The Secret History Of Science And Religion

Episodes

EpisodeTitleFirst
Broadcast
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01The Nature Of The Beast2019062120200211 (R4)Nick Spencer explores the history of the relationship between science and religion and questions the received wisdom that they have always been in conflict with one another. He tells the story of science and religion not as if they were big, abstract ideas but as it happened, through the lives and cultures of different people and different times. From the Islamic 'Golden Age' to Galileo, he examines how they were engaged in the exploration of the natural world between the 8th and 17th centuries to discover where the fault lines began to emerge.

Contributors:

John Holmes - Professor of Victorian literature and culture at Birmingham University;

John Hedley Brooke - Historian of Science and author of "Science and Religion: Some Historical Perspectives";

Fern Elsdon-Baker - Professor of Science, Knowledge and Belief in Society at the University of Birmingham;

Peter Harrison - Professor in the History of Science at the University of Queensland and author of `The Territories of Science and Religion`;

Jamil Ragep - Professor of the History of Science in Islamic Societies at McGill University in Montreal;

James Hannam - Author of "God's Philosophers: How the Medieval World Laid the Foundations of Modern Science";

Jack Cunningham - Reader in Ecclesiastical History at Bishop Grosseteste University, Lincoln;

Tom McLeish - Professor of Natural Philosophy at the University of York;

Dava Sobel - Author of "Galileo's Daughter: A Historical Memoir of Science, Faith, and Love".

Producer: Dan Tierney

Series Editor: Christine Morgan

Nick Spencer examines the historical relationship between science and religion.

Nick Spencer explores the history of the relationship between science and religion and questions the received wisdom that they have always been in conflict with one another. He tells the story of science and religion not as if they were big, abstract ideas but as it happened, through the lives and cultures of different people and different times. From the Islamic 'Golden Age' to Galileo, he examines how they were engaged in the exploration of the natural world between the 8th and 17th centuries to discover where the fault lines began to emerge.

Contributors:

John Holmes - Professor of Victorian literature and culture at Birmingham University;

John Hedley Brooke - Historian of Science and author of "Science and Religion: Some Historical Perspectives";

Fern Elsdon-Baker - Professor of Science, Knowledge and Belief in Society at the University of Birmingham;

Peter Harrison - Professor in the History of Science at the University of Queensland and author of `The Territories of Science and Religion`;

Jamil Ragep - Professor of the History of Science in Islamic Societies at McGill University in Montreal;

James Hannam - Author of "God's Philosophers: How the Medieval World Laid the Foundations of Modern Science";

Jack Cunningham - Reader in Ecclesiastical History at Bishop Grosseteste University, Lincoln;

Tom McLeish - Professor of Natural Philosophy at the University of York;

Dava Sobel - Author of "Galileo's Daughter: A Historical Memoir of Science, Faith, and Love".

Producer: Dan Tierney

Series Editor: Christine Morgan

Nick Spencer examines the historical relationship between science and religion.

02Rumours Of War2019062820200218 (R4)Nick Spencer explores the history of the relationship between science and religion and questions the received wisdom that they have always been in conflict with one another. He tells the story of science and religion not as if they were big, abstract ideas but as it happened, through the lives and cultures of different people and different times. From Newton to Darwin via Voltaire and Descartes he examines the fault lines during times of social and political upheaval in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Contributors:

Robert Iliffe - Professor of History of Science at Oxford University and author of "Priest of Nature: the Religious Worlds of Isaac Newton";

Peter Harrison - Professor in the History of Science at the University of Queensland and author of `The Territories of Science and Religion`;

John Hedley Brooke - Historian of Science and author of "Science and Religion: Some Historical Perspectives";

Thomas Dixon - Professor of History at Queen Mary University of London;

Ruth Barton - Honorary Research Fellow in History at the University of Auckland and author of "The X Club: Power and Authority in Victorian Science";

Bernard Lightman - Professor of Humanities and Science and Technology Studies at York University in Toronto;

John Holmes - Professor of Victorian literature and culture at Birmingham University.

