Science and Religion is a record of the 2009 Building Bridges seminar, a dialogue between leading Christian and Muslim scholars convened annually by the Archbishop of Canterbury. The essays in this volume explore how both faith traditions have approached the interface between science and religion and throw light on the ongoing challenges posed by this issue today. The volume includes a selection of relevant texts together with commentary that illuminates the scriptures, the ideas of key religious thinkers, and also the legacy of Charles Darwin.

The Reverend Dr. David Marshall is the academic director of the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Building Bridges seminar and a research fellow at the Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs at Georgetown University.

Introduction David Marshall

Building Bridges in Istanbul Rowan Williams

Part I: Surveys

Science and the Christian Tradition: A Brief Overview John Hedley Brooke

Science and Religion in the History of Islam Ahmad Dallal

Science and Religious Belief in the Modern World: Challenges and Opportunities Denis Alexander

Part II: Texts and Commentaries

Biblical Texts

    Commentary Ellen F. Davis

    What is Creation? Subtle Insights from Genesis 1 Concerning the Order of the World Michael Welker

Qur'ānic Texts

    Commentary Mustansir Mir

Classical Christian Texts

    Commentary: Science and Religion in the Classical Christian Tradition Emmanuel Clapsis

Classical Islamic Texts

    Commentary: The Importance of al-Ghazālī and Ibn Rushd in the History of Islamic Discourse on Religion and Science Osman Bakar

Charles Darwin

    Introduction to Darwin and the Selected Texts John Hedley Brooke

    Early Arabic Views of Darwin Marwa Elshakry

Modern Islamic Texts

    Introduction to Qutb and al-Sha'rāwī Sherine Hamdy

Pope John Paul II

    Commentary Celia Deane-Drummond

Afterword Rowan Williams

Index