Science in the Light of Faith

A discussion with Geoffrey A. Mitelman and Ahmad S. Dallal. Moderator: Dr. Kathrin Klausing (Institute for Islamic Theology, Osnabrück University).

Geoffrey A. Mitelman

Geoffrey A. Mitelman is Founding Director of "Sinai and Synapses", an organization dedicated to dialog between science and religion. He is a rabbi and teacher, and his work has been honored with multiple awards.

Ahmad S. Dallal

Ahmad S. Dallal is Professor of Arabic and Islamic Studies and Dean of Georgetown University in Qatar. His best-known publication is Islam, Science, and the Challenge of History, in which he provides a historical overview of the role of the natural sciences in Islam.

About the Lecture Series

Scientific discoveries in astronomy, geology, and biology over the past centuries have called into question the centrality of humans as the “crown of creation.” Today, religious and scientific positions are often seen as irreconcilable. While some present religions as incompatible with a modern worldview, others demand that creationism be giving equal billing in school as an alternative to the theory of evolution. In the past, this conflicting relationship between religion and science was hardly the rule. Many theologists were also scientists and made significant contributions to our understanding of humanity and the surrounding world.

This lecture series sets out to explore the tensions and affinities between Judaism, Islam, and the sciences. It aims to supplement the narrative of conflict with other narratives. To that end, the lecture series delves into subjects such as evolution and creation, belief in miracles, biological determinism and free will, historicist critical analysis of sacred texts, and how Jewish and Muslim religious educators approach the sciences.