe International Society for Science and Religion (ISSR) is pleased to present the ISSR 2025 Boyle Lecture Discussion, which was recorded live following the Premiere of the 2025 Boyle Lecture on YouTube.  The discussion included:The Most Reverend Dr Antje Jackelén, Archbishop Emerita of Uppsala and Primate Emerita of Swedenhttps://www.ctr.lu.se/en/person/antjejackelen/Professor Arthur Petersen, Professor of Science, Technology and Public Policy, University College Londonhttps://www.ucl.ac.uk/steapp/people/professor-arthur-petersen-0Professor Noreen Herzfeld, Saint John's Universityhttps://www.csbsju.edu/theology/person/noreen-herzfeld/andProfessor and Chair of Nanomaterials Andrew Briggs, University of Oxfordhttps://andrewbriggs.org/These live discussions emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic when ISSR hosted an entirely digital Boyle Lecture led by the late Tom McLeish in 2021. Since then, ISSR has maintained the Digital Lecture and Discussion so all can enjoy this prestigious event and the accompanying conversations. All of the Digital Lectures and Discussions can be found on our YouTube channel. The original Boyle Lectures were given as a series of sermons at several churches in London and Westminster following their establishment in 1692. The ‘original Boyles’ lasted until about 1730, although sporadic later ‘Boyle Lectures’ continued to be given in the centuries since then. The lecture series was revived in 2004 at one of its original locations, the Wren church of St Mary-le-Bow on Cheapside in the City of London, where it continues to be hosted each year. Prior Boyle Lectures before 2021 can be found on St Mary-le-Bow’s YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/user/stmarylebowThe International Society for Science and Religion was founded in 2002 to promote education through interdisciplinary learning and research in the field of science and religion, conducted in an international and multi-faith context. To find out more about ISSR, please visit our website here: https://www.issr.org.uk/ISSR is thankful to all who continue to make the Boyle Lectures and Discussions possible each year. Anthony K Nairnwww.anthonynairn.com ISSR Executive Assistant www.issr.org.ukSupport the show

Send us Fan MailThe International Society for Science and Religion (ISSR) is pleased to present the 2025 Boyle Lecture, which was given by The Most Reverend Dr Antje Jackelén, Archbishop Emerita of Uppsala and Primate Emerita of Sweden, on:“Science, Technology, Theology and Spirituality — A Necessary Partnership?”This year's Response was given by Professor Arthur Petersen, Professor of Science, Technology and Public Policy, University College London.The original Boyle Lectures were given as a series of sermons at several churches in London and Westminster following their establishment in 1692. The ‘original Boyles’ lasted until about 1730, although sporadic later ‘Boyle Lectures’ continued to be given in the centuries since then. The lecture series was revived in 2004 at one of its original locations, the Wren church of St Mary-le-Bow on Cheapside in the City of London, where it continues to be hosted each year. We are grateful to St Mary-le-Bow the Rector, Revd George Bush, the Parish Council, and the Boyle Lecture Trustees for their continued support and guidance. Since the COVID-19 global pandemic, the Boyle Lectures (available on our channel) have been offered online for all to listen to, learn from, and enjoy this most prestigious lecture series. Prior Boyle Lectures before 2021 can be found on St Mary-le-Bow’s YouTube channel. The International Society for Science and Religion was founded in 2002 to promote education through interdisciplinary learning and research in the field of science and religion, conducted in an international and multi-faith context. To find out more about ISSR, please visit our website here: https://www.issr.org.uk/ISSR is thankful to all who continue to make the Boyle Lectures possible each year. Anthony K Nairnwww.anthonynairn.com ISSR Executive Assistant www.issr.org.ukSupport the show