Producer: Dan Tierney

Series Editor: Christine Morgan

Nick Spencer examines the historical relationship between science and religion.

Nick Spencer explores the history of the relationship between science and religion and questions the received wisdom that they have always been in conflict with one another. He tells the story of science and religion not as if they were big, abstract ideas but as it happened, through the lives and cultures of different people and different times. From Newton to Darwin via Voltaire and Descartes he examines the fault lines during times of social and political upheaval in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Contributors:

Robert Iliffe - Professor of History of Science at Oxford University and author of "Priest of Nature: the Religious Worlds of Isaac Newton";

Peter Harrison - Professor in the History of Science at the University of Queensland and author of `The Territories of Science and Religion`;

John Hedley Brooke - Historian of Science and author of "Science and Religion: Some Historical Perspectives";

Thomas Dixon - Professor of History at Queen Mary University of London;

Ruth Barton - Honorary Research Fellow in History at the University of Auckland and author of "The X Club: Power and Authority in Victorian Science";

Bernard Lightman - Professor of Humanities and Science and Technology Studies at York University in Toronto;

John Holmes - Professor of Victorian literature and culture at Birmingham University.

Producer: Dan Tierney

Series Editor: Christine Morgan

Nick Spencer examines the historical relationship between science and religion.

03On The Origin Of Humans2019070520200225 (R4)Nick Spencer explores the history of the relationship between science and religion and questions the received wisdom that they have always been in conflict with one another. He tells the story of science and religion not as if they were big, abstract ideas but as it happened, through the lives and cultures of different people and different times. From The Scopes Monkey trial in the US to the present day polarisation in Britain he argues that at its heart, the story has less to do with the existence of God, or the age of the earth, or even the origins of life, and much more to do with how we think of ourselves as human beings.

Contributors:

Ed Larson - Historian and author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning "Summer for the Gods: The Scopes Trial and America's Continuing Debate Over Science and Religion";

John Hedley Brooke - Historian of Science and author of "Science and Religion: Some Historical Perspectives";

Elaine Howard Ecklund - Professor of Sociology at Rice University in Texas;

Rev David Wilkinson - Professor and Principal of St John's College Durham and Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society;

Steve Jones - Emeritus Professor of Genetics at University College London and fellow of the Royal Society;

Fern Elsdon-Baker - Professor of Science, Knowledge and Belief in Society at Birmingham University;

Hannah Malcolm - Coordinator of "God and the Big Bang" project;

Michael Harvey - Director of "God and the Big Bang" project.

Producer: Dan Tierney

Series Editor: Christine Morgan

Nick Spencer examines the historical relationship between science and religion.

Nick Spencer explores the history of the relationship between science and religion and questions the received wisdom that they have always been in conflict with one another. He tells the story of science and religion not as if they were big, abstract ideas but as it happened, through the lives and cultures of different people and different times. From The Scopes Monkey trial in the US to the present day polarisation in Britain he argues that at its heart, the story has less to do with the existence of God, or the age of the earth, or even the origins of life, and much more to do with how we think of ourselves as human beings.

Contributors:

Ed Larson - Historian and author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning "Summer for the Gods: The Scopes Trial and America's Continuing Debate Over Science and Religion";

John Hedley Brooke - Historian of Science and author of "Science and Religion: Some Historical Perspectives";

Elaine Howard Ecklund - Professor of Sociology at Rice University in Texas;

Rev David Wilkinson - Professor and Principal of St John's College Durham and Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society;

Steve Jones - Emeritus Professor of Genetics at University College London and fellow of the Royal Society;

Fern Elsdon-Baker - Professor of Science, Knowledge and Belief in Society at Birmingham University;

Hannah Malcolm - Coordinator of "God and the Big Bang" project;

Michael Harvey - Director of "God and the Big Bang" project.

Producer: Dan Tierney

Series Editor: Christine Morgan

Nick Spencer examines the historical relationship between science and religion.