It has slowly dawned on Science and Religion scholars over the last 5 years or more that the supposed universality of the old paradigm of what might be called 'Science and Religion 101' is almost certainly no such thing but is largely a product of Western elite assumptions about power, privilege and the production of knowledge in the Minority World. This realisation has led to another: that the academic study of Science and Religion says little to ordinary human beings about their lived realities of religious faith, nor of scientific practice, neither in the Majority nor the Minority Worlds.
A new consensus is emerging in the academic field of Science and Religion, which emphasises the contingent and context-dependent nature of the relationship between science and religion. It is also becoming clear how the old paradigm on Science and Religion is not only alien to many peoples outwith American and European elite perspectives but has actually been used to reinforce patriarchal and colonial abuses of power in the Majority World.
Scholars at the Ian Ramsey Centre for Science and Religion at the University of Oxford are now beginning to cast around for ways to test and revise Science and Religion 101 in Majority World contexts. We are looking to establish a network of partners (individuals, university groups, churches, etc) from many different cultural contexts, who are similarly interested and concerned to push the envelope of Science and Religion 101.
We are hosting an initial ground-breaking workshop in Oxford in 5-7 May 2026 when we can hear stories, reflect together, and plan possible futures.
This conference is invitation-only for speakers, but we have a limited number of places for other academics, researchers, and practitioners who are interested in attending the sessions. If you are interested in attending, please email your CV and a brief explanation of your interest (c.100 words) to irc.admin@theology.ox.ac.uk.