Send us Fan MailWelcome back to the ISSR Podcast.For many years, ISSR has had a presence at the AAR/SBL annual conference. In November 2024, ISSR was again at the San Diego, California conference. ISSR is pleased to bring you our sessions from this massive conference for the first time. This panel was titled "Author Meets Critics Book Panel: Climate, God and Uncertainty by Arthur Petersen." Referring mainly to works by Latour, William James and Heinrich Rickert, Petersen develops ‘transcendental naturalism’ to reinterpret the interface between science and politics in the context of climate change. He highlights, for instance, issues such as the religious disenchantment of nature, the scientific disbelief in a plurality of value-laden perspectives, and the disregard for non-modern worldviews in politics. In developing its argument, the book makes a methodological intervention on the sort of naturalism that guides both Latour’s work and a large part of the academic field called ‘science and religion’. The panel consisted of:Dr Pete Jordan - https://www.theology.ox.ac.uk/people/dr-pete-jordanDr Josh A. Reeves - https://www.samford.edu/arts-and-sciences/directory/Reeves-JoshDr Bethany Sollereder - https://edwebprofiles.ed.ac.uk/profile/dr-bethany-sollerederProf Whitney Bauman - https://sipa.fiu.edu/people/faculty/religious-studies/bauman.whitney.htmlProf. Dr. Gijsbert van den Brink - https://vu.nl/en/research/scientists/gijsbert-van-den-brinkProf Lisa Sideris - https://es.ucsb.edu/people/lisa-siderisAnd the book's author, Prof Arthur Petersen - https://www.ucl.ac.uk/steapp/people/professor-arthur-petersen-0Each panellist critically evaluated themes in the book, with Petersen responding at the end. ISSR was established as an elite academic society to foster global and multi-faith perspectives on the intersection of science and religion. We invite you to learn more about us and consider becoming an Associate member by visiting our website: https://www.issr.org.uk.Thank you for joining us, and we’ll see you next time on the ISSR Podcast. Anthony K Nairnwww.anthonynairn.com  ISSR Executive Assistantwww.issr.org.ukSupport the show

Send us Fan MailThe International Society for Science and Religion (ISSR) was pleased to sponsor and attend the European Society for the Study of Science and Theology (ESSSAT) 2024 conference in Split, Croatia.https://www.esssat.net/next-conference  ISSR led the conference's first panel, discussing “Grand Narratives, Science, and Religion.” The panel was chaired by ISSR President Prof Niels Henrik Gregersen, with speakers ISSR Executive Secretary Prof Fraser Watts and ISSR Executive Assistant Anthony K Nairn. ISSR Fellow Dr Joanna Leidenhag responded to the panel.  https://researchprofiles.ku.dk/en/persons/niels-henrik-gregersenhttp://www.fraserwatts.co.uk/https://anthonynairn.com/https://ahc.leeds.ac.uk/philosophy/staff/3700/dr-joanna-leidenhag ISSR was established as an elite academic society to foster global and multi-faith perspectives on the intersection of science and religion. We invite you to learn more about us and consider becoming an Associate member by visiting our website: https://www.issr.org.uk.Anthony K Nairnwww.anthonynairn.com  ISSR Executive Assistantwww.issr.org.ukSupport the show

Send us Fan MailThe International Society for Science and Religion (ISSR) was pleased to announce the winners of the 2024 ISSR Book Prize for Science and Religion, held on Saturday, 31 August 2024, at the European Society for the Study of Science and Theology (ESSSAT) conference in Split, Croatia. https://www.esssat.net/next-conference Funded by the Templeton World Charity Foundation, the ISSR Book Prize is intended to understand ‘religion’ broadly and seek excellence in content and communication. We seek to reward books that make a significant contribution to the field, especially if they have the potential to take the field in new directions. We expect three books to be selected each year, one suitable for a general audience, one for an academic audience, and one for a professional audience. For more information about the Book Prize and to find out how to nominate books, please visit this link: https://www.issr.org.uk/projects/issr-annual-book-prize/ Each year, we have awarded three prizes in distinct categories.ISSR is pleased to have awarded the following authors the 2023 ISSR Book Prize on Science and Religion:   In the academic category – Peter N. Jordan for Naturalism in the Christian Imagination: Providence and Causality in Early Modern England. Cambridge University Press, 2022.https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/naturalism-in-the-christian-imagination/5FA401FC6204EE99BE236155A17CE8F4 It is intriguing that the expansion of naturalism in 17th-century England arose within the Christian doctrine of providence, not in opposition to it. In this highly informative book, Peter Jordan shows how theologians and natural philosophers of this period wove naturalistic explanations into their Christian understanding of God’s activity in the world. The 17th-century discussion of providential naturalism is highly relevant to debates about religious naturalism in our own time.In the category for a general readership – Philip Goff for Why? The Purpose of the Universe. Oxford University Press, 2023.https://global.oup.com/academic/product/why-the-purpose-of-the-universe-9780198883760?cc=gb&lang=en& In this highly readable book, Philip Goff explores the purpose of the universe, starting from its remarkable fine-tuning. He argues for a close association between purpose and consciousness, and is dissatisfied with regarding fine-tuning as a brute fact. He argues against both traditional theism and various other non-traditional designers, and espouses a teleological cosmopsychism. Regardless of whether readers agree with that conclusion, this is a rigorous and brilliant examination of what can and can’t be concluded from the fine-tuning of the universe.In the category for professionals and educators – Nicholas Spencer for Magisteria: The Entangled Histories of Science & Religion. OneWorld, 2023.https://oneworld-publications.com/contributor/nicholas-spencer/ Spencer provides us with an impressive and sweeping overview of the complex historical relationship between science and religion in four parts: their early relationship up to 1600; how science developed within the framework of religion in the 17th century; how it broke away from its religious parent in the 19th century; and how science and religion have continued to be endlessly and fascinatingly entangled ever since This book has been widely praised as one of the best overviews of the history of science and religion to be published for many years.ISSR was established as an elite academic society to foster global and multi-faith perspectives on the intersection of science and religion. We invite you to learn more about us and consider becoming an Associate member by visiting our website: https://www.issr.org.uk.Anthony K Nairnwww.anthonynairn.com ISSR Executive Assistantwww.issr.org.ukSupport the show

