SPRING LUNCHEON LECTURE SERIES OFFERED BY THE INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED THEOLOGY AT BARD COLLEGE EXPLORES THE INTERACTION OF SCIENCE AND RELIGION Series on Wednesdays, May 3, 10, and 17, is presented by Rabbi Lawrence Troster
ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y.—This spring on Wednesdays, May 3, 10, and 17, at 12 noon in the multipurpose room of the Bertelsmann Campus Center, the Institute of Advanced Theology (IAT) at Bard College presents a luncheon lecture series with Rabbi Lawrence Troster, exploring the topic "The Two Books of God: The Interaction of Science and Religion." Preregistration and payment is requested for the luncheon; admission is $12 or $10 for members of the IAT and Bard faculty, students, and staff. (There is no fee required to attend only the lectures that begin at 12:30 p.m.) “This series will look how science and religion have interacted in the past and the present,” explains Rabbi Troster. “The first lecture examines the historical relationship of science and religion from the scientific revolution of the 17th century through today. The second lecture focuses on how modern cosmology has influenced traditional Jewish and Christian theological doctrines of creation.” He concludes, “The third lecture concentrates on how modern physics and biological science have challenged the Biblical view of God’s providence and how modern theology has attempted to find divine action within natural law.” Rabbi Lawrence Troster is the Jewish Chaplain and an associate of the IAT at Bard College. He is a rabbinic fellow of the Coalition on the Environment and Jewish Life (COEJL) and is also the rabbinic scholar in residence for GreenFaith, an interfaith environmental coalition in New Jersey. Troster also serves on the Interfaith Partnership for the Environment of UNEP (United Nations Environment Program) and is also a member of the editorial board of Conservative Judaism. He has published numerous articles and has lectured widely on theology, environmentalism, liturgy, bioethics and Judaism, and modern cosmology. Last year he participated in a UNEP conference in Tehran, Iran, and delivered a paper titled, “The Mountain and the River Valley: Environmentalism as the Foundation of Dialogue Between Civilizations.” Previously, Troster served as adviser to students and an adjunct lecturer in professional skills at the Rabbinical School of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America. He has also served as the rabbi of several congregations in New Jersey and Toronto, Canada. Troster received a B.A. degree from the University of Toronto and an M.A. degree and rabbinic ordination from the Jewish Theological Seminary of America in New York City. The Institute of Advanced Theology (IAT) was established to foster critical understanding based on scholarship, which aims to make true religious pluralism possible. Since its inception in 1996, the Institute’s work has focused on how religions influence history, society, and other religions, and are in turn influenced by them. The Institute gratefully acknowledges support from members of the Institute, the Crohn Family Trust, and Tisch Family Foundation, as well as grants from The Levy Economics Institute and Bard College. For further information and to preregister, call 845-758-7279, e-mail [email protected], or visit www.bard.edu/iat. # # # (4/12/06)Recent Press Releases:
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