Dialogues between Science and Religion
In the fall of 2002 the Pari Center for New Learning was awarded a grant by the Metanexus Institute in the United States to become one of the Local Society Initiatives fostering dialogues between science and religion. The Center began its program with a series of roundtable discussions with the people of Pari as well as representatives of the various associations connected with the nearby towns and villages on how best to run our Pari Dialogues in Religion and Science. The local people spoke of their earlier tradition of meeting to discuss issues together, and even to read books together. Society had changed and this practice had been discontinued but they would welcome its return. The Center therefore decided on two pathways - one that would involve public talks to the people of Pari (and the many other village in the area, including people from the cities of Siena and Grosseto). The other route would be smaller roundtable meetings held at a more intense level and involving participants from the universities and other institutions. In addition the Center began a small collection of books, in Italian, on religion and science. The Center is also posting papers and articles on science and religion in the library section of this website. For a list of these papers.
The first formal meeting was held in January on the topic of "War: Yesterday and Today". Speakers included Father Jose Adriano Ukwatchali who had experienced civil war in Angola, Virginia del Re who spoke of the origin of the "Women in Black" movement in the middle East, Silvia Landi (Director of Amnesty International for Tuscany) Egidio Grande (Director of Amnesty International for Siena) and the physicists Prof Roy McWeeny from the University of Pisa and Dr David Peat. The meeting discussed the paradox that while science is truly international some of its efforts are directed towards producing weapons of war. Likewise religions that preach peace are so often the cause of conflict. The meeting also looked into the economic roots of conflict and the whole culture of war. Particularly moving was Father Adriano's account of his attempts to save the lives of young children during civil war.For a report on our January meeting.
In February the physicist Dr Shantena Sabbadini spoke about his personal "voyage around God", a voyage that lasted several decades and took him from his native Italy, to California, an ashram in India and back to Italy again. At certain times in his life science came into conflict with his faith, at others the two complemented each other.
March saw a dinner with Maestro Hans Dentler, who spoke about the relationship between music, mathematics and religion and mysticism. He looked back to at the Pythagoreans and how their spirit had been particularly active in the 18th century, surfacing in the music of Bach and the discoveries of Kepler. (Dentler has recently published a major study showing the influence of Kepler, Leibniz and others on the structure of Bach's compositions, such as the Art of Fugue.) In the modern age a similar link between mathematics and the sacred had motivated the physicist Wolfgang Pauli
April was a particularly active month with a visit from Professor Almedo Apli of the Department of Plant Biology and the University of Pisa. Alpi spoke of the future of farming and the nature of our food by asking if it was possible for the spirit of St Francis of Assisi to be preserved in a modern biotechnological world. On the day following his public talk he spoke at a roundtable where the ethical, moral and practical dimensions of such issues as genetic engineering were explored in greater detail.
David Peat spoke in April of his experiences organizing the Native American Elders/Western Scientists dialogues in the USA and Canada. Each of the dialogues lasted for several days and explored in considerable depth the respective world views. Within such a genuine meeting of minds, in which participants respect each other's position it is also possible to make frank critical assessments. The Elders had questioned a science that is based on total objectivity and omits a discussion of qualities. While admitting the enormous technical advances of Western science they also wondered of the West had lost touch with a sense of the sacred and animate in nature. For their part several of the scientists spoke of their own personal sense of awe and wonder and what they felt to be the sacred or transcendent within the cosmos. The local people had great sympathy with the world view of the Native Americans and spoke of their own tradition of seeing the land as sacred.
April also saw the first meeting with (EFA) Ethica, Finanza, Ambiente - a group concerned in particular with the social and ethical impact of economics. EFA is composed of directors and staff at the Monte dei Paschi di Siena bank (the third largest in Italy) as well as staff from the University of Siena. Later, during their annual meeting, EFA resolved to make a formal collaborative association with the Pari Center and even plan for cooperative international activities.
Dr Edy Altes, former Dutch Ambassador to Spain and author of "A Heart and Soul for Europe" visited Pari in May. He spoke of the need to create a culture of peace and gave examples of his approach with religious groups in Bosnia, Kosovo and Sierra Leone, pledging them to work together and refrain from encouraging hatred. He also explained of his work with the Pugwash organization ( "scientists for peace") and how, while they may not have any particular religious affiliation they were all united in a deep love for humanity and a deep sense of awe and reverence. Spiritual Renewal and the move towards Peace
May also saw a day long meeting with Notaios from all over Italy. (A Notaio is a type of lawyer concerned with such transactions as property transfer,. As an organized group they have an enormous influence on the Italian legal system and any projected change in the law must first meeting with their approval.) The group was concerned with what they felt to be the fragmentary nature of Italian law and legal process and wished to learn about the new and more organic paradigms of self-organization and complexity theory. David Peat gave a day long seminar on these topics which ended with the group attempting to integrate these new concepts along with traditional ethical and religious considerations in Italian society.
In May David Peat attended the Works of Love conference at Villanova University as representative of the Pari Dialogues in Science and Religion and was pleased and surprised to learn that the Center had been give one of the $10,000 awards.
During a three day visit to Pari in June, Bodhisattva Productions (UK) filmed several hours of interviews for two documentaries on the connections between Buddhism and ideas in modern physics.
July also saw a roundtable and dinner on "The Human Face of Globalization" with a group of international economists, some of whom who were particularly concerned with an integration of the Islamic perspective into economic practice. During the meeting the group discussed the possibilities of future conferences to be held in Madrid, New York and Pari.
Professor Fernando di Mieri visited in August from the Dominican university "San Tomaso Aquino" in Naples and discussed "The relationship between Faith and Science". He also explored the possibility of setting up a Local Society in Naples, planning cooperative events with Pari and ways to involve scientists and theologians in other parts of Italy.
August also saw a cooperative meeting with EFA at which Dr Arnold Smith of the National Research Council of Canada first gave a general overview of complexity theory and then applied it to notions of consciousness and society. He argued that we had much to learn from Eastern religious traditions about the nature of consciousness and our role and responsibilities towards the natural world.
The year ended with an open air meeting held in the piazza in front of Pari's Church of San Biago. The topic was "Symbols of the Sacred" examined from various perspectives by Dr Susan Scott, Manuela Minacci and Dr David Peat.
The Local Initiatives Program
is made possible by a grant to the Metanexus Institute on behalf of the Templeton Foundation. The aim is described as follows:
Science can inspire greater reverence, wonder and awe. It also poses critical religious questions of meaning and purpose, of virtues and values. Science provides a continuous stream of remarkable insights into the nature of reality across a wide range of domains. By giving rise to astonishing technological transformations, science changes both our world and our worldviews. As the pace of scientific discovery and technological innovation accelerates, there is an urgent cultural need to reflect thoughtfully about these epic changes and challenges in constructive dialogue involving science and religion.
The Local Societies Initiative seeks to encourage thoughtful and dynamic exploration of the interrelationship of science and religion, to promote greater appreciation of these issues and to enhance increased cooperation between science and religion. This three-year project is designed for established or newly formed groups to be catalysts for progress in diverse communities worldwide. The program seeks to create long-term networks for vibrant and broadly significant exchange.
Program Goals
1. To promote the study of science and religion in local societies and organizations around the world and the development of a network of such groups.
2. To encourage a greater appreciation of the religious and spiritual significance of science and of the value of religious insights for science and society.
3. To broaden the participation of individuals and groups involved in the constructive dialogue between science and religion.
4. To exemplify a spirit of a "humble approach" in the quest for understanding, which links the progress of scientific inquiry with metaphysical, religious, philosophical and moral concerns in a coherent, intellectually responsible and collaborative manner.