Send us Fan MailThe International Society for Science and Religion (ISSR) is pleased to share the plenary talks from the 2023 Summer Conference on Artificial and Spiritual Intelligence. Concluding a major research grant, generously funded by the Templeton World Charity Foundation titled Understanding Spiritual Intelligence, the project aimed to understand spiritual intelligence by using AI to contribute constructively to the study of religion. The project explored five lines of enquiry: modelled the deployment of attention in spiritual practices, retrieved and developed Margaret Masterman’s work on religious language, used computational modelling to specify how spiritual reasoning might work, considered what is distinctive about human intelligence, and took steps towards building an artificial spiritual companion. The project team included experts in AI and religion/theology, including Lord Rowan Williams, Dr Iain McGilchrist, Dr Beth Singler, and the late Dr Yorick Wilks, among others. The conference occurred from 20-23 June 2023 in Swindon, UK.The second talk in this series of videos from the conference's plenary speakers is from Dr Iain McGilchrist, discussing “Who do we think we are?”ISSR is an interdisciplinary academic society emphasizing learning and research in science and religion, and was established with a global and multi-faith perspective. We invite you to learn more about us and consider becoming an Associate member by visiting our website: https://www.issr.org.uk.Anthony K Nairnwww.anthonynairn.com ISSR Executive Assistantwww.issr.org.ukSupport the show

Send us Fan MailThe International Society for Science and Religion (ISSR) is pleased to share the plenary talks from the 2023 Summer Conference on Artificial and Spiritual Intelligence. Concluding a major research grant, generously funded by the Templeton World Charity Foundation titled Understanding Spiritual Intelligence, the project aimed to understand spiritual intelligence by using AI to contribute constructively to the study of religion. The project explored five lines of enquiry: modelled the deployment of attention in spiritual practices, retrieved and developed Margaret Masterman’s work on religious language, used computational modelling to specify how spiritual reasoning might work, considered what is distinctive about human intelligence, and took steps towards building an artificial spiritual companion. The project team included experts in AI and religion/theology including Lord Rowan Williams, Dr Iain McGilchrist, Dr Beth Singler, and the late Dr Yorick Wilks, among others. The conference took place from 20-23 June 2023 in Swindon, UK.The first talk in this series of videos from the plenary speakers of the conference is from Lord Rowan Williams, discussing “Spirit and Ecology.”ISSR is an interdisciplinary academic society which emphasizes learning and research in the fields of science and religion, and was established with a global and multi-faith perspective. We invite you to learn more about us and consider becoming an Associate member by visiting our website: https://www.issr.org.uk.Anthony K Nairnwww.anthonynairn.com ISSR Executive Assistantwww.issr.org.ukSupport the show

Send us Fan MailThe International Society for Science and Religion (ISSR) is pleased to share a discussion with the award-winning authors for the 2023 ISSR Book Prize for Science and Religion. Funded by the Templeton World Charity Foundation, we seek to reward books that make a major contribution to the field, especially if they have the potential to take the field in new directions. For more information about the Book Prize and to find out how to nominate books, please visit this link: https://www.issr.org.uk/projects/issr-annual-book-prize/ ISSR is pleased to have awarded the following authors the 2023 ISSR Book Prize on Science and Religion:   In the academic category, the prize went to Jonathan Topham for Reading the Book of Nature: How Eight Bestsellers Reconnected Christianity and the Sciences on the Eve of the Victorian Age from the University of Chicago Press. https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/R/bo173082681.html#:~:text=This%20series%20of%20eight%20works,beyond%20all%20expectations%2C%20the%20series https://ahc.leeds.ac.uk/philosophy/staff/143/professor-jon-topham In the general readership category, the prize went to Andrew Briggs and Michael Reiss for Human Flourishing: Scientific Insight and Spiritual Wisdom in Uncertain Times from Oxford University Press. https://global.oup.com/academic/product/human-flourishing-9780198850267?cc=us&lang=en& https://andrewbriggs.org/ https://profiles.ucl.ac.uk/48389-michael-reiss In the category for professionals and educators, the prize went to Donovan Schaefer for Wild Experiment: Feeling Science and Secularism after Darwin from Duke University Press. https://www.dukeupress.edu/wild-experiment https://rels.sas.upenn.edu/people/donovan-schaefer Joining the Discussion are John Hedley Brooke, Russell Re Manning, Josh Reeves, Megan Ulishney, and the chair, Fraser Watt.ISSR was established with a global and multi-faith perspective. We invite you to learn more about us and consider becoming an Associate member by visiting our website: https://www.issr.org.uk.Thank you for joining us, and we’ll see you next time on ISSR In Conversation. Anthony K Nairnwww.anthonynairn.com ISSR Executive Assistantwww.issr.org.ukSupport the show

