Boyle Lecture 2025—Science, Technology, Theology, and Spirituality: A Necessary Partnership?
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: This is an accepted article with a DOI pre-assigned that is not yet published.The 2025 Boyle Lecture explores the partnership between science, technology, theology, and spirituality in addressing contemporary challenges. Reflecting on historical and modern dynamics, the author emphasizes the need for transdisciplinary collaboration to avoid cultural poverty and handle the current polycrisis in a world prone to polarization, populism, protectionism, post-truth, and patriarchy. The lecture offers a brief sketch of the development of the science-and-religion field and underlines the importance of including spiritual perspectives into the discourse. Drawing on Sigmund Freud, the author describes the impact of artificial intelligence on humanity as a fourth narcissistic insult and discusses four alternatives to approach this new existential threat. Two examples of the “added value” of including spirituality in religion-and-science are provided: healing the injustices of colonialism by bringing together neuroscience and theology with religious symbols, rituals, and narratives; dealing with the climate crisis more holistically by including spiritual sustainability alongside ecological, economic, and social dimensions. The lecture concludes by describing a spirituality of hope.
Source: Zygon®
DOI: 10.16995/zygon.23415
Author: Antje Jackelén
Institution: Lund University
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,630
OpenAlex ID: W4409398101