Birmingham: Newman University to host lecture on religion and beliefs about evolution

The Centre for Science Knowledge and Belief in Society at Newman University in Birmingham, will host two renowned US academics at a public lecture on religion and evolution on Tuesday 23 February.

Professor Jonathan Hill, Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Sociology at Calvin College, Michigan, and Professor David E Long, Assistant Professor of STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Maths) Education at Morehead State University have carried out extensive research into the roles that life experience at home, school and churches inform current conflicts between science and religion in the public sphere.

Dr Fern Elsdon-Baker, Director of the Centre for Science, Knowledge and Belief in Society at Newman University, said: "We're delighted to welcome these two respected academics to Newman. Professor Hill is the author of one of the first surveys to investigate the US public's beliefs about human origins in depth, looking beyond traditional caricatures and categorisations in order to identify people's real beliefs and the drivers behind them. Professor Long is one of only a few researchers to have conducted long-term ethnographic research with creationist students in the US.

"The relationship between science and religion is frequently portrayed in polarised terms in popular debates but this lecture will present participants with a more nuanced view, based on substantive, academic research."

The Centre for Science Knowledge and Belief in Society at Newman University is a multidisciplinary Research Centre that fosters open-minded social sciences and humanities based research on the public understanding and communication of the relationships between science and religion; research into the sociology and psychology of religion; and the role of science, knowledge and belief in diverse societies.

The free-to-attend lecture takes place on Tuesday 23 February at 4.30pm in room ST002 at Newman University (Genners Lane, Bartley Green, Birmingham). To resister to attend, please contact Bryan Turner on 0121 476 1181