Send us Fan MailThe International Society for Science and Religion (ISSR) is pleased to present the 2024 ISSR Boyle Lecture Discussion with the Lecturer (David Fergusson) and Respondent (Fiona Ellis), joined by Dr Joanna Leidenhag, Dr Russell Re Manning, and ISSR Prof President Niels Gregersen as chair.  These Discussions aim to go beyond the Lecture and push the Lecturer to reflect on and engage with thoughts on or related to their Lecture with thoughts and reflections from the panel. What you are about to watch (or listen to) was recorded live after the YouTube Premiere of the Boyle Lecture on 06 March 2024, with the Boyle Lecture recorded on 12 February 2024 at St Mary-le-Bow Church in London. The Lecturer for 2024 was The Very Revd Professor David Fergusson, OBE, FRSE, FBA, Regius Professor of Divinity at the University of Cambridge, Dean of the Chapel Royal in Scotland and Dean of the Order of the Thistle, on “Is religion natural?” This year's Response was from Professor Fiona Ellis, Professor of Philosophy and Director of the Centre for Practical Philosophy, Theology, and Religion at the University of Roehampton, London.If you haven’t yet watched the 2024 ISSR Boyle Lecture, I would recommend you watch that first. You can click the link on the screen, follow the link in the "playlist," or this link here:   https://youtu.be/LLbDObghLvk?si=UObd2... The Boyle Lectures and other ISSR content are available on your favourite podcast app: https://issrpodcast.buzzsprout.com  The original Boyle Lectures were given as a series of sermons at several churches in London and Westminster following their establishment in 1692. The ‘original Boyles’ lasted until about 1730, although sporadic later ‘Boyle Lectures’ continued to be given in the centuries since then. The lecture series was revived in 2004 at one of its original locations, the Wren church of St Mary-le-Bow on Cheapside in the City of London, where it continues to be hosted each year. We thank St Mary-le-Bow, the Parish Council, and the Boyle Lecture Trustees for their continued support and guidance. The first Live Discussion occurred in 2021 after the late Tom McLeish’s Boyle Lecture had to be put online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Attracting a large audience, Tom’s Lecture and Discussion helped cement the Lecture and this post-lecture discussion as an annual online feature of the Boyle Lectures and ISSR’s commitment to offering the public stimulating discussions on academic topics at the intersection of science and religion. Prior Boyle Lectures before 2021 can be found on St Mary-le-Bow’s YouTube channel here:   https://www.youtube.com/user/stmarylebow The International Society for Science and Religion was founded in 2002 to promote education through interdisciplinary learning and research in the field of science and religion, conducted in an international and multi-faith context. To find out more about ISSR, please visit our website here: https://www.issr.org.uk/ ISSR is thankful to all who continue to make the Boyle Lectures possible Support the show

Send us Fan MailThe International Society for Science and Religion (ISSR) is pleased to present the 2024 Boyle Lecture, which was given by The Very Revd Professor David Fergusson, OBE, FRSE, FBA, Regius Professor of Divinity at the University of Cambridge, Dean of the Chapel Royal in Scotland and Dean of the Order of the Thistle, with the Lecture titled “Is religion natural?” The Response was given by Professor Fiona Ellis, Professor of Philosophy, and Director of the Centre for Practical Philosophy, Theology, and Religion at the University of Roehampton, London.The original Boyle Lectures were given as a series of sermons at several churches in London and Westminster following their establishment in 1692. The ‘original Boyles’ lasted until about 1730, although sporadic later ‘Boyle Lectures’ continued to be given in the centuries since then. The lecture series was revived in 2004 at one of its original locations, the Wren church of St Mary-le-Bow on Cheapside in the City of London, where it continues to be hosted each year. We are grateful to St Mary-le-Bow the Rector, Revd George Bush, the Parish Council, and the Boyle Lecture Trustees for their continued support and guidance. Since the COVID-19 global pandemic, the Boyle Lectures (available on our channel) have been offered online for all to listen, learn, and enjoy this most prestigious lecture series. Prior Boyle Lectures before 2021 can be found on St Mary-le-Bow’s YouTube channel here:    https://www.youtube.com/user/stmarylebowThe International Society for Science and Religion was founded in 2002 for the promotion of education through interdisciplinary learning and research in the fields of science and religion, conducted in an international and multi-faith context. To find out more about ISSR, please visit our website here: https://www.issr.org.uk/ISSR is thankful to all who continue to make the Boyle Lectures possible each year. Anthony K Nairnwww.anthonynairn.com ISSR Executive Assistant www.issr.org.ukSupport the show

