Why is genomics one of the most exciting areas of scientific discovery today?  Where is God to be encountered in the study of the human genome?  What role do faith and doubt play in scientific exploration?  How do genomic discoveries invite us to worship a God who gives us room to change and grow?

Our guest today is Praveen Sethupathy. Praveen is an Associate Professor of Biomedical Sciences and Director of the Center for Vertebrate Genomics at Cornell University, where he directs a research lab focused on genomic approaches to understand human health and disease. He received his BA degree from Cornell University and his PhD in Genomics from the University of Pennsylvania. After completing a post-doctoral fellowship at the National Human Genome Research Institute, he moved in 2011 to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Genetics. In 2017, he returned to Cornell University as an Associate Professor. Praveen has authored over 95 peer-reviewed publications in scientific journals and has served as a reviewer for over 35 different journals. Alongside his career in genomic science, Praveen is a prominent speaker and advisor on the relationship between science, ethics and religion.

This season of podcasts exploring science and faith is supported by @eclasproject Science in Seminaries.  For more information see www.eclasproject.org

How do science and theology come together to transform the way we look at the world? How has the philosophy of science affected the way we think about miracles, in the Bible and today? How might studying history be a bridge between science and faith? And why do we need both science and theology to explore life's biggest questions?

Mark Harris is Professor of Natural Science and Theology at the University of Edinburgh, where he directs the Science and Religion Programme. Prior to his ordination as an Anglican priest, he worked as an experimental physicist. He leads the Theology of the Quantum World Project and the God and the Book of Nature Research Network.

This season of podcasts exploring science and faith is supported by @eclasproject Science in Seminaries.  For more information see www.eclasproject.org.

Does suffering belong to a good creation, or is it just a result of the fall?  How does evolution challenge traditional understandings of the presence of suffering in out world?  What does God's power and love look like in a world of pain?  In a world facing ecological catastrophe, where might hope be found?  How does the way we understand suffering affect the way we experience hard times, for ourselves and for others?

Dr Bethany Sollereder is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Science and Religion at the Laudato Si’ Research Institute at Campion Hall and the Ian Ramsey Centre for Science and Religion at the University of Oxford. She has written numerous articles in academic and popular forums, as well as the book God, Evolution and Animal Suffering: Theodicy without a Fall (Routledge 2018). Her new book Why is There Suffering? Pick Your Own Theological Expedition will be published with Zondervan in November 2021.

This season of podcasts exploring science and faith is supported by @eclasproject Science in Seminaries.  For more information see www.eclasproject.org

What does studying human behaviour have to offer the dialogue between science and faith? What might religious perspectives have to offer studies in human behaviour? How does the fear of death affect belief? And what can theology learn from the self-critical mode of psychological study?

The Revd Dr Jonathan Jong is a Research Fellow at Coventry University where he is Deputy Director of the Brain, Belief and Behaviour group. He is Senior Researcher at the Institute for Cognitive and Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Oxford. Jonathan is also an Anglican priest and serves as part-time Rector of Cocking with West Lavington, Bepton and Heyshott. For more details about his work, see here. 

This season of the podcast explores science and faith and is supported by the Equipping Leadership in an Age of Science project. For more information see www.eclasproject.org

What do people mean when they talk about science and religion, and why do those assumptions matter? Where does the science and religion conflict myth come from and how is it perpetuated today? How does exploring our humanity help us navigate the significance of science and faith? And why do the incarnation and crucifixion of Jesus matter for our approach to science and faith?

Dr Nick Spencer is Senior Fellow at Theos Think Tank, where he leads their work on Science and Religion. He is the author of several books, including The Political Samaritan: How Power Hijacked a Parable and The Evolution of the West. He presented the BBC Radio 4 series ‘The Secret History of Science and Religion’ and hosts the podcast Reading Our Times. For more about Nick, see here.

This season of the podcast explores science and faith and is supported by the Equipping Leadership in an Age of Science project. For more information see www.eclasproject.org

What happens when we read scripture as the story of God’s migrant peoples? How has the Church both flourished and failed in embracing migrant communities? How does Catholic Social Teaching help us engage theologically with the lived experiences of migration? How should the stories of migrants shape the life and thought of the Church today?

Dr Anna Rowlands is St Hilda Associate Professor of Catholic Social Thought and Practice at Durham University. She teaches on political, moral, and practical theology, and also works closely with a number of leading Faith-Based charities. For more about her work, see here. 

What do we mean by the 'pre-existence' of Jesus, and where do we find it in the Bible? Do the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke present Jesus as just a special prophet, or something more? How do the four Gospels present a coherent view of Christ? And how does recognising an eternal Jesus help us see the miracles of the gospel?

Simon Gathercole is Professor of New Testament and Early Christianity at Cambridge University. For more information about Simon, see here.

How did Jesus and the early Church engage with people of other faiths? What does the Christian idea of salvation look like in a multi-faith context? Why is being a better neighbour part of living out our Christian calling? How might the Christian mandate for justice challenge the Church’s in-action on discrimination and prejudice? 

Dr Gerard Charles spent 10 years working in China connected to a missionary society. He undertook doctoral research on the challenges of identity for Chinese Muslims. He now lecturers on  cross-cultural ministry including at Cranmer Hall. For more info about Gerard see here.

What does psychology have to say about identity and belonging in the world and the church? How does Scripture challenge the idea that belonging to one another involves being homogenous? How do stories of people being excluded within the church undermine the gospel? Why does pursuing belonging require transformation rather than staying the same? How do we see the Holy Spirit in the Church taking us on a journey of authentic belonging?  

Dr Sanjee Perera is a cognitive ecclesiologist and is the Archbishops’ Adviser on Minority Ethnic Anglican Concerns for the Church of England.  

What is bioethics and why does it dominate our ethical discussions today? What stories about our bodies does our culture tell us, and what might a theological account look like? How does a Christian view of life on earth challenge ideas of autonomy and freedom as the goal of human flourishing? And what difference does the resurrection of Jesus' body make to our imagination and hope for a bodily future?

Robert Song is Professor of Theological Ethics at Durham University. For more information about Robert, see here.