Medical Sciences Stream
The Medical Sciences Stream and the Natural Science Stream (including Oxford’s MPLS Division) will be joined together this year.
Friday 21 March (1:30pm to 9:00pm) and Saturday 22 March (9:00am to 2:00pm) - a Saturday only ticket is available for those that cannot attend on Friday
Magdalen College, Oxford
Conveners: Ard Louis, Professor of Theoretical Physics; John Gallacher, Professor of Cognitive Health, Oxford, and Director, Dementias Platform UK
How can postgraduates, postdocs, and academics at the University of Oxford approach the medical sciences as Christians? What does it mean to respond to a Christian vocation and to honour God in university life?
The Medical Sciences Stream includes talks on science and Christian faith and may include a panel of Christian academics.
The Medical Sciences Stream includes all MPLS disciplines and welcomes those in the Natural Sciences. Those who register for this stream are also welcome to participate in the Natural Sciences Stream on Friday afternoon and vise versa. This stream is one of five disciplinary streams that make up Seeking Wisdom, the spring conference of Developing a Christian Mind. Past attendees are encouraged to come, listen to new talks, and take part in discussion with new attendees.
**Please note our eligibility criteria: This event is for University of Oxford and Oxford Brookes postgraduates, postdocs, academic staff. If you do not fit this criteria, are DCM Alumni, or in a continuing education program, please complete this form and we will review your request **
*** Please note: the conference dinner is currently full and we are running a waiting list, though we expect more places will become available. We will contact registrants on the waiting list on the day of the conference if this is the case.***
Friday 21st March
1:30 pm Registration in Magdalen College’s Old Kitchen Bar with coffee & tea
2:00 pm Evolution and Christian Faith - Ard Louis, Professor of Theoretical Physics
It is often said that the science of evolution and robust Christian faith are in conflict. As a Christian who happily works on evolutionary theory, I will explore the contours of the challenges that evolution poses to faith, and vice-versa.
3:30 pm Coffee & tea in the Old Kitchen Bar
4:00 pm A Theology of Health: Wholeness and Human Flourishing - Tyler VanderWeele, John L. Loeb and Frances Lehman Loeb Professor of Epidemiology, Harvard (joining online)
Prof. VanderWeele will present on his book "A Theology of Health: Wholeness and Human Flourishing", Notre Dame Press, available online at project Muse. See also this summary of his book in Psychology Today.
While the health of the body can be defined by its functioning parts and systems, the health of the person is more complex. To flourish, we need to understand health in the context of God’s intent.
A Theology of Health presents a Christian understanding of the very concept of health, both the health of the body and the health of the person. Preeminent scholar Tyler J. VanderWeele argues that health can be understood as wholeness as intended by God and that sin—whether individual wrongdoing, societal injustice, or the fallenness of creation—causes ill health. VanderWeele explains that restoration and fulfillment of health is salvation, pointed toward in the life of Jesus Christ, to be lived out through the work of the Church, and for which we await final completion. VanderWeele also demonstrates the broader relevance and implications of his insights to all who seek to understand health, well-being, and the ultimate ends of human life.
The following events are held jointly with all streams at New College.
6:00 pm Prayer in New College Chapel
6:30 pm Drinks at the New College Bar
7:30 pm Dinner in the New College Dining Hall - please note we are currently running a waiting list for the dinner
Saturday 22ND March
9:00 am Registration in Magdalen College’s Old Kitchen Bar with coffee & tea
9:05 am Prayer in Magdalen College Chapel
9:30 am The Good Life: The Wisdom of Athens vs the Wisdom of Jerusalem - John Gallacher, Professor of Cognitive Health, Oxford, and Director, Dementias Platform UK
From Socrates, through the classic sitcom ‘The Good Life’ set in Surbiton, to the post-modern comedy ‘Life is Good-ish’, the issue of ‘the good life’ has been debated. Renewed interest in how to live well has largely developed ideas drawn from classical Greece. These will be contrasted with the Jesus manifesto, and his challenge to live differently.
11:00 am Coffee & tea in the Old Kitchen Bar
11:30 am Panel on Science, Engineering and Human Flourishing with panelists including
Andrew Briggs, Emeritus Professor of Nanomaterials
John Gallacher, Professor of Cognitive Health, Oxford, and Director, Dementias Platform UK
Chaired by Ard Louis, Professor of Theoretical Physics
1:00 pm Lunch
2:00 pm Closing