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Zygon: Journal of Religion and Science
Welcome to Zygon: Journal of Religion and Science. Published since 1966, Zygon is dedicated to the manifold interactions between the sciences and human religious and moral convictions. We seek to consider the whole range of the sciences; cosmology and physics, biology and the neurosciences, sociology, psychology, and anthropology. We seek to be open to religious and non-religious perspectives, those rooted in the great traditions such as Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, but also to religious naturalism, secular humanism, and atheism, both variants at home in the Western world and versions elsewhere on our globe. We cover ideas (theories, theologies) as well as practices. We address ethical issues and analyze the history of the differentiation between science and religion and their subsequent interactions.
Zygon’s entire collection of 55 years of articles is available online at https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/14679744. This puts at your fingertips what is surely the richest library of religion-and-science writing available anywhere. About half of our authors are rooted in the sciences; the other half in the humanities, including philosophy, religious studies, and theology. For more information about becoming an author in Zygon please visit https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/page/journal/14679744/homepage/forauthors.html for guidelines.
Zygon’s entire collection of 55 years of articles is available online at https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/14679744. This puts at your fingertips what is surely the richest library of religion-and-science writing available anywhere. About half of our authors are rooted in the sciences; the other half in the humanities, including philosophy, religious studies, and theology. For more information about becoming an author in Zygon please visit https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/page/journal/14679744/homepage/forauthors.html for guidelines.
Statement of Perspective
The word zygon means the yoking of two entities or processes that must work together. It is related to zygote—meaning the union of genetic heritage from sperm and egg, a union which is vital in higher species for the continuation of advancement of life. The journal Zygon provides a forum for exploring ways to unite what in modern times has been disconnected—values from knowledge, goodness from truth, religion from science.
Traditional religions, which have transmitted wisdom about what is of essential value and ultimate meaning as a guide for human living, were expressed in terms of the best understandings of their times about human nature, society, and the world. Religious expression in our time, however, has not drawn similarly on modern science, which has superseded the ancient forms of understanding. As a result religions have lost credibility in the modern mind. Nevertheless some recent scientific studies of human evolution and development have indicated how long-standing religions have evolved well-winnowed wisdom, still essential for the best life.
Zygon’s hypothesis is that, when long-evolved religious wisdom is yoked with significant, recent scientific discoveries about the world and human nature, there results credible expression of basic meaning, values, and moral convictions that provides valid and effective guidance for enhancing human life. Zygon also publishes manuscripts that are critical of this perspective, as long as such papers contribute to a constructive reflection on scientific knowledge, human values, and existential meaning.
Traditional religions, which have transmitted wisdom about what is of essential value and ultimate meaning as a guide for human living, were expressed in terms of the best understandings of their times about human nature, society, and the world. Religious expression in our time, however, has not drawn similarly on modern science, which has superseded the ancient forms of understanding. As a result religions have lost credibility in the modern mind. Nevertheless some recent scientific studies of human evolution and development have indicated how long-standing religions have evolved well-winnowed wisdom, still essential for the best life.
Zygon’s hypothesis is that, when long-evolved religious wisdom is yoked with significant, recent scientific discoveries about the world and human nature, there results credible expression of basic meaning, values, and moral convictions that provides valid and effective guidance for enhancing human life. Zygon also publishes manuscripts that are critical of this perspective, as long as such papers contribute to a constructive reflection on scientific knowledge, human values, and existential meaning.
Sponsoring Organizations
Institute on Religion in an Age of Science (IRAS)
Founded in 1954, IRAS is an ndependent society of natural scientists, social scientists, philosophers, religion scholars, theologians, and others who seek to understand and reformulate the theory and practice of religion in the light of contemporary scientific knowledge. It is both an affiliate society of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and a member of the Council on the Study of Religion, a federation of learned societies in the field of religion.
Center for Advanced Study in Religion and Science (CASIRAS)
Founded in 1972, CASIRAS is an independent society of scholars and scientists from various fields who pursue critical, interdisciplinary studies of possibilities for constructively relating religion and science. In affiliation with the Association of Chicago Theological Schools it offers instruction and research opportunities in the implications of science for religion to seminarians, graduate students, visiting scholars, and faculty.
International Society for Science and Religion (ISSR)
Founded in 2002, ISSR is established for the purpose of the promotion of education through the support of interdisciplinary learning and research in the fields of science and religion conducted where possible in an international and multifaith context. It is registered in the UK as a Company and Charitable Trust.
