Oxford Theologian-Scientist Andrew Davison to Speak on Life Beyond Earth and the Doctrine of Creation

The Stanley Jaki Academy for Theology and Science and the Seton Hall University chapter of the Society of Catholic Scientists are delighted to welcome Reverend Professor Andrew Davison, one of the leading scholars in the dialogue between science and religion. The Academy, a collaborative initiative of Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology, the College of Arts and Sciences and the Center for Catholic Studies, advances research, teaching and public dialogue at the intersection of theology and the sciences. The Seton Hall chapter of the international Society of Catholic Scientists brings together Catholic scientists and students for fellowship and intellectual exchange, witnessing to the harmony of faith and reason.

Reverend Davison serves as Regius Professor of Divinity at the University of Oxford and a residentiary canon of Christ Church Anglican Cathedral. His academic formation encompasses both the natural sciences and theology. He earned a D.Phil. in Biochemistry from Oxford and a Ph.D. in Medieval Theology from the University of Cambridge. Before assuming his current appointment in 2024, he was Starbridge Professor of Theology and Natural Sciences at Cambridge. An Anglican priest, he brings experience in parish ministry alongside his interdisciplinary scholarship.

Reverend Davison’s research includes Christian doctrine, Thomistic metaphysics and the theological significance of contemporary developments in biology and artificial intelligence. His book, Astrobiology and Christian Doctrine: Exploring the Implications of Life in the Universe (Cambridge University Press, 2023), examines how the possibility of extraterrestrial life bears upon central questions of Christian faith. His Seton Hall lecture, “Life Beyond Earth and the Doctrine of Creation,” will explore how Scripture and Christian theology illuminate the vastness of the universe and the possibility of life elsewhere within it. Central to this inquiry is the doctrine of creation, which affirms that all things receive their existence from God. This teaching provides a foundation for considering the richness and diversity of life that the universe may contain, as well as humanity’s place within God’s creation.

The lecture will take place from 3 to 4:30 p.m., Monday, May 10, 2027, in the Chancellor’s Suite of the Bishop Dougherty University Center. Students, faculty, administrators, clergy and members of the wider community are warmly invited to attend. Additional information and registration are available on the University event page.

Categories: Community Engagement, Faith and Service, Science and Technology