A Zoom Webinar hosted by the Center for Christogenesis on Thursday, April 27 2023.

The greatest obstacle to religion today does not come so much from atheists but from the neo-foundationalists whose fundamental tenets of religion claim ontological certainty. These are the religious fundamentalists whose certainty of divine truths based on the inerrancy of scripture creates division. Their grip on God strips the world of the divine mystery.

-Ilia Delio (from The Unbearable Wholeness of Being)

Join us in welcoming Dr. Peter Spitaler who will guide us as we explore avenues of synergy between scripture and science. We will review the state of the conversation, survey misconceptions that often arise about relationships between the two fields, and highlight ways in which they complement and enrich each other.

We will investigate challenges and opportunities that arise when science and scripture come into contact and how to approach them with a spirit of openness, curiosity, and contemplation. We will examine the current state of conversations concerning relationships between science and scripture and explore avenues of synergy between the paths of inquiry and knowing they follow and among the truths that they convey. “Synergy” allows us to understand science and scripture both as separate domains and in their interconnectedness. By considering their interrelation, we can acquire a more profound comprehension of how they illuminate aspects that are unique to each as well as those that they share.

Can the joint efforts of scripture and science co-create and produce results that are more significant than what each field could achieve on its own? Our goal will be to show that there is nothing less to be gained from bringing science and scripture together than unfolding discoveries of the True, the Good, and the Beautiful.

ABOUT DR. PETER SPITALER

Dr. Peter Spitaler is a well-lettered theologian with experience in both academic and practical settings. He has published two books on Paul and his writings: Celebrating Paul: Festschrift in Honor of Jerome Murphy-O’Connor, O.P., and Joseph A. Fitzmyer, S.J. and Universale Sünde von Juden und Heiden? Eine Untersuchung zu Römer 1:18-3:20. He also has published articles in journals such as Biblical Interpretation, Ephemerides Theologicae Lovanienses, Journal for the Study of the New Testament, Catholic Biblical Quarterly, Novum Testamentum, Revue Biblique, Filología Neotestamentaria, Biblica, and Journal of Biblical Literature.

His research focuses on a variety of topics, including the study of words and their mistranslations and the meaning of biblical passages related to suffering, oppression, doubt, the biblical view of the poor, and the metaphorical use of children. Dr. Spitaler has presented his work at international and national conferences, including the International Meeting of the Society of Biblical Literature and the International Congress of the International Organization for Septuagint and Cognate Studies. He has presented on such diverse topics as the problem of knowing God, Pauline spirituality and anthropology, beauty in the New Testament, forgiveness, law and righteousness, symbolic action, analogical reasoning, and thinking from the heart.

His teaching traverses various areas of New Testament studies, including biblical ethics, spirituality, theology, apocalypticism, and research methods. His classes also explore the intersection of theology and popular culture, particularly in music and film. His teaching aims to highlight the significance of faith, reason, and culture in biblical studies and biblical theology.