Joint Publication Board
• Willem B. Drees, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy of the Humanities, Tilburg University, Netherlands• Solomon H. Katz, Professor Emeritus of Anthropology, University of Pennsylvania, USA
• Sarah Lane Ritchie, Program Officer, Philosophy & Theology, John Templeton Foundation, USA• Edwin C. Laurenson, Lawyer, McDermott Will & Emery LLP, New York, USA (president)• Michael J. Reiss, Professor of Science Education, University College London, UK
• Ignacio Silva, Associate Professor, Philosophy Institute, Universidad Austral, Buenos Aires, Argentina (secretary)
• Benjamin M. Stewart, Gordon A. Braatz Associate Professor of Worship, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, USA
• Mladen Turk, Baltzer Distinguished Chair of Theology and Religion, Department of Religious Studies, Elmhurst University, USA• Gayle E. Woloschak, Professor of Radiology and Cell and Molecular Biology, Northwestern University, USA (treasurer)
Editorial Advisory Board
• Thomas Aechtner, Assoc. Prof. in Religion and Science, Univ. of Queensland, Australia• Christina aus der Au, Prof., Pädagogische Hochschule Thurgau, Bishop, Protestant Church of Thurgau, Switzerland• Zainal Abidin Bagir, Center for Religious and Cross-Cultural Studies, Gadjah Mada Univ., Indonesia• Joseph Bulbulia, Prof. of Psychology, Victoria Univ., New Zealand• Na Chen, Research Professor, Center for Social Development, Fudan University, China• Ernst M. Conradie, Senior Prof. of Religion and Theology, Univ. of the Western Cape, South Africa• Rana Dajani, Prof. of Cell Biology, Hashemite University, Jordan
• Helen De Cruz, Danforth Chair in the Humanities, Prof. of Philosophy, Saint Louis University, MO, USA• Frans de Waal, C. H. Candler Prof. of Psychology, Director, Living Links Center, Emory Univ., Atlanta, GA, USA• Terrence Deacon, Prof. of Anthropology, Univ. of California Berkeley, USA• Celia Deane-Drummond, Director, Laudato Si’ Research Institute, Oxford, UK• Elaine Howard Ecklund, Herbert S. Autrey Chair in Social Sciences, Prof. of Sociology, Rice Univ., Houston, TX, USA• Fern Elsdon-Baker, Prof. of Science, Knowledge and Belief in Society, Univ. of Birmingham, UK• Dirk Evers, Prof. of Systematic Theology/Dogmatics, Martin Luther Univ. Halle-Wittenberg, Germany• Owen J. Flanagan, Professor of Neuroscience, Duke Univ., Durham, NC, USA• Mohammed Ghaly, Prof. of Islamic Law and Biomedical Ethics, Center for Islamic Legislation and Ethics, Doha, Qatar• Marcelo Gleiser, Prof. of Physics and Astronomy, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA• Carlos Miguel Gómez Rincón, Assoc. Prof., Theology and Religious Studies, Universidad del Rosario, Bogotá, Colombia
• Ursula Goodenough, Prof. Emerita of Biology, Washington Univ., St. Louis, MO, USA
• Niels Henrik Gregersen, Prof. of Systematic Theology, Univ. of Copenhagen, Denmark
• Nidhal Guessoum, Prof. of Physics and Astronomy, American Univ. of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
• Yuanlin Guo, Prof. of Philosophy, Center for Science, Technology and Society, Tianjin Univ., China
• Mark Harris, Prof. of Natural Science and Theology, Univ. of Edinburgh, UK• Peter Harrison, Prof. Emeritus, Institute for Advanced Studies in the Humanities, Univ. of Queensland, Australia• Antje Jackelén, Archbishop Emerita of the Lutheran Church of Sweden, Sweden• Seung Chul Kim, Director, Nanzan Inst. for Religion and Culture, Nanzan Univ., Japan
• Juan Larraín, Prof. of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Pontifical Catholic Univ. of Chile, Chile• Yu-Ting Lee, Assoc. Prof., East Asian History and Culture, National Taiwan Univ. Taiwan
• Sara Lumbreras, Prof., Institute for Research in Technology, School of Engineering, Comillas Pontifical Univ., Spain• Agnaldo Portugal, Assoc. Prof., Department of Philosophy, Univ. of Brasilia, Brazil
• Fabien Revol, Prof. of Moral Theology of Ecology, Catholic Univ. of Lyon, France• Robert J. Russell, Prof. Emeritus of Theology and Science, Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, CA, USA• Knut-Willy Sæther, Prof. of Religious Studies, Volda Univ. College, Norway• Christopher Southgate, Prof. of Christian Theodicy, Department of Theology and Religion, Univ. of Exeter, UK• Ann Taves, Distinguished Prof. Emerita of Religious Studies, Univ. of California Santa Barbara, USA• Hava Tirosh-Samuelson, Irving and Miriam Lowe Prof. of Modern Judaism, Arizona State Univ., Tempe, AZ, USA• Claudia E. Vanney, Prof. of Physics and Philosophy, Universidad Austral, Argentina• Danie Veldsman, Prof. of Theology, Univ. of Pretoria, South Africa• Wesley J. Wildman, Prof. of Philosophy, Theology, and Ethics, Boston Univ., MA, USA
Staff
