PréCiS - September 2001

an occasional communication from Christians in Science

number 15a - Conference special

CONFERENCE 2001

For those of you who have not yet got round to booking for the Day Conference on September 29th 'Can We Be Sure About Anything?' here is a reminder and a further brochure/booking form. Autumn is nearly upon us so return your form NOW! Bursaries are available for those who find the cost prohibitive. Early conference bookers (as of 10.8.01) are listed below.

A good book by the Editor of Science and Christian Belief Denis Alexander has written a book which has received acclaim from television science presenter Robert Winston who says he read it with mounting excitement and calls it 'essential reading for all those interested in science, its history, its philosophy and its relationship to religion.'

The book, Rebuilding the Matrix, Science and Faith in the 21st Century, is published by Lion, with 512 pages for £20. CiS member Professor Sir Brian Heap also endorses it as 'compulsory reading for those from the sciences and humanities, those of belief and no belief and for specialists and generalists' so that includes most of us somewhere.

Denis is speaking at the day conference but on the more mundane topic 'A view from the lab. bench'.

Also of interest to members, though not from a specifically Christian viewpoint, is The Map that Changed the World by Simon Winchester (Viking). It is the tale of William Smith, who first realized the significance of the geological strata of Britain as they were revealed by the canal diggers, forcing a re-think about the age of the earth. Not many geology books creep high up the best-seller list as this one is doing.

Christian Student Action, part of Agape ministries

(formerly Campus Crusade) is an American organization with a base in Birmingham UK. They are currently considering an initiative to encourage Christian witness among UK University staff. A group from the USA visited several Universities during May to get a 'feel' for the Christian scene in this country. They attended the annual committee meeting of the UCCF Professional groups and others of you may have met them. In the report of their visit they note a bigger staff/student divide in this country than in the US with Christian academics often seeming isolated, and that excellency in professional life was seen as an important Christian witness here. Comparisons are difficult as in the USA Christian academics often segregate in the Christian colleges. A follow-up day conference is planned for December in Solihull. More information is available at www.agape.org.uk

Early bookings

Austin, Ken
Berry, Sam
Burke, Derek
Chatfield, Michael
Danielian, A
Girling, David
Green, E.S
Hammond, Percy
Hawkins, Rhoda
Hodges, John & Susie
Holder, Rodney
Humphreys, Colin
Huss, David
Jiggins, Alan
Knox, Paul
Line, Christina
Lucas, Ernest
Mathias, Ray
McInnes Bennet
Morian, Alun
Moss, Barbara Nicholson, Rosemary
Rattle, Henry
Robertson, John
Robins, Brian
Walley, Stephen
Ward, Julian
Williams, Ross
Wilmott, Anne & Chris