Celia Deane-Drummond, Director: Laudato Si’ Research Institute, Campion Hall, University of Oxford.

This lecture will tackle the question of what is life through an exploration of the evolutionary currents of human becoming as both grounded in this world and yet orientated towards transcendence and the development of virtues. Human evolutionary theories have shifted from individual competitively based frameworks to a much stronger emphasis on niche construction in a meshwork of other beings. In dialogue with recent discoveries of burial practices among early hominids, Dr. Deane-Drummond will argue against evolutionary accounts of the origin of religious belief as premised on a remote punishing God. Instead, given the fundamental ability of human beings to show long term compassion towards others, she will argue that the primary sense in which God can be understood is more likely to be as one who is both loving and compassionate. Capacities for specific dispositions do not suddenly appear in human communities, but have a complex bio-cultural origin. Using wisdom, humility and grace as case studies, she will also draw out examples of how each can be fruitful loci of dialogue and discussion between theologians and scientists.

Date: Thursday, June 16, 2022

Time: 7:00 PM-8:30 PM ET

Location: Zoom Livestream and

Sheraton Philadelphia University City Hotel
3549 Chestnut St
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Benjamin Franklin Ballroom, Lower Level

Registration: This lecture is free and open to the public. Please click the button on the left to RSVP to attend in person and the button on the right to register for the Zoom information.

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