Science for Seminaries Project
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The Science for Seminaries Project took place at St Patrick’s Pontifical University and St Patrick’s National Seminary in the 2022-2023 academic year, led by Dr Andrew Meszaros.
This project was possible thanks to the Science for Seminaries programme. Science for Seminaries is administered in the UK by Equipping Christian Leadership in an Age of Science (ECLAS). ECLAS is led from St John’s College, Durham University in partnership with the University of York and the Church of England. ECLAS, and the UK Science for Seminaries grants, are funded by the Templeton Religion Trust.
The Things they ask the Pope's Astronomer Talk
A talk with Br. Guy Consolomango, Director of the Vatican Observatory
On Monday 7th November, we were delighted to welcome Br Guy Consolomango, Director of the Vatican Observatory to St Patrick’s to give a Public Lecture as part of the Science for Seminaries Project. The audience included students, staff, colleagues from Maynooth University and members of the public. We were entertained and informed by Br Guy, who told us some of the common questions he’s asked as the Pope’s Astronomer, and how he answers them. These included:
- that the Vatican has an observatory because of the Council of Trent’s demand to hire astronomers to calculate the date of Easter and fix the calendar.
- that Br Guy has never seen any science that contradicts religion, partly because religion and science talk about different things.
- that Br Guy finds God in astronomy and encouraged us to see our vocation as where we find God.
Br Guy advised us to let science inform our theology, but not to base our theology on science, because science is developing, and the best is yet to come.
An article about Br Guy's talk was published in the Tablet after the event.
Divine Action and Sacraments Module
During the 2022-2023 academic year, the Divine Action and the Sacraments Module was available as an elective module for seminarian and postgraduate students at St Patrick’s Pontifical University. Students enrolled in the module attended lectures with Rev Dr Andrew Pinset, Dr Peter Van der Brunt, and Dr Ignacio Silva.
Unfortunately, Professor William Reville was unable to participate as planned.
Rev Dr Andrew Pinset (University of Oxford, UK and Research Director of the Ian Ramsey Centre for Science and Religion) outlined the relationship between science, grace, and divine action.
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Dr Peter van der Brugt (Associate Professor of Experimental Physics, Maynooth University) shared some of his research in molecular physics, and discussed different ways of understanding how Christianity and Science might interact.
Dr Ignacio Silva (Institute of Philosophy, Universidad Austral, Argentina) suggested that classical theism and the thought of Thomas Aquinas can help us to better understand the relationship between providence and contingency
Science and Divine Action Conference
The Conference took place over two days, on Tuesday 18th and Wednesday 19th April 2023.
Dr Ignacio Silva explores how God can act providentially within nature, to help development of creation in the way that God wants, without intervening or breaking laws of nature.
Dr Ignacio Silva is Professor of Theology and Sciences at the Philosophy Institute of Universidad Austral in Argentina, where he is co-Director of the MA and PhD programmes on Philosophy and the Foundations of Science. He was formerly a Research Fellow at the Ian Ramsey Centre for Science and Religion and a member of the Faculty of Theology and Religion, University of Oxford. He holds degrees in philosophy and theology, and a major theme of his research is the understanding of divine providence in relation to research done in science, philosophy, and theology. He serves in the Executive Committee of the International Society for Science and Religion, of which he is an elected fellow.
Rev Dr Andrew Pinsent investigates the meaning of grace in theology, philosophy, and science.
Rev Dr Andrew Pinsent is Research Director of the Ian Ramsey Centre for Science and Religion at Oxford University, a member of the Theology Faculty, a Research Fellow of Harris Manchester College. Formerly a particle physicist on the DELPHI experiment at CERN, he has degrees in philosophy and theology, and a second doctorate in philosophy. He is also a member of the United Kingdom Institute of Physics and a tutor of the Maryvale Institute in Birmingham.
Rev Dr Adam Hincks considers the relationship between the scientific and theological understandings of the beginning of the universe and creation. He explores the question 'Do we need God to explain why there is something rather than nothing?'
Rev Dr Adam Hincks is a Jesuit priest and an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto, where he holds the Sutton Family Chair in Science, Christianity and Cultures. Within the university he has a joint appointment to the Department of Astronomy of Astrophysics and to St. Michael’s College. His research is focussed on physical cosmology.
Dr Stacy Trasancos looks atoms and considers how the behaviour of atoms points towards God's action and faithfulness in the world.
Before becoming Catholic, Dr Stacy Trasancos earned a Ph.D. in chemistry from Penn State University and worked as a senior research chemist for DuPont. Later, she earned a M.A. in dogmatic theology and published five books on the integration of science and theology. She teaches science and theology courses for Seton Hall University and Holy Apostles College and Seminary, is a Fellow of the Word on Fire Institute, frequently appears in Catholic media, and is a mother of seven and grandmother of seven.
Rev Dr Nicanor Austriaco draws on theology, biology, and evolution, to propose an answer to the question of who is Adam.
Dr Cathriona Russell examines what technology is, how it might tempt us, what it means for divine action, and outlines possible theological responses to technology.
Dr Cathriona Russell is an Assistant Professor in the School of Religion, Theology and Peace Studies, Trinity College Dublin. Her research is in environmental ethics, sustainable development, medical ethics, theology and hermeneutics. She teaches undergraduate students cosmology (science and religion) and ethics (environment and technology) in the school and post-graduate masters students training for ministry in the Church of Ireland Theological Institute. She was Director of the Masters in Ecology and Religion at All Hallows College, Dublin City University and has an undergraduate and masters degree in Horticulture from University College Dublin.
Rev Dr Reginald Lynch investigates connections between creation and grace in the thought of Thomas Aquinas.
Rev Dr Reginald Lynch is a Dominican priest of the Province of St. Joseph and an assistant professor of historical and systematic theology at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, DC (USA). His research focuses on a variety of topics in historical and systematic theology, especially the sacramental theology of Thomas Aquinas.
