Revisiting and Reimaging the Relationships between Science and Religion
28th - 31st May Halifax Hall Sheffield & Hybrid

The 2025 Anniversary conference celebrates 50 years of the Science and Religion Forum. The conference doesn't pose the question of whether science and religion can interact but how and where they are in dialogue. The conference is taking a broad look at the the ongoing points of connection and dissonance between science and religion. This includes questions on the interaction of indigenous knowledge with science and technology, the role of religion in tackling global issues such as sustainability, and how questions of science-and-religion are addressed in education. We welcome papers that engage critically with established/historic positions on science-and-religion as well as those that look forward to the upcoming opportunities and challenges.

We are delighted to be partnering with the Hibbert Trust to offer conference and/or accommodation bursaries to those who would otherwise be unable to attend. For full details see the bursary page on the conference website.

We want you to help us reimagine the science and religion landscape in 2025!

28th May evening: Public Gowland Lecture
29th May - 31st May: Main Conference
30th May: Formal Conference Dinner

Confirmed Keynote Speakers (see website for draft programme)

Thursday 29th

Dr Nathan Bossoh, University of Southampton - Lecture Topic: Science, belief, and global knowledge exchange in the British Empire

Prof. Bob Bowie, Canterbury Christ Church University; Dr Liam Guilfoyle, University of Oxford; Prof. Michael Reiss, UCL - Round Table Topic: Big Questions in Science-and-Religion Education

Friday 30th

Keynotes tbc

Saturday 31st

Keynotes tbc


The Call for Papers closes 28th February 2025.
On Site Registration Closes 16th April at Noon BST; Online Registration closes 25th May at Noon BST

We invite submissions which engage with any issue at the intersection of science and (any) religion. Whilst continuing to value the Christian origins of the Forum, we particularly welcome papers that engage with science and religion from Eastern Orthodox, and non-Christian perspectives which are historically under-represented at our conferences. We encourage speakers to engage directly with the theme "revisiting and reimagining" the relationship. This may include (but is not limited to):

​1. Approaches that engage critically with the (continued?) relevance of established/historic positions

2. Addressing underrepresented voices in the sector (including issues related to colonisation, gender, and/or indigenous religions/science)

3. Questions of inter/multi disciplinary research including religion and social sciences and/or science-and-religion education.

4. Those that look forward to the upcoming opportunities and challenges science-and-religion.​​

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Submissions are invited for traditional papers, round table discussions, or interactive workshops related to the conference theme. Works-in-Progress may be submitted for paper and round table sessions. Paper sessions are 30mins, round tables & workshops are 45mins. Timings include any Q&A [please note final timings many be adjusted slightly to ensure a good flow to the conference - speakers will be notified in good time if this occurs].

​Students and ECRs may also apply for/be invited to present a "new voices" paper. These are lightning 10minute presentations + 10mins Q&A designed to share an aspect of research, or prompt a discussion. It is expected that "new voices" papers will be works-in-progress.

​All Submissions MUST engage with the intersection of science and religion. This engagement may include natural or social sciences. Ethnographic/sociological studies that address scientists' engagement with faith or how people of faith engage with science also fall within the remit of this call.​

​​This will be a hybrid conference and we welcome submissions for online delivery to support accessibility of the conference. We will aim to balance online and on site presentations to ensure a mix across the full conference.