News

Regent College is delighted to announce that Dr. Ross Hastings (Sangwoo Youtong Chee Professor of Theology) and Dr. David Robinson (Adjunct Professor of Theology and Ethics) have been selected to participate in the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion (DoSER) “Science for Seminaries” project for 2020/2021.

The Science for Seminaries project, which is run in partnership with the Association of Theological Schools (ATS), supports theological graduate schools across North America as they seek to cultivate an integrative approach to science and theology. As participants in the 2020–2021 Cohort, Dr. Hastings and Dr. Robinson will connect with other interdisciplinary scholars across North America, benefitting from a robust network of theological and scientific communities.

Regent’s commitment to integrative theology has long encouraged exploration of the relationship between science and theological education. The grant funds provided through the Science for Seminaries project will support the further development of this exploration through a new initiative, Regent Interface: Engaging Science in Ministry Education. Regent Interface will equip the College’s diverse student body, ranging from ministers to marine biologists, for mature and nuanced engagement with important questions relating to science and theology.

Dr. Robinson, who serves as Project Co-Leader for this initiative, shared his delight over Regent’s involvement in the Science for Seminaries 2020/2021 Cohort:

“This grant will give students access to cutting-edge science in the core curriculum, with a particular focus on ministry education. We plan to host prominent scientists who will speak about their latest work as well as how they practice science as a Christian vocation. We will also develop our network with like-minded organizations that are doing the most creative work at this exciting intersection. This grant will strengthen Regent’s ability to equip future pastors to engage constructively with the latest scientific findings.”

Project Leader Dr. Hastings echoed this enthusiasm, adding, “I am so grateful for the Science for Seminaries initiative. It will continue to raise the profile of the theology/science interface––both at Regent and on into the church!”

Dr. Ross Hastings holds PhDs in organometallic chemistry (Queen’s University, Kingston) and theology (University of St Andrews, Scotland). He has extensive pastoral experience, most recently serving for eleven years as a senior pastor at Peace Portal Alliance in White Rock, BC. His teaching interests include pastoral theology, theology and spirituality of mission, and the interface between science and theology.

Dr. David Robinson (PhD, University of Edinburgh) previously served as the Post-Doctoral Fellow in Theology and Science at Regent College (2018–19), a role which included directing the College’s inaugural Interface lecture series. He is a Regent alumnus (MDiv ’08) with several years of pastoral experience. His teaching interests include philosophical theology, pastoral theology, and Christian ethics.

Together, Dr. Hastings and Dr. Robinson bring exceptional interdisciplinary and complementary gifts to their teaching, helping curious students grow in appreciation of God’s complex world. We are thrilled that the AAAS DoSER Science for Seminaries program will empower both faculty and students as we grow in faith and knowledge.

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The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is the world’s largest general scientific society and publisher of the Science family of journals. AAAS was founded in 1848 and includes 261 affiliated societies and academies of science, serving millions of individuals. Science has the largest paid circulation of any peer-reviewed general science journal in the world, with an estimated total readership of 1 million. The nonprofit AAAS is open to all and fulfills its mission to “advance science and serve society” through initiatives in science policy, international programs, science education, public engagement, and more. Building upon its mission, AAAS established the Dialogue on Science, Ethics, and Religion (DoSER) program in 1995 to facilitate communication between scientific and religious communities. For the latest information and news about AAAS DoSER and the Science for Seminaries Project, visit AAAS.org/DoSER and ScienceforSeminaries.org.