HEYTHROP COLLEGE, UNIVERSITY OF LONDON Course Description, International Programmes

Course code Module title DT2010 Credit value 30 Academic level 5

Religion and Science

Louis Caruana Core Option BD/BA Theology, DipHE Theology, Theology BA Theology with English CertHE

Module co-ordinator Module staff Programme(s) for which chiefly intended (as core or option) Pre-requisite course(s) Co-requisite course(s) Prohibited combination Course aims

N/a N/a N/a To enable students to develop: 1. Historical knowledge of important events in the relationship between science and religion. 2. Up-to-date knowledge of the recent and on-going areas of importance in science and how these relate to traditional theological concepts. 3. Knowledge of the key areas of theology and philosophy which continue to feature in discussions between the two subjects. Knowledge and Understanding Students will be able to: Demonstrate knowledge and critical understanding of historical knowledge of importance in the relationship between science and religion; Relate knowledge of recent of recent areas of importance in science to traditional theological concepts; Identify and focus on key areas of discussion between theology and philosophy. Intellectual and Cognitive Skills Students will be able to: Conduct critical analyses of events, doctrines, theories and arguments in the relationship between religion and science; Critically examine key issues (e.g. doctrine of creation, different models of God, the nature of scientific method) in relation to a range of doctrines, theories, interpretations and arguments. Practical and Transferable Skills Students will be able to:

Learning outcomes

Show an ability to assimilate and evaluate competing

arguments;

Select and organise material from a range of primary and

secondary sources; Represent the views of others with fairness and integrity;

 Produce clear, well-structured written work; Manage their own learning, including working effectively to
deadlines. Indicative course content Topics studied include: The history of the relationship between religion and science in the Medieval period (including Ptolemy), the Renaissance period (including Copernicus and Galileo), the Enlightenment period (including Newton), and the nineteenth century (including Darwin); Contemporary and philosophical issues. Cosmology and the Anthropic Principle, quantum physics, Chaos Theory, NeoDarwinism, genetic engineering, and cloning. The aims and processes of religion and science (including Popper and Kuhn), and the relationship between religion and science. Resources available on the Virtual Learning Environment may include: Selected Bibliography: Essential texts
* Barbour, Ian G. Religion and Science: Historical and Contemporary Issues. (London: SCM, 1998) [ISBN 033402721 7]. Davies, Paul God and the New Physics. (London: Penguin, 1990) [ISBN 014013462-X]. Grant, E. Planets, Stars and Orbs: The Medieval Cosmos 1200 1687. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1994) [ISBN 0521433444]. Hawking, Stephen A Brief History of Time: From the Big Bang to Black Holes. (London: Bantam, 1988) [ISBN 0553175211]. * McGrath, Alister E. Science and Religion: An Introduction. (Oxford: Blackwell, 1999) [ISBN 0631208429]. OHear, Anthony An Introduction to the Philosophy of Science. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1989) [ISBN 019824813X] Chs. 2, 5. Polkinghorne, John Reason and Reality. (London: SPCK, 1991) [ISBN 0281044872]. Polkinghorne, John Science and Theology: An Introduction. (London: SPCK, 1998) [ISBN 0281051763]. * Thompson, Mel Religion and Science. (London: Hodder and Stoughton, 2000) [ISBN 034075771-X]. *Recommended for purchase And for individual chapters only Dawkins, Richard The Blind Watchmaker. (London: Penguin, 1988) [ISBN 0140291229] Ch. 12. Dennett, Daniel C. Darwins Dangerous Idea: Evolution and the Meanings of Life.(London: Penguin, 1996) [ISBN 014

Learning and teaching methods

Subject guide Articles, extracts from longer texts, and/or links to other electronic resources Course discussion forum

Opportunities for formative feedback include: Essay-marking service Tutoring at a supporting institution

016734-X] Ch. 4. Kuhn, Thomas S. The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1996) [ISBN 0226 458083] Ch. 6. Moreland, J.P. The Kalam Cosmological Argument in Peterson, Michael et al. (eds) Philosophy of Religion: Selected Readings. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1996) [ISBN 019508909X] 176189 Ch. 8. Stannard, Russell (ed.) God for the 21st Century. (London: SPCK, 2000) [ISBN 0281053421] Ch. 13. Teilhard de Chardin, Pierre The Phenomenon of Man. (HarperCollins, 1980) [ISBN 006090495-X] Ch. 12. Tipler, Frank J., and Barrow, John D. The Anthropic Cosmological Principle. (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988) [ISBN 0 192821474] Ch. 9.

Selected other recommended texts

Lists of further reading are provided in the subject guide.

Assessment Student evaluation opportunities Indicative student time allocation Date of module description development or modification

Three-hour examination Annual online student feedback survey 300 hours 16/11/2011