Science and Mormonism have nearly always been on very friendly terms, with Church members sharing the deep conviction that, as expressed by former scientist and apostle Elder James E. Talmage, “within the gospel of Jesus Christ there is room and place for every truth thus far learned by man, or yet to be made known.” Subsequent Presidents and General Authorities of the Church have advanced similar views about the ultimate compatibility of religious and scientific truths and, with notably few exceptions, have maintained markedly positive attitudes toward both the methods and conclusions of mainstream science and the advance of modern technology.
The First Interpreter Science and Mormonism Symposium was held on November 9, 2013 with a focus on the topics of Cosmos, Earth, and Man (https://interpreterfoundation.org/conferences/2013-symposium-science-mormonism-cosmos-earth-man/). An expanded proceedings of this event will be published in March as Cosmos, Earth, and Man. Science and Mormonism 1 (Orem and Salt Lake City: The Interpreter Foundation and Eborn Books, 2016).
This second symposium will feature the personal perspectives of prominent scientists and scholars addressing the theme of “Body, Brain, Mind, and Spirit.” Speakers include Brother Guy Consolmagno, Jeffrey M. Bradshaw, Samuel M. Brown, James E. Faulconer, Brant A. Gardner, Ugo A. Perego, Daniel C. Peterson, Jani Radebaugh, Stephen H. Webb (note on his recent passing), and Camille Stilson Williams. Through presentations, panels, and interactive discussions, attendees will hear concise and colorful summaries of the state-of-the-art in research relating to these topics and will gain a deeper appreciation of the unique contributions of LDS doctrine to the ongoing conversation.
Date: March 12, 2016
Time: 8:30am – 3:30pm
Program & Schedule: Click here for full program and schedule of events
Place: Utah Valley University, Orem, Utah. Classroom Building, room 101. Click here for more location information.
Free and open to the public
Watch for additional details on interpreterfoundation.org
Printable PDF 2-page Flyer
Poster PDF
Videos of the presentation are now available for free viewing.
There will be a no-host dinner at Brick Oven Restaurant in Provo (111 E 800 N, Provo, UT 84606, http://www.
Sponsors:
The Interpreter Foundation
Utah Valley University
BYU Studies
FairMormon
With special thanks to the BYU College of Physical and Mathematical Sciences
Presenters and Discussants include:
(Click here for full bios, or on a link below.)
- Brother Guy Consolmagno
Director of the Vatican Observatory and President of the Vatican Observatory Foundation - Jeffrey M. Bradshaw
Senior Research Scientist, Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (IHMC) - Samuel M. Brown
Assistant Professor of Pulmonary and Critical Medicine and Medical Ethics and Humanities at the University of Utah/Intermountain Medical Center - James E. Faulconer
Richard L. Evans Professor of Philosophy, Brigham Young University - Brant A. Gardner
Independent Scholar on the Book of Mormon and Mesoamerican studies - Ugo A. Perego
Director of the Rome LDS Institute Campus and Visiting Scientist, University of Perugia - Daniel C. Peterson
Professor of Islamic Studies and Arabic, Brigham Young University - Jani Radebaugh
Associate Professor, Department of Geological Sciences, Brigham Young University - Stephen H. Webb (note on his recent passing)
Catholic theologian, author, and First Things columnist - Camille Stilson Williams
Independent Scholar and former Administrative Director of the Marriage and Family Law Research Project at the J. Reuben Clark Law School at Brigham Young University
There will also be a reception and presentation by Brother Guy Consolmagno on Sunday, March 13, 2016, at Juan Diego Catholic High School in Draper, Utah, from 2-4pm. It is free and open to the public. Click here for a flyer of the event.
Brother Guy Consolmagno will also deliver BYU’s Summerhays lecture on March 10, 2016, at 6:30pm in the Joseph Smith Building auditorium on BYU campus.
Click here for a detailed summary of all of the events. Here is a short article noting the three events.
