Jottings on science, religion, technology, pop culture and faith from the Antipodes.

Science, Technology & Religion

TANSA Talk in Christchurch September 20th

Off to Christchurch to speak at the Theology and the Natural Sciences in Aotearoa (TANSA) Talk this weekend which should be good. Graham and I will talk for a bit and stimulate some discussion, and hopefully we’ll have some sort of panel discussion at the end.

Official details can be found here but here’s the blurb anyway. Feel free to come along if you’re in Christchurch.

We’re going to lunch afterwards at a restaurant or café which people are welcome to tag along to too.


TANSA Talk

9.30-12 noon Saturday September 20th
Laidlaw College (previously BCNZ) Christchurch
70 Condell Avenue, Papanui,
Christchurch
(03) 354 4270

1. Science, Theology, and Ethics: An Emerging Alliance. (Graham O’Brien)

Graham O’Brien has a Ph.D. in Cellular and Molecular Biology (Canterbury University), 3 years post-doctoral experience in molecular virology (Auckland University), and a Masters degree in Theology (Bible College of New Zealand). Currently Graham is the Vicar of the Picton Anglican Parish, in the Diocese of Nelson. He is also member of the InterChurch Bioethics Council, representing the Anglican, Methodist and Presbyterian Churches of Aotearoa, New Zealand on issue relating to bioethics.

2. Thinking theologically about new technologies. (Stephen Garner)

Technology might be considered the environment in which we live, and breathe, and have our being. As such, where does one start to think theologically about the technological environment we find ourselves in? This presentation picks up themes common in bioethics, such as autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice, as helpful conversation starters for thinking theologically about technology.

Stephen Garner lectures in Theology at the University of Auckland. His PhD in Theology looked at the imago Dei in the context of transhumanism, virtual reality and artificial intelligence. His also holds an MSc in Computer Science and is a member of the InterChurch Bioethics Council.