Project
title:
Expanding Science and Religion Dialogue in the Czech Republic.
Abstract:
Under
the repressive conditions of totality (communism) in Czechoslovakia
between 1948-1989, there evolved in the underground some new approaches
to teaching and serving the spiritual needs of the people. One interdisciplinary
theological faculty, founded by Felix M. Davidek, emphasized how knowledge
from science and religion/spirituality could have a cooperative effect.
To understand how such innovative practices and insights could emerge
under an autocratic regime (non-equilibrium conditions), one might
turn to chaos theory. The activity of an apparent helping factor,
“strange attractor”, may assist in the transition to a
more complex, information-enriched state. In today’s Czech Republic,
the question is how to build on innovations from the past, and to
inform and inspire the young generation on their own quests.
Short
biography:
Dr
Mikes is the recipient of several Templeton Grants and instructor
of courses on Science & Religion at Palacky University in Olomouc,
Czech Republic, since 1998. In 1999, he received a Development Grant
and in 2000, he organized the 1st international conference in the
Czech Republic entitled : Science and Religion 2000: From Conflict
to Dialogue, co-sponsored by the European branch of CTNS. At the Theological
Faculty of the same university he founded the Center for Science &
Religion (CENTRUM VAN), of which he is presently the director. He
is experienced in distance education, using video conferencing, listserv,
and live telecasting to supplement his classroom teaching. Dr. Mikes
is the author or co-author of 4 patents, 28 publications in chemistry,
and 8 publications in theology, religion and science.
