VATICAN - A NEW ERA IN RELATIONS NOT ONLY BETWEEN SCIENCE AND PHILOSOPHY AND THEOLOGY BUT ALSO BETWEEN SCIENCE AND THE CHURCH

Wednesday, 7 May 2003

Vatican City (Fides Service) – Yesterday (6 May) a project entitled “Science, Theology and the Ontological Quest”, fruit of the personal commitment of Pope John Paul II to overcome misunderstandings been the Church and Science, was presented in the Vatican. The project is also the result of a new climate of dialogue between science and religion all over the world. The aim of the project, illustrated by Cardinal Paul Poupard, president of the Pontifical Council for Culture, is bring together areas of interest and study which, in modern times, have been separated. In particular the organisers hope to establish stable and fruitful connections between science, philosophy, by planning programmes of study and research for a diploma of specialisation. The project intends to form persons specialised in the field of dialogue between science and religion. Since students at the Pontifical Universities of Rome come from all over the world, the project will certainly have an impact on the whole of the universal Church.
At present the project involves three universities: the Pontifical Lateran University, the Pontifical Gregorian University and the Regina Apostolorum College. Each college will develop one particular area of research. The Gregorian University will focus on the creation of a foundation of a philosophy of science and nature; the Lateran University will consider the anthropological implications of the project and Regina Apostolorum College will address the ethical aspects, in particular Bio-ethics.
Cardinal Poupard is convinced that it is possible to inaugurate a new era in relations between science, philosophy and theology and also between Science and the Church. Many signs in the recent past have helped to prepare fertile soil for this type of orientation. AP (Fides Service 7/5/2003 EM lines 29 Words: 232)


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