Robert C. Newman, professor emeritus of New Testament and Christian Evidences at Biblical Theological Seminary, Hatfield, Pa., will speak on “Belief and Physics: Some Lessons from the Ancient Greeks” at the final Suter Science Seminar of fall semester.
Dr. Newman will speak 4 p.m. Friday, Dec. 7, in room 104 of the Suter Science Center.
The speaker will suggest some ways that current theories in modern physics should be tested against “a strong interaction between metaphysical belief and the practice of physics among ancient Greek philosophers from Thales to Aristotle.”
This interaction “went both directions,” Newman notes, as metaphysical views suggested – and inhibited – questions and approaches to the physical realm, and physical observations and experiments favored or disfavored various metaphysical views.
Background in Astrophysics
Newman earned a PhD in astrophysics at Cornell University, an MDiv from Faith Theological Seminary and an STM degree from Biblical Theological Seminary where he previously taught and directed the Interdisciplinary Biblical Research Institute there.
Newman has been national president of the Evangelical Theological Society (1996, a fellow of the American Scientific Affiliation where he chaired the commission on creation. He is co-author with Herman Eckelmann of “Genesis One” and the “Origin of the Earth” (InterVarsity Press).
Dr. Darla Schumm, assistant professor of religious studies at Hollins University, Roanoke, Va., will speak at the first Suter Science Seminar of second semester Jan. 21, 2008 at EMU.
Admission to the program is free. Refreshments will be served 15 minutes prior to the presentation.
For more information, contact Dr. Roman J. Miller at 540-432-4412; e-mail millerrj@emu.edu.