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CTNS Event

CRISPR Babies and Beyond: The Broad Range of Applications and Implications of CRISPR Gene Editing Technology

Event Date: 
Wednesday, April 24th 2019, 7:00pm
CRISPR human gene editing is quickly advancing with the advent of Lulu and Nana, allegedly the first CRISPR babies to be HIV-resistant. CRISPR technology can directly manipulate the genomes of humans, but also plants and animals, creating a wide-range of applications from bioterrorism to climate healing. What are the medical, economic, environmental, and social consequences of genetic manipulation?  Theologians and scientists from the Graduate Theological Union and UC Berkeley will discuss how we understand human nature and responsibility from various religious and secular traditions. Arvin...
sciencereligionArvin GouwCRISPRbiotechnologybioethicsEthicsgenetic engineering
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The Center

The Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences   From 1981-2015 the Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences (CTNS) was an independent, self-incorporated affili­ate of the Graduate Theological Union (GTU). During this time, CTNS depended primarily on program grants to support the salaries of faculty and staff. These grants includ­ed three international and interfaith mega-programs: The Science and Religion Course Program (SRCP), Science and the Spiritual Quest (SSQ) and Science and Transcend­ence: Advanced Research Program (STARS), funded by the John Templeton Foundation.
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Programs

CTNS has created and administered a number of Fellowships, programs and research projects central to our mission of bridging science and religion through research, teaching, and public service.
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Links

  Links to other science and religion organizations and related newsletters/journals:   AAAS Dialogue on Science, Ethics and Religion (DOSER) A Science and Policy project of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. American Scientific Affiliation (ASA) Science in Christian Perspective. The American Scientific Affiliation (ASA) is a fellowship of men and women in science and disciplines that relate to science who share a common fidelity to the Word of God and a commitment to integrity in the practice of science. BioLogos BioLogos invites the church and the world to see...
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Welcome CTNS Members!

Online Access to Theology and Science      CTNS members are entitled to online access to current and back issues of Theology and Science.    Login to Theology and Science    Need help setting up your account? Please email support@tandfonline.com.     Online Access to the CTNS Bulletin Issues of The CTNS Bulletin, published from 1983-2002, are available as PDF files on a password-protected section of the CTNS website. Search by essay or book review title, author, or volume. Login to The CTNS Bulletin (Click on Member Access) Need a login? Please email ctns-info@gtu.edu to request a...
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Past Research

Since its inception, CTNS has been actively involved in high level research in theology and science. With support from the John Templeton Foundation, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other sources, CTNS has engaged in a variety of research projects, from collaborating with the Vatican Observatory on theology and science with a focus on divine action, to the ethical and theological implications of the human genome project, to how small interdisciplinary teams of researchers can wrestle with questions raised by science regarding transcendence and ultimate concern.
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SRCP Books

The Science and Religion Course Program produced a variety of publications. One of the most important is the collection of essays entitled Bridging Science and Religion which was edited by Ted Peters and Gaymon Bennet. This volume models a fruitful interaction between the profound discoveries of the natural sciences and the venerable and living wisdoms of the world's major religions. As a textbook it is an ideal starting point for novices, yet it has much to offer seasoned academics, professionals, and students. Part 1 establishes a working methodology for bridge-building between scientific...
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Public Service

An important part of CTNS’s mission is to promote the creative mutual interaction of theology and science through public service. Although public outreach takes many forms, the most regular events are the public forums CTNS sponsors. These include public forums by visiting scholars, presentations by current students, and public presentations by the annual Russell Family Fellow. Public service was also the focus of one of our past major programs, Science and the Spiritual Quest (SSQ), where top scientists shared about their faith in the practice of their particular branches of science.
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Science and the Spiritual Quest

“Science and the Spiritual Quest” was an international program conducted by the Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences in collaboration with several partner organizations and funded by a major grant from the John Templeton Foundation. From 1996-2003, SSQ focused on the ethical and spiritual questions raised by the best of contemporary science particularly for its scientific practitioners. Our mission was to invite leading scientists into dialogue, through private workshops, on the connections between their scientific pursuits and their spiritual practices, and to present the results of...
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The SSQ Program

History “Science and the Spiritual Quest” served as a hub of expertise and activity at the intersection of science and spirituality from 1996 - 2003. SSQ benefited from the intellectual capital of the Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences as well as the academic reputations of the Graduate Theological Union and the University of California at Berkeley. “Science and the Spiritual Quest” was one of the most successful programs ever conducted in the field of science and religion. In seven years, SSQ recruited more than 120 internationally, leading scientists into intensive dialogue on...
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SSQ People

Please note: these bios date from the time of the SSQ program. In the time since the program, some of the participants have moved institutions and some have passed away. Science and the Spiritual Quest Investigators Philip Clayton Claremont School of Theology and Claremont Graduate University Principal Investigator, Science and the Spiritual Quest Philip Clayton holds a Ph.D. in both Philosophy of Science and Religious Studies from Yale University. He has taught at Haverford and Williams Colleges, at the California State University, at the University of Munich (holding Humboldt and...
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SSQ Publications

Faith in Science: Scientists Search for Truth Edited by W. Mark Richardson and Gordy Slack Routledge, 2001   Science vs religion-the two have traditionally been seen as having an adversarial relationship, from before Galileo to this day. Faith in Science demonstrates how misleading this portrayal is, by allowing those who know best—scientists—speak for themselves. W. Mark Richardson and Gordy Slack, philosopher and science writer respectively, conducted interviews with twelve of the world's top scientists on subjects ranging from the existence and nature of God to the role of religion...
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How Has the Science-Religion Field Changed Over the Last Eight Years? An SSQ Retrospective

by Philip Clayton "SSQ has been an extraordinary program in its global outreach. Every conference has been simultaneously a dialogue between science and religion and a dialogue among major religious traditions. Because the participants respected each other as scientists, they were open to each other’s views without the defensiveness typically found in ecumenical conferences. Because these were such eminent and articulate scientists, they communicated effectively to a wider public through symposia, media coverage, and subsequent publication" –Ian Barbour, Carleton College For eight years,...
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Closing Reflections from the SSQ Program Originator

By W. Mark Richardson I write these remarks as one who helped to found and has been involved in leading the Science and Spiritual Quest project over the last eight years. These eight years have been a gift as I have watched the program grow from our original idea to something much larger than anything I could have conceived. SSQ has enriched the lives of so many people—from scientists, to conference guests, and the staff who executed the programs. The SSQ vision was clear. We sought to bring leading scientists from around the globe and from many spiritual traditions into conversation with...
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SSQ Events—Berkeley

Wheeler Auditorium, University of California, Berkeley CA June 7-10, 1998 Presented by the Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences Conference Overview Science and religion are clearly two of the most important cultural forces in the world today. The growth of knowledge in the natural sciences is revolutionizing our understanding of the universe, planet Earth, and ourselves. At the same time, the great monotheistic religious traditions—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—remain powerful spiritual forces that shape and influence billions of people around the world. They have shown...
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SSQ Silicon Valley Conference

Creativity, Spirituality and Computing Technologies June 8, 2000 Hyatt Sainte Claire Hotel, San Jose, CaliforniaConference OverviewToday we are in the midst of an unprecedented series of changes brought about by computer technologies. The technological changes of the last few years have altered the face of human existence in the world, giving rise to questions and speculation about the social and cultural transformation that will be brought about by continued advances in technology. Currently there is little sustained discussion within the computer and information technology industries of the...