Send us Fan MailWelcome back to ISSR’s In Conversation, a discussion series where ISSR Fellows discuss topics on and related to their work and the happenings in the academic field of science and religion. If you enjoy this content and want to see or hear more, please consider hitting the like button and subscribing to our channel. Your support helps us keep content like this coming. This is also available on YouTube, you can access the ISSR channel by clicking here: https://www.youtube.com/@ISSRISSR has recently completed a large grant generously funded by the Templeton World Charity Foundation titled, Understanding Spiritual Intelligence (SI for short). This video is part of a four-part series, recorded on Zoom between 28 June and 10 July 2023. This series arises from the conclusion of the SI grant and the research done for it, from which a few of the keynote presentations will be posted to our channels in the coming months. In the wake of the 2023 ISSR summer conference on Artificial and Spiritual Intelligence, the speakers in this series were critical in bringing together the research and deliverables for this project. You can read more about the SI project here: https://www.issr.org.uk/projects/understanding-spiritual-intelligence/ This final part, presented live on Zoom on 10 July 2023, titled, Paying Attention to Spiritual Meanings: Modelling Spiritual Practices using Interacting Cognitive Subsystems, begins with an introduction from ISSR Executive Secretary Fraser Watts. The developer of the cognitive architecture used for the grant project, Philip Barnard, then provides an in-depth presentation of his architectural design and insights into the process, among many other interesting details.  This is then followed by responses by both John Teasdale and Fraser Watts, after which an open discussion with the audience takes place. http://www.fraserwatts.co.uk/https://www.mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk/people/phil.barnard/https://www.guilford.com/author/John-TeasdaleISSR was founded for the promotion of education through inter-disciplinary learning and research in the field of "science and religion" (broadly conceived), conducted in an international and multi-(or non) faith context. For more information about us or to become an Associate member, please visit our website at https://www.issr.org.uk Follow us on X(Twitter): https://twitter.com/the_issr  Thank you for watching the ISSR YouTube Channel. Anthony K Nairn https://anthonynairn.com/ ISSR Executive Assistant https://www.issr.org.uk/Support the show

Send us Fan MailWelcome back to ISSR’s In Conversation, a discussion series where ISSR Fellows discuss topics on and related to their work and the happenings in the academic field of science and religion. If you enjoy this content and want to see or hear more, please consider hitting the like button and subscribing to our channel. Your support helps us keep content like this coming. This is also available on most major podcast services, so do consider subscribing to the podcast if you enjoy listening while on the go. You can access the podcast directly using this link: https://issrpodcast.buzzsprout.com  ISSR has recently completed a large grant generously funded by the Templeton World Charity Foundation titled, Understanding Spiritual Intelligence (SI for short). This video is part of a four-part series, recorded on Zoom between 28 June and 10 July 2023. This series arises from the conclusion of the SI grant and the research done for it. In the wake of the 2023 ISSR summer conference on Artificial and Spiritual Intelligence, the speakers in this series were critical in bringing together the research and deliverables for this project. You can read more about the SI project here: https://www.issr.org.uk/projects/unde... This third part, presented live on Zoom on 05 July 2023, titled “Computational Modelling of Friendship using the Affinity Program”, begins with ISSR Executive Secretary Fraser Watts providing some brief introductions, which is followed by the presentation of the Affinity Program demo and details by William Clocksin. This is then followed by a discussion which includes members in attendance that day. http://www.fraserwatts.co.uk/  https://www.researchgate.net/profile/... ISSR was founded for the promotion of education through inter-disciplinary learning and research in the field of "science and religion" (broadly conceived), conducted in an international and multi-(or non) faith context. For more information about us or to become an Associate member, please visit our website at https://www.issr.org.uk Follow us on X(Twitter): Support the show