Editor:Arthur C. Petersen is Professor of Science, Technology and Public Policy in the Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy (STEaPP) at University College London (UCL) which he joined in September 2014 after more than 13 years’ work as scientific adviser on environment and infrastructure policy within the Dutch Government, including as Chief Scientist of the PBL Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (2011–2014).Professor Petersen is also Research Affiliate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (since 2009). He has been Visiting Professor at the London School of Economics and Political Science (2009–2022), Adjunct Professor of Science and Environmental Public Policy at the VU University Amsterdam (2011–2016), Professorial Fellow in the Governance of Antimicrobial Resistance Risks at the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment – RIVM (2016–2017) and Visiting Fellow in Anthropology of Environmental Infrastructures at Osaka University (2018). In June 2019, he was elected as a Member of Academia Europaea, the European Academy of Humanities, Letters and Sciences.Professor Petersen studied physics and philosophy, obtained doctorate degrees in atmospheric sciences (Doctor of Philosophy - PhD, Utrecht University, 1999), philosophy of science/science and technology studies (Doctor of Public Administration - DPA, VU University Amsterdam, 2006), and theology/science & religion (Doctor of Philosophy - DPhil, University of Oxford, 2022), and now also finds disciplinary homes in international relations (science diplomacy and soft power) and philosophy of culture. Most of his research is about dealing with uncertainty.Professor Petersen has been a member of STEaPP's Leadership Team from 2014–2018 (in 2016–17 he was Acting Head of Department), and again from 2022 (as Director of Education). Former Editors:Ralph Wendell Burhoe (1966-1979), Karl E. Peters (1979-2009), Philip Hefner (1989-2009), and Willem B. Drees (2009-2018) Book Review Editor:Mladen Turk, Elmhurst University, USAAssociate Managing Editor:Tom Harley-Mckeown, Wiley, Oxford, UKEditorial Assistant:Thirisshu Sundar, Wiley, Chennai, IndiaAssistant Treasurer and Chicago Editorial Office Assistant: David M. Glover, Zygon Journal of Religion and Science NFP
Privacy Policy
Zygon: Journal of Religion and Science NFP (collectively, “Zygon, ”“we,” “us” or “our”) recognizes the importance of protecting the personal information collected from users in the operation of its services and taking reasonable steps to maintain the security, integrity and privacy of any information in accordance with this Privacy Policy. By submitting your information to Zygon you consent to the practices described in this policy. If you are less than 18 years of age, then you must first seek the consent of your parent or guardian prior to submitting any personal information. This Privacy Policy describes how Zygon collects and uses the personal information you provide. It also describes the choices available to you regarding our use of your personal information and how you can access and update this information.
How We Collect InformationZygon may collect personal information on you in the following ways:(1) directly from your verbal, written or digital input;(2) indirectly via the websites of our publishing agent (currently Wiley) and our online submission system (currently Manuscript Central).(3) We also may access and register publicly available information, such as information from websites of universities that provides us with information on professional title, area of expertise and contact information.Information We Collect
The types of personal information that Zygon might collect from you may include:• Contact details, such as your name, email address, postal address and telephone number;• Professional academic interests, such as area of expertise and of competence;• Manuscripts of articles and book reviews, whether under review, published, or rejected, and correspondence related to such manuscripts;• Reviews (evaluations) of submitted articles;• Comments, proposals, feedback, posts and other content you provide to us;
Zygon may also receive information about you if you use any of the services associated with the journal as provided by our Publishing Agent, such as Manuscript Central and Wiley Author Services. With respect to such information the Privacy Policy of those organizations has priority. Zygon may also receive information from IRAS, CASIRAS, ISSR or other partners in the field.Use of Your Information
Zygon may use your personal information in the process of selecting papers for its scholarly, peer reviewed journal and for producing, distributing and advertising this journal. In addition, we may use your information to analyze our operations. If used for another purpose, you will be notified in advance.
Articles published are expected to remain available for an indefinite period, with the personal information (name, contact, acknowledgments) you provided therein. Contact information of reviewers and authors, with their area of expertise and their history with Zygon (submissions, reviews) will be retained as long as there is no reason not to expect future submissions or invitations to review. Otherwise, personal information will not be kept longer than is necessary for the purpose for which it was collected. This means that, unless information must be retained for legal or archival purposes, such personal information will be securely destroyed, put beyond use or erased from Zygon’s systems when it is no longer required or, where applicable, following a request from you to destroy or erase your personal information.Disclosure and Sharing of Your Information
Zygon will not disclose to or share your personal information with any unaffiliated third party unless• Where necessary in connection with services provided by third parties that serve our processes of production and distribution of the journal such as Wiley, Manuscript Central, and Wiley Author Services;• Where Zygon is required to disclose personal information in response to lawful requests by public authorities and government agencies, including to meet national security or law enforcement requirements; to comply with a subpoena or other legal process; when we believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, to enforce our Terms of Service, or to protect the rights, property or safety of our services, users or others; and to investigate fraud; and• Where all or substantially all of the business or assets of Zygon relating to our services are sold, assigned, or transferred to another entity. Cross Border TransfersZygon may transfer your personal information outside of your country of residence, outside the country where our office is, and outside the country where the editor resides, when that facilitates the peer review process, the production process, or the distribution and visibility of the journal, and when needed to satisfy reporting requirements.Security
We will use appropriate physical, technical and administrative safeguards to protect your data. Access to your data will be restricted to those who need to know that information to perform their function. Your RightsYou have the right to make a request in writing or by e-mail (by emailing to zygon@lstc.edu) to be informed whether or not we hold or process any of your personal information). In your request, you may:• Request that we provide you with details of your personal information that we possess, the purpose for which it is processed, the recipients of such information, the existence of any automated decision making involving your personal information, and what transfer safeguards we have in place;• Request that we rectify any errors in your personal information;• Request that we delete your personal information in full or in part if our continued processing of such information is not justified;• Request that we transfer your personal information to a third party; and• Object to processing for purposes of scientific, historical research and statistics.
We will not use your personal information for marketing purposes, nor disclose your information to any third parties, unless we have your prior consent. If at any point you wish to review or change your preferences you can indicate so by sending an email to zygon@lstc.edu. Third-PartiesWiley’s websites or services may include links to third-party websites and cookies. In using such links, please be aware that each third-party website is subject to its own privacy and data protection policies and is not covered by our Privacy Policy.Changes to this Privacy Policy
Zygon reserves the right to modify its Privacy Policy at any time without notice. Any changes to the Privacy Policy will be posted on this page and will become effective on the date of posting. We encourage you to periodically review this page for the latest information on our privacy practices. RecourseAny comments, complaints or questions concerning this policy or complaints or objections about our use of your personal information should be addressed first by directing your comments to the Editor-in-chief, via zygon@lstc.edu. If you do not receive timely acknowledgment of your complaint, or if your complaint is not satisfactorily addressed by the Editor-in-Chief, you may appeal to the Joint Publication Board, as listed in the most recent issue of Zygon: Journal of Religion and Science. If thereafter a dispute is not resolved satisfactorily, Zygon will follow the procedures outlined in the Privacy Policy of our publishing agent, Wiley.
The types of personal information that Zygon might collect from you may include:• Contact details, such as your name, email address, postal address and telephone number;• Professional academic interests, such as area of expertise and of competence;• Manuscripts of articles and book reviews, whether under review, published, or rejected, and correspondence related to such manuscripts;• Reviews (evaluations) of submitted articles;• Comments, proposals, feedback, posts and other content you provide to us;
Zygon may also receive information about you if you use any of the services associated with the journal as provided by our Publishing Agent, such as Manuscript Central and Wiley Author Services. With respect to such information the Privacy Policy of those organizations has priority. Zygon may also receive information from IRAS, CASIRAS, ISSR or other partners in the field.Use of Your Information
Zygon may use your personal information in the process of selecting papers for its scholarly, peer reviewed journal and for producing, distributing and advertising this journal. In addition, we may use your information to analyze our operations. If used for another purpose, you will be notified in advance.
Articles published are expected to remain available for an indefinite period, with the personal information (name, contact, acknowledgments) you provided therein. Contact information of reviewers and authors, with their area of expertise and their history with Zygon (submissions, reviews) will be retained as long as there is no reason not to expect future submissions or invitations to review. Otherwise, personal information will not be kept longer than is necessary for the purpose for which it was collected. This means that, unless information must be retained for legal or archival purposes, such personal information will be securely destroyed, put beyond use or erased from Zygon’s systems when it is no longer required or, where applicable, following a request from you to destroy or erase your personal information.Disclosure and Sharing of Your Information
Zygon will not disclose to or share your personal information with any unaffiliated third party unless• Where necessary in connection with services provided by third parties that serve our processes of production and distribution of the journal such as Wiley, Manuscript Central, and Wiