God in the Science Lab:

curiosity, awe and the meaning of life

Dr Ruth Bancewicz

Faraday Institute, Cambridge

Monday 5th March

7:30 - 8:45 pm

Trinity Meeting Place

Holy Trinity Church, Essex Street, Norwich NR2 2BJ

Dr Ruth Bancewicz, a research scientist-turned-communicator from Cambridge, will explore how scientific curiosity can lead towards deeper questions about our place in the natural world.

Every scientist feels a sense of awe and wonder from time to time, and people react to these experiences in many different ways. For Christians, such “mountain-top moments” are not taken as a formal proof for the existence of God. But what we see as scientists can resonate with what we perceive through our religious faith. Scientific discoveries turn our attention towards the character of God and reinforce our belief that the world has been made for a purpose.

This talk will draw on the stories of several scientists who are also people of faith. These examples help us to see that, when it comes to answering some of life's big questions, we do well to include the insights from both science and faith.

Through the discoveries of science, we can begin to appreciate the intricacies and fruitfulness of the living world. We can also explore how these discoveries can hint at “big questions” of meaning that go beyond the scope of scientific enquiry. The talk will be suitable for scientists and non-scientists, believers and non-believers. There will be plenty of opportunity for discussion.

Dr Ruth Bancewicz was previously a postdoctoral researcher in cell biology at Edinburgh University. She is now a Senior Research Associate at the Faraday Institute for Science and Religion in Cambridge. Her current role is to explore the positive interactions between science and faith: www.scienceandbelief.org. She helped to develop the Test of FAITH materials for churches and schools which were first launched in 2009: www.testoffaith.com. Her most recent book is God in the Lab: How science enhances faith (2015), and she blogs at www.scienceandbelief.org. Ruth is a trustee of Christians in Science.