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6. Institute Day: Diocese of Evansville, IN

Institute Day: Diocese of Evansville, IN

Science and Faith: Exploring the Relationship

Friday, September 13, 2019: Diocese of Evansville, IN

The McGrath Institute for Church Life at the University of Notre Dame and the Diocese of Evansville, IN invite teachers, Parish Catechetical Leaders, Priests, Deacons, Principals, Youth Ministers and catechists to a 1-day workshop where participants will gain valuable insights for teaching at the interface of science and religion.

Topics Covered

Stephen M. Barr, Ph.D., "The Catholic Church and Modern Science: A Glorious History." Dr. Barr will speak on the history and compatibility of science and religion, focusing on questions of evolution.  

Christopher T. Baglow, Ph.D., "Becoming Human: Jesus Christ, the True Origin of Humanity." Much attention has been given to identifying the “moment” when our species became human in the full sense. In this presentation, Dr. Baglow will approach this question theologically, considering what Scripture and Tradition tell us about what it means to be human.

Cory Hayes, Ph.D., “Science and the Bible: The Catholic Approach to the Relationship” Dr. Hayes will explain the Catholic approach to biblical truth and its relation to scientific discovery.

Jessica Keating, M.Div., “What is Human Dignity.” Ms. Keating will examine history and development of the concept of human dignity and its use (and misuse) in contemporary bioethics. 

Sr. Damien Marie Savino, F.S.E., “Evolution, Ecology, and Faith: What is Man that You are Mindful of Him.” In this session, Sister Damien Marie Savino, FSE, will speak about how teaching evolution and ecology in Catholic schools can lead students to a deeper understanding of what it means to be human and of what their special vocation is in the created world.

Details

Registration

This event is made possible through the generous support of the John Templeton Foundation, the McGrath Institute for Church Life at the University of Notre Dame, and the Diocesan Offices of Catholic Schools, Catechesis and Youth and Young Adults. The Institute Day is $15 per person for teachers who register by September 5, 2019. Late registration fee (September 6 or later): $25.

For questions or concerns, please email pbellm@nd.edu. The schedule of events can be found below.

Registration is closed.There are still plenty of seats for the "Let There Be Light" presentation on Friday evening (see below).

Let There Be Light - The Holy See Exhibit at the World Expo 2017 in Astana, Kazakhstan

Evansville Museum of Arts, History & Science - Koch Immersive Theater & Planetarium
Friday, September 13, 2019   ||   6:30 PM 

Let There Be Light is a 10-minute planetarium program commissioned by Cardinal Peter K. A. Turkson of the Vatican's Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development to serve as the opening segment of the Holy See’s exhibition  Energy for the common good: Caring for our common home at the 2017 International Expo Future Energy in Astana, Kazakhstan. In it, Dr. Philip Sakimoto and Dr. Leonard DeLorenzo, both from the University of ​Notre Dame, trace the history of light from the Big Bang to the present-day Sun, offering both astronomical and theological perspectives on this fundamental gift of Creation.  

This will be the first time that Let There Be Light will be shown to a public audience outside of the International Expo or the production facilities at Notre Dame.  Dr. Sakimoto will be present to describe beforehand the process of creating Let There Be Light and installing it in the Vatican’s pavilion.  Afterward, he will offer comments on public reactions to the Vatican’s presence at the Expo as an advocate for the moral imperative to care for our common home.

Thanks to the generosity of the John Templeton Foundation and the University of Notre Dame, this ticketed event is free of charge. Seating is limited and also open to teachers who have not participated in the Institute Day. Registration is required. Tickets must be picked up by 6:20 PM - planetarium doors close at 6;30 PM (sharp). 

For any questions, please contact Patricia Bellm at pbellm@nd.edu.

Register for "Let There Be Light" Evening Event

Schedule

Friday, September 13

Location - Directions

Catholic Center, 4200 North Kentucky Avenue, Evansville, IN 47711

Click here for directions.

Speakers

Stephen M. Barr, Ph.D.

Professor of Physics
Department of Physics, University of Delaware

Prof. Stephen Barr teaches physics and astronomy at the University of Delaware. In addition to his research, Dr. Stephen M. Barr has also written and lectured extensively on the relationship between science and religion. He was was awarded the Benemerenti Medal in 2007 for service to the Church and elected to the Academy of Catholic Theology in 2010. He is the founder and President of the Society of Catholic Scientists and the author of Modern Physics and Ancient Faith (2003), A Student's Guide to Natural Science (2006) and The Believing Scientist: Essays on Science and Religion (2016).

Christopher T. Baglow, Ph.D.

Director of the Science and Religion Initiative
McGrath Institute for Church Life, University of Notre Dame

Chris Baglow is Director of the Science and Religion Initiative of the McGrath Institute for Church Life of the University of Notre Dame. Since 2005 he has been a leader in the integration of faith and science in Catholic schools, including national week-long summer seminars for Catholic high school science and religion teachers such as the Steno Learning Program in Science and Religion (2011-2014) and Foundations New Orleans. Baglow is the author of the high-school religion textbook Faith, Science and Reason: Theology on the Cutting Edge (Midwest Theological Forum, 2010; 2nd edition in progress).

Sister Damien Marie Savino, FSE, Ph.D.

Aquinas College, Grand Rapids, MI

Sr. Damien is the Dean of Science and Sustainability at Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In this position she oversees the Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Geography and Environmental Studies departments and the college’s Center for Sustainability. She is also a member of the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist.

Sister Damien Marie received her Bachelor of Science degree in Biogeography from McGill University, her Master of Science degree in Soil and Plant Science from University of Connecticut, her Master of Arts degree in Theology from The Catholic University of America and her Ph.D. degree in Civil (Environmental) Engineering from The Catholic University of America. Her research interests include theology and science, ecology and theology, ecological restoration and resilience theory.

Cory Hayes, Ph.D.

St. Joseph Seminary College, Covington, LA

Prof. Cory Hayes is a professor of Philosophy and Theology at St. Joseph Seminary College in Covington, LA.  He holds a Ph.D. in Systematic Theology from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA.  He has also pursued studies at the Gregorian and Angelicum universities in Rome, Italy.  He and his wife Jennifer have been married for 16 years, and they have 7 children whom they homeschool.

His research and teaching interests include Byzantine and Eastern Christian theology, philosophy of nature, and the relation between theology, philosophy, and empirical science.  He is a facilitator at  Foundations New Orleans, a week-long seminar program for Catholic science and theology teachers sponsored by the McGrath Institute for Church Life at the University of Notre Dame.

Jessica Keating

Director of the Notre Dame Office of Life and Human Dignity
McGrath Institute for Church Life, University of Notre Dame

Jess Keating directs the Notre Dame Office of Life and Human Dignity in the McGrath Institute for Church Life. In her role, she leads the Institute’s research, education, and outreach efforts on the nature and dignity of the human person and contemporary threats to the sanctity of life. Jess also collaborates schools and dioceses to develop innovative educational content and strategies to integrate a pedagogy of life across the academic disciplines.

Jess originally hails from the Maryland suburbs of Washington, D.C.  She completed her undergraduate degree in Philosophy and Sociology from St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia, PA. She earned her Masters of Divinity from the University of Notre Dame in 2013. In addition to her work with the Institute, she is pursuing her Ph.D. in Systematic Theology at Notre Dame. Jess’ writing has appeared in popular publications such as, America Magazine, Aleteia, The Imaginative Conservative, and the Catholic Catalogue, as well as a in the volume of essays, Dante, Mercy, and the Beauty of the Human Person.