Institute Day: Diocese of Tyler, TX
Science & Religion: Do They Contradict?
Saturday, April 6, 2019: Tyler, TX
The McGrath Institute for Church Life at the University of Notre Dame, the Koch Foundation and the St. Philip Institute of Catechesis and Evangelization of the Diocese of Tyler, TX invite teachers to a 1-day workshop where participants will gain valuable insights for educating at the interface of science and religion.
Topics Covered
Stephen M. Barr, Ph.D., "Catholicism & Evolution." Dr. Barr will explain how the Catholic Church approaches the theory of Evolution, and why she has never seen it as contrary to the Faith or a danger to it. He will also examine common objections to Evolution among the faithful, revealing them to be misunderstandings of Catholic doctrine and/or failures to appreciate certain important insights of traditional Catholic thought. Finally, he will discuss the theology of human origins and Original Sin in light of the most recent scientific discoveries about human evolution and the origins of humanity.
Stacy Trasancos, Ph.D., "Completing the Scientific Revolution." Modern science emerged in the Middle Ages at Catholic universities in Europe. The Scientific Revolution is marked by a change to the mathematical description of nature, born of the Christian worldview that God created everything ordered and good. Science transformed the world but at the expense of philosophy and theology. Dr. Trasancos will explain how to reintegrate science with the Christian Creed, lead true progress, and bring science full circle back to its origins.
Cory Hayes, Ph.D., "Galileo and the Church: Understanding the Conflict." Dr. Hayes will examine the trials of Galileo, the major players involved and the issues that were at play in his 1633 condemnation by the Inquisition for the sake of understanding the lessons it has for us today.
Luke Heintschel, M.A., "Archaeology and Faith: Christianity and the Dead Sea Scrolls." The Dead Sea Scrolls is one of the most significant discoveries in archaeology. What are the Dead Sea Scrolls? Why should Christians care? Luke's presentation will discuss the importance of this find, as well as the impact the Scrolls have had on Christianity. The Dead Sea Scrolls have revealed a lot about how Jews in the time of Jesus Christ read the bible, and what they expected from the messiah. The Scrolls also provide an important contribution to an age-old debate between Protestants and Catholics.
Details
Registration
Through the generous support of the Koch Foundation, the St. Philip Institute of Catechesis and Evangelization of the Diocese of Tyler, TX and the McGrath Institute for Church Life at the University of Notre Dame, this Institute Day is offered for only $15 (registration fee includes lunch).
Individual Registration for the Institute Day
Group Registration for the Institute Day
Invite a Friend to Register for the Institute Day
There will also be a Friday night dinner and keynote address by Stephen M. Barr, Ph.D. at The Potpourri House, 3320 Troup Hwy. Suite 300, Tyler, TX 75701. Space is limited for this event and the cost is $25 per adult. Register for the dinner here.
Schedule
Saturday, April 6, 2019
| 8:00 AM | Check-in/Registration |
| 8:30 AM | Mass |
| 9:15 AM | Welcome - Stacy Trasancos, Ph.D. |
| 9:30 AM | "Catholicism & Evolution" - Stephen M. Barr, Ph.D. |
| 10:45 AM | Break |
| 11:00 AM | "Completing the Scientific Revolution" - Stacy Trasancos, Ph.D. |
| 12:15 PM | Lunch (included with registration cost) |
| 1:30 PM | "Galileo and the Church" - Cory Hayes, Ph.D. |
| 2:30 PM | Break |
| 2:45 PM | "Archaeology and Faith: Christianity and the Dead Sea Scrolls" - Luke Heintschel, M.A. |
| 3:45 PM | Evaluation |
| 4:00 PM | End |
Location - Directions
Chapel of Sts. Peter and Paul, 1435 ESE Loop 323, Tyler, TX 75701
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).
Stacy A. Trasancos, Ph.D.
Executive Director
St. Philip Institute of Catechesis and Evangelization
Stacy Trasancos is Executive Director of the St. Philip Institute of Catechesis and Evangelization founded by Bishop Joseph Strickland in the Diocese of Tyler, TX. She has a Ph.D. in Chemistry and a M.A. in Dogmatic Theology, and is a nationally-recognized author, speaker, and educator on the topic of faith and science. She is a Fellow of the Bishop Robert Barron's Word of Fire Institute and participates in the Foundations New Orleans, a national week-long summer seminar for Catholic high school science and religion teachers. She is author of Particles of Faith: A Catholic Guide to Navigating Science (Ave Maria Press, 2016; Student edition in progress).
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.
Luke Heintschel, M.A.
Director of Communications
St. Philip Institute of Catechesis and Evangelization
Luke earned a bachelor's degree in Communications with a double emphasis in Philosophy and Theology, as well as a Master’s degree in Biblical Theology, from John Paul the Great Catholic University in San Diego, CA. His award-winning Master’s thesis studied the theme of Priesthood throughout the Old Testament, Second Temple Jewish Literature, and the Gospel of John. Luke moved from his home in San Diego to Tyler, TX with his son Joseph and his wife Gabriela, and is expecting his second child in July. He has a zealous desire to help Bishop Strickland implement the Constitution on Teaching.