Philosophy of Science and Religion.
This course won a $12,000 award from CTNS (Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences) based in Berkeley, California and funded by the Templeton Foundation.)
Power Point Presentation
To access this file you need Microsoft's Power Point software


There is considerable overlap between this course and Howard Taylor's Christianity and Modern Science' module which he teaches at Glasgow's International Christian College.

Below is a brief description of his course:

 Aim: 

The students should be able to understand religious faith in the context of:

•    The modern world of science.
•    The environment of differing world views.

Objectives.

Students will be able to:

  • Understand the Judeo-Christian world view.
  • Explain how post-enlightenment science contributed to the growth of the secularism.
  • Evaluate claims that 20th Century science at the frontiers challenges the materialist understanding of the natural world.
  • Compare the Biblical world view with other ways of understanding reality.
  • See how insights from modern science might help in increasing our appreciation of a variety of religious teachings.

Content:

The module will cover:

  • The Judeo-Christian world view - important for the full flowering of knowledge.
  • Science and the growth of secularism.
  • The Laws of Nature, eternal?
  • God of the gaps?
  • A mechanistic universe?
  • Modern Science at its open frontiers.
  • Theories about origins.
  • Source of space and time and the material world.
  • Nature of life.
  • The human mind and soul and the problem of consciousness.
  • Various World views.
  • Atheism - the spiritual does not really exist.
  • Pantheism - the world of nature is itself spiritual.
  • Deism - God created the world but is no longer involved in it.
  • The Biblical World view:  
God's creating, sustaining,  and redeeming work, together with the experience of prayer all assume  the essential openness and finite nature of space-time and the material world.
 
The Power Point presentation refers to various substantial handouts, especially Units 1 - 11. 
These can be obtained on request from Howard Taylor:HowardTaylor1944@yahoo.co.ukExcept for his registered students, he charges £1 or $2 for each unit. The units will be sent electronically in Word97 format. In exceptional circumstances hard copies can be sent in the mail for an extra charge.
Home page of FAITH AND THE MODERN WORLD.