Send us Fan MailWelcome back to ISSR’s In Conversation, a discussion series where ISSR Fellows discuss topics on and related to their work and the happenings in the academic field of science and religion. If you enjoy this content and want to see or hear more, please consider hitting the like button and subscribing to our channel. Your support helps us keep content like this coming. This is also available on YouTube, so do consider subscribing to our YouTube channel if you enjoy listening while on the go. You can access our YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@ISSRISSR has recently completed a large grant generously funded by the Templeton World Charity Foundation titled, Understanding Spiritual Intelligence (SI for short). This four-part series, which was recorded on Zoom between 28 June and 10 July 2023, arises from the conclusion of the SI grant and the research done for it. In the wake of the 2023 ISSR summer conference on Artificial and Spiritual Intelligence, the speakers in this series were critical in bringing together the research and deliverables for this project. This second part, presented live on Zoom on 03 July 2023, titled  Spiritual Conversations with Companion Machines, begins with ISSR Executive Secretary Fraser Watts providing a detailed overview of the late Yorick Wilks’ work for the project on spiritual companions. Wilks, a computer scientist, unfortunately, died late in the project but was a central figure in the grant. Then, the methodology of the project is provided by Roberta Catizone, who explains how the “Wizard of Oz” method, using Chat GPT-3, was implemented into a study using participants and a virtual spiritual companion. The results of this study are detailed by Fraser Watts in his discussion on the empirical data of spiritual conversations with the machines developed by Wilks and Catizone. A linguistic analysis of the participant research is provided by Gregory Grefenstette, and then to lead the open questions period, William Clocksin opens the floor leading the discussion. http://www.fraserwatts.co.uk/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yorick_Wilkshttps://www.ihmc.us/groups/rcatizone/https://www.ihmc.us/groups/gregory-grefenstette/https://www.researchgate.net/profile/William-ClocksinISSR was founded for the promotion of education through inter-disciplinary learning and research in the field of "science and religion" (broadly conceived), conducted in an international and multi-(or non) faith context. For more information about us or to become an Associate member, please visit our website at https://www.issr.org.uk Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/the_issr Thank you for watching the ISSR YouTube Channel. Anthony K Nairn https://anthonynairn.com/ISSR Executive Assistant https://www.issr.org.uk/Support the show

Send us Fan MailWelcome back to ISSR’s In Conversation, a discussion series where ISSR Fellows discuss topics on and related to their work and the happenings in the academic field of science and religion. If you enjoy this content and want to see or hear more, please consider hitting the like button and subscribing to our channel. Your support helps us keep content like this coming. This is also available on most major podcast services, so do consider subscribing to the podcast if you enjoy listening while on the go. You can access the podcast directly using this link: https://issrpodcast.buzzsprout.com ISSR has recently completed a large grant generously funded by the Templeton World Charity Foundation titled, Understanding Spiritual Intelligence (SI for short). This four-part series, which was recorded on Zoom between 28 June and 10 July 2023, arises from the conclusion of the SI grant and the research done for it. In the wake of the 2023 ISSR summer conference on Artificial and Spiritual Intelligence, the speakers in this series were critical in bringing together the research and deliverables for this project. This first part, titled Spiritual Intelligence - the very idea, has ISSR Executive Secretary Fraser Watts provide an overview of the project and offer some detail on the motivations and challenges of the project. http://www.fraserwatts.co.uk/Then, ISSR Fellow Marius Dorobantu provides interesting context to the idea of artificial intelligence, theology, and the challenges and problems raised by general artificial intelligence having spiritual intelligence. https://research.vu.nl/en/persons/marius-dorobantuIt concludes with ISSR Fellow Harris Wiseman offering some discussion questions for both Fraser and Marius. http://epiphanyphilosophers.org/ep-history/principal-players/harris-wiseman/ISSR was founded for the promotion of education through inter-disciplinary learning and research in the field of "science and religion" (broadly conceived), conducted in an international and multi-(or non) faith context. For more information about us or to become an Associate member, please visit our website at https://www.issr.org.uk Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/the_issrThank you for watching the ISSR YouTube Channel.Anthony K Nairnwww.anthonynairn.comISSR Executive Assistantwww.issr.org.ukSupport the show

