FREE PUBLIC EVENT: CSCA presents a lecture by Paul Allen (Academic Dean and Professor of Theology, Corpus Christi College). Co-sponsored by Trinity Western University’s Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences and TWU’s Departments of Philosophy and of Religious Studies.
Find more events in Vancouver, BC
God, Anthropology and the Dangerous Ambiguity of Social Darwinism
The modern discipline of anthropology purports to understand human nature in its evolutionary and cultural contexts. In this talk, I argue that without roots in a theological narrative, human nature can only be understood as a series of vexatious, closed paradoxes. The modern experience with forms of social Darwinism demonstrates that a theological reading of evolutionary theory is essential for seeing ourselves as open. Only a reference to the transcendent reverses a narrow, dangerous view of human nature.
Paul Allen conducts research in the fields of science-theology dialogue, theological anthropology and in systematic theology. He has written a monograph titled Ernan McMullin and Critical Realism in the Science-Theology Dialogue (Ashgate / Routledge) as well as a upper level textbook, Theological Method: A Guide for the Perpelexed (T&T Clark). He has co-written (with Peter M.J. Hess) Catholicism and Science (Greenwood / ABC CLIO) and he has published a number of book chapters and articles in journals, such as the following: Heythrop Journal of Theology, Ex Auditu, Neue Zeitschrift für Systematische Theologie und Religionsphilosophie, Open Theology and American Catholic Philosophical Quarterly. He is currently completing the first of a three part systematic theological anthropology, which is titled Creaturehood: Sin and Evolution in Theological Anthropology. The second volume, which is supported by the SCIO fellowship programme is tentatively titled Christian Rule: Evolution and Human Nature in Theological Perspective. Other projects include work as subject editor for the forthcoming T&T Clark Encyclopedia of Christian Theology and editor of a forthcoming collection of essays titled Augustine and Contemporary Social Issues. He lectures in courses on God, Jesus Christ, science-religion dialogue, religion and politics, theological method and theological anthropology.
Respondent: Myron Penner, Prof. of Philosophy, TWU.