STU receives lecture on philosophy and scientific discoveries

Reverend and Professor Marek Słomka presented “God’s creation in the light of the Christian tradition and the scientific worldview” to university students. (Credit: Peter Gross)

On Friday, Sept. 19, the STU Philosophy department hosted the guest lecture “God's creation in the light of the Christian Tradition and the Scientific Worldview,” delivered by Reverend and Professor Marek Słomka.

Approximately 40 people attended the guest lecture at the Ted Daigle Auditorium in Edmund Casey Hall on a sunny afternoon.

Słomka is a religious studies professor at the Catholic University of Lublin in Poland. He is also director of the Centre for the Study of John Paul and editor-in-chief of Ethos, an international, multidisciplinary scholarly journal.

He emphasized that scientific discoveries align with Christianity and contribute to our understanding of nature.

Słomka spoke of the three Canadian and three Polish scientists who have contributed to scientific discoveries, such as Alexander Graham Bell, Nicolaus Copernicus and Marie Curie, among others.

Jessi Tunn, a third-year philosophy and criminology student at STU, said she was interested in the lecture.

“In both my philosophy classes, they were speaking about [the lecture] and I thought it would be super interesting to see another perspective from someone who dedicated their studies to this.”

Tunn was also curious about Słomka’s research.

“I think it's always relevant, especially for philosophy [students] … suspending all of your previous opinions, I guess, to offer open-mindedness into other views.”

Claire Morrison, STU campus minister, also agreed that the guest lecture is relevant to a liberal arts education.

“I think in recent times, we've witnessed, like with COVID, the impact of scientific illiteracy on politics and on policy … and I think that it's important that people of liberal arts inclination, who tend to perhaps shy away from harder sciences, recognize that they still need to make empirically-based or evidence-based decisions.”

Morrison wanted the lecture to garnish a wide appeal. 

“I recognize that we live in times when popular culture dismisses the merit or the possible coexistence of faith and science.”

“And if we can, if people who are perhaps nonbelieving in either science or faith can recognize that prejudice, set it aside.”

Morrison went on to say that for centuries, science and faith “were married.”

“Faith is, was at the root of the pursuit of the understanding of the universe. How many institutions of science and knowledge are based on religious communities? I mean, [it] is a testament to that. And although there are many people of faith who demonstrate immense ignorance of science, I think we just have to be a little forgiving.”

Rebekah Kierstead, a UNB fifth-year civil engineering student, saw the guest lecture on Morrison's email sent out on campus ministry events.  

“I've just been in an area in my life and faith of just asking a lot of questions … I thought it'd be really interesting to see … to hear from a Polish professor, kind of his perspective.” 

Kierstead’s biggest takeaway was “applying his theological principles that, in fact, intersect with science and science kind of more reflects those.”

Kierstead believes you need faith for whatever worldview you hold.

“I think just either way, like in life and in the world, there are a lot of different worldviews out there … they all require faith.”

Słomka's parting message for STU students pursuing a liberal arts education was emphasizing the importance of creating the best possible world “[by] using intellectual abilities as you develop them at university … create your best possible future.”