Send us Fan MailThe International Society for Science and Religion (ISSR) is pleased to share a discussion with the award-winning authors for the 2022 ISSR Book Prize for Science and Religion. Funded by the Templeton World Charity Foundation, the ISSR Book Prize is intended to understand ‘religion’ broadly and to seek for excellence in both content and communication. We seek to reward books that make a major contribution to the field, especially if they have the potential to take the field into new directions. We expect that three books will be selected each year, with one suitable for a general audience (‘the public’), one for an academic audience, and one for a professional audience (e.g. ministers/pastors, or school teachers). Each year there are three financial prizes of £500 for the winning authors (each financial prize can be shared in the event of there being two co-authors) presented to the winning authors (originally at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Religion). For more information about the Book Prize and to find out how to nominate books, please visit this link: https://www.issr.org.uk/projects/issr-annual-book-prize/ Each year we have awarded three prizes in distinct categories: Academic, General, and Professional. ISSR is pleased to have awarded the following authors the 2022 ISSR Book Prize on Science and Religion:   In the academic category, Shoaib Ahmed Malik for Islam and Evolution: Al-Ghazali and the Modern Evolutionary Paradigm, 2021, from Routledge. https://www.albalaghacademy.org/ustaad/dr-shoaib-ahmed-malik/https://www.routledge.com/Islam-and-Evolution-Al-Ghazali-and-the-Modern-Evolutionary-Paradigm/Malik/p/book/9781032026572 In the general readership category, John Lardas Modern, for Neuromatic, or A Particular History of Religion and the Brain, 2021, from University of Chicago Press.https://www.fandm.edu/john-modernhttps://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/book/chicago/N/bo105080439.html#:~:text=%E2%80%9CNeuromatic%20is%20a%20fascinating%20exploration,the%20cave%20of%20the%20skull.%E2%80%9D And in the category of professionals and educators, Calvin Mercer and Tracy Trothen for their book, Religion and the Technological Future: An Introduction to Biohacking, Artificial Intelligence and Transhumanism, 2021, from Palgrave Macmillan. https://religionprogram.ecu.edu/calvin-mercer-phd/https://www.queensu.ca/religion/people/faculty/tracy-j-trothenhttps://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-030-62359-3ISSR was founded for the promotion of education through interdisciplinary learning and research in the fields of science and religion, conducted in an international and multi-faith context. For more information about us or to become an Associate member, please visit our website here: https://www.issr.org.ukSupport the show

Send us Fan Mail(Originally released 28 April 2022)The International Society for Science and Religion (ISSR) is pleased to offer the second episode of our "In Conversation" series, a discussion between two academics on topics currently being worked on by Fellows of the ISSR.Our second episode focuses on an interesting field of study in the academy, and one that has become an increasingly active area of interest--AI and religion. In Conversation to discuss AI and religion are ISSR Fellows Dr. Beth Singler and Prof Robert Geraci. Dr Beth Singler is Junior Research Fellow in Artificial Intelligence at Homerton College, University of Cambridge. You can visit her website here: https://bvlsingler.com/ Prof Robert Geraci is Professor of Religious Studies at Manhatten College in NYC. You can visit his website here: https://robertgeraci.com/ISSR was founded for the promotion of education through inter-disciplinary learning and research in the fields of "science" and "religion" (broadly conceived), conducted in an international and multi-(non)faith context. For more information about us or to become an Associate member, please visit our website here: https://www.issr.org.uk Thank you for watching the ISSR YouTube Channel.Anthony K NairnISSR Executive Assistantwww.anthonynairn.comSupport the show

Send us Fan MailWelcome back to ISSR’s In Conversation series. ISSR In Conversation is a discussion series, where ISSR Fellows discuss topics on and related to their work and the happenings in the academic field of science and religion. This episode is both a special one, and a sad one. On February 27th, 2023, ISSR Fellow Tom McLeish died after a short battle with serious illness. Tom was a major figure in the field of science and religion, having published two major contributions to the field called Faith and Wisdom in Science (2014) and The Poetry and Music of Science (2019), both of which I recommend reading. Tom was the 2019 ISSR Boyle Lecturer on Science and Religion, a prestigious annual lecture series that ISSR runs in collaboration with the Boyle family and St Mary-le-Bow church in London. Due to COVID-19, the lecture was moved online, but Tom did not let that get in the way. If you have not yet watched the 2021 Boyle Lecture, I highly recommend it. https://youtu.be/khYs4qJiS-Y Afterward, you could also watch the first post-lecture discussion where other scholars ask Tom questions about his Lecture, a first for the Boyle lectures and something we have kept going. https://youtu.be/8NsOVEbBO_o This episode then is a celebration of Tom, a reflection of his memory and work. You will hear presentations from highly respected people in the field of science and religion, from a range of disciplines, all of whom knew Tom both professionally and personally. In conversation are: ISSR Executive Secretary Fraser Watts - http://www.fraserwatts.co.uk/ Prof Christopher Southgate - https://theology.exeter.ac.uk/staff/southgate/ Prof Wilson Poon - https://www.ph.ed.ac.uk/people/wilson-poon Prof Mark Harris - https://www.ed.ac.uk/profile/dr-mark-harris Dr Joanna Leidenhag - https://ahc.leeds.ac.uk/philosophy/staff/3700/dr-joanna-leidenhag ISSR was founded for the promotion of education through inter-disciplinary learning and research in the fields of "science" and "religion" (broadly conceived), conducted in an international and multi-(or non) faith context. For more information about us or to become an Associate member, please visit our website at https://www.issr.org.uk Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/the_issrAnthony K Nairnwww.anthonynairn.comISSR Executive Assistantwww.issr.org.ukSupport the show

Send us Fan MailThe International Society for Science and Religion (ISSR) is pleased to present the  ISSR 2023 Boyle Lecture on Science and Religion Discussion with Prof Fraser Watts, Dr. Harris Wiseman, Revd Dr. Joanna Collicutt, Lord Williams, and Revd Prof Michael Reiss. There were even a few audience questions. The aim of these Discussions is to go beyond the Lecture and push the Lecturer to reflect on and engage with thoughts on or related to their Lecture. What you are about to watch (or listen to) was recorded live after the YouTube Premiere of the Boyle Lecture on 23 March 2023, with the Boyle Lecture itself recorded on 13 February 2023 at St Mary-le-Bow Church in London. The Lecturer for 20230 (who was also the Respondent for Tom’s 2021 Lecture) was Lord Williams–Rowan on “Attending to Attention”. If you haven’t yet watched the ISSR 2023 Boyle Lecture, I would recommend you start there and watch this after. You can click the link on the screen, follow the link in the "playlist", or this link here: https://youtu.be/5u9WGaWTgU8These and other ISSR videos are available on your favourite podcast app: https://issrpodcast.buzzsprout.com You can download the Digital Companion Booklet to the Lecture here: https://www.issr.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/ISSR-2023-Boyle-Lecture-Companion-Booklet.pdf The original Boyle Lectures were given as a series of sermons at several churches in London and Westminster following their establishment in 1692. The ‘original Boyles’ lasted until about 1730, although sporadic later ‘Boyle Lectures’ continued to be given in the centuries since then. The lecture series was revived in 2004 at one of its original locations, the Wren church of St Mary-le-Bow on Cheapside in the City of London, where it continues to take be hosted each year. We are grateful to St Mary-le-Bow the Rector, Revd George Bush, the Parish Council, and the Boyle Lecture Trustees for their continued support and guidance. The first Live Discussion occurred in 2021 after the late Tom McLeish’s Boyle Lecture had to be put online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Attracting a large audience, Tom’s Lecture and Discussion helped cement the Lecture and this post-lecture discussion as an annual online feature of the Boyle Lectures and ISSR’s commitment to offering the public stimulating discussions on academic topics at the intersection of science and religion. Prior Boyle Lectures before 2021 can be found on St Mary-le-Bow’s YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/user/stmarylebow The International Society for Science and Religion was founded in 2002 for the promotion of education through interdisciplinary learning and research in the fields of science and religion, conducted in an international and multi-faith context. To find out more about ISSR, please visit our website here: https://www.issr.org.uk/ISSR is thankful to all who continue to make the Boyle Lectures possible each year. Anthony K Nairnwww.anthonynairn.com ISSR Executive Assistant www.issr.org.ukSupport the show

Send us Fan MailOur first episode focused on E O Wilson, who died on 26 December 2021. In Conversation to discuss Wilson and his work are ISSR Fellow, Michael Ruse, and ISSR President, Michael Reiss.  This episode originally aired on 29 January 2022. Support the show

Send us Fan MailThe International Society for Science and Religion (ISSR) is pleased to present the 2023 Boyle Lecture on Science and Religion, given by The Rt Revd and Rt Hon the Lord (Rowan) Williams of Oystermouth, on the subject of:“Attending to Attention”The Response to the Lecture will be given by Dr John Teasdale, a distinguished psychologist and the author of What Happens in Mindfulness: Inner Awakening and Embodied Cognition.The original Boyle Lectures were given as a series of sermons at several churches in London and Westminster following their establishment in 1692. The ‘original Boyles’ lasted until about 1730, although sporadic later ‘Boyle Lectures’ continued to be given in the centuries since then. The lecture series was revived in 2004 at one of its original locations, the Wren church of St Mary-le-Bow on Cheapside in the City of London.Since the COVID-19 global pandemic, the Boyle Lectures (available on our channel) have been offered online for all to listen, learn, and enjoy this most prestigious lecture series. Prior Boyle Lectures before 2021 can be found on St Mary-le-Bow’s YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/user/stmarylebow The International Society for Science and Religion was founded in 2002 for the promotion of education through interdisciplinary learning and research in the fields of science and religion, conducted in an international and multi-faith context. To find out more about ISSR, please visit our website here: https://www.issr.org.uk/ISSR is thankful to all who continue to make the Boyle Lectures possible each year. Anthony K Nairnwww.anthonynairn.comISSR Executive Assistant www.issr.org.ukSupport the show