About the lecture

In this module, we examine the relationship between science and religion, focusing in particular on (i) the role of human endeavours in science and religion (ii) how typologies can help to discern the relationship between science and religion (iii) science and religion as an interdisciplinary field of research (iv) the conflict approach in Ian Barbour’s typology, which argues that science and religion are mutually exclusive and competing disciplines (v) the independence approach in Barbour’s typology, which argues for the respective validity, as well as the separation, of science and religion (vi) the dialogue approach in Barbour’s typology, which argues for engagement between science and religion (vii) the integration approach in Barbour’s typology, which aims to unify science and religion.

About the lecturer

Dr Sarah Lane Ritchie is a lecturer in Theology and Science at the University of Edinburgh. Her research interests are in theistic naturalisms, epistemology and psychology of religious intuition, the neuropsychology of religious experience, and the cognitive science of belief formation. Her recent publications include Wait, but why? Challenging the intuitive force of substance dualism (2021) and Integrated physicality and the absence of God: Spiritual technologies in theological context (2021)