The Reverend Professor Keith Ward will be discussing the so-called ‘new atheists’ in a lecture entitled God, Science and New Atheism at the Faraday Institutes termly Public Lecture this afternoon

Professor Ward is a champion of the compatibility of science and religion. He argues that the views of many “new” atheists – such as Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, Sam Harris and Christopher Hitchens, are flawed and “fail to meet their own criteria of rationality”.

“New atheists condemn religious beliefs and contend that such beliefs are destructive to human life and lacking any basis in reality. They blame such atrocities as the Spanish Inquisition and 9/11 on religion.” Reverend Professor ward said.

Reverend Professor Ward also says that their “comprehension of the scope and limitations of science is poor, as is their understanding of religion and its greatest thinkers”.

“This year is also the 200th anniversary of Darwin’s birth and so the arguments for and against the compatibility of science and religion are very timely” Katie Turnbull, External Communications Officer for the Faraday Institute said.

The Faraday Institute of Science and Religion is an academic research enterprise based at St Edmund's College, University of Cambridge. The Institute has several aims: The first is to conduct scholarly research into and publish research on the subject of science and religion along with invited groups of experts. They also aim to provide short-term courses and organise seminars and lectures on science and religion.

The lecture is free and open to the general public. It will be followed by free refreshments and an opportunity to meet the speaker. The lecture starts at 5.30pm, Queen’s Lecture Theatre, Emmanuel College.
 

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