Faith and Reason: A Lecture from Russell Berman on Religion and Science
Faith and Reason: A Lecture on Religion and Science
Join us at the Commonwealth Club for a lecture from Russell Berman, Professor in German Studies and Comparative Literature at Stanford and a Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution.
"The San Francisco Bay Area is arguably the seat of the most significant techno-scientific revolution in centuries. We live in the center of reason. Yet at the same time there are signs of renewed interest in religion, not only locally but across the country. How can we understand this 'turning point?'
The competition between faith and reason has been a constant theme in the Enlightenment legacy, and the emancipation of science from religious control–Galileo!–has been a central part of its heroic narrative. In this lecture I will share my observations on this conflict from my experiences at Stanford, and the national context of attacks on places of worship. We have to do better than denouncing people for “clinging to guns and religion.” To do so, I will look closely at Pope Benedict’s account of reason and faith (especially in his Regensburg Address), Leo Strauss’ treatment as the tension between the poles as constitutive of western identity, and the popularity of novels about religion in American life (Marilynne Robinson, Leif Enger)."
The lecture will be followed by a moderated discussion with Peter Robinson, the Murdoch Distinguished Policy Fellow at the Hoover Institution, a former speechwriter for President Ronald Reagan (he wrote the historic Berlin Wall address in which President Reagan called on General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev to "tear down this wall!"), and the host of Uncommon Knowledge.
Agenda:
5:30pm-6:00pm Arrive (Lecture will start at 6pm sharp - we recommend arriving at 5:30-45 for best seating)
6:00pm-7:00pm Lecture
7:00pm-8:00pm Moderated Discussion and Q&A
8:00pm-8:30pm Reception (light snacks and drinks)
The event will be hosted at the Commonwealth Club. The evening is off-the-record and recordings are not allowed. Seats are limited, so please RSVP only if you are committed to attending.
The lecture is organized by the Cypress Society, an organization devoted to reviving the Western tradition of the public lecture and offer a rigorous exploration of ideas in the public interest - open to all and at no cost.
We are grateful for the support of Jake Greenspan, Charles Yang, Plymouth Street, and others whose generosity made this event possible.