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United States
The Stetson Center for Science, Nature, and the Sacred
Department of Religious Studies, Stetson University
Deland, Florida
The core group of this Center consists of university faculty, students, and staff along with interested persons in Volusia County, Florida. The group is affiliated with the Stetson University Values Council, the central administrative means by which university values are embodied. The society sponsors nine monthly events that give balanced attention to scientific and spiritual perspectives of nature through the lens of the world’s major faith traditions and discoveries in the natural sciences. Conversations invite many voices from the physical and biological sciences as well as input and writings from theologians, philosophers, and scientists engaged in fundamental questions of cosmos, theos, and anthropos. Program elements include: public presentations from noted speakers, book and article discussion groups, panel and roundtable discussions, film series, and a website to encourage further conversation, networking, and research. Some speakers will also meet with university classes and other local and campus groups during their visits. The society also encourages student-faculty research projects in student majors, the University’s Research Experience (an 8-week summer program), and Student Research in Science and Religion (a program housed in the American Studies Department). In keeping with the interfaith theme of the initiative, meetings are followed by light hors d’oeuvres from various faith traditions. Stetson University provides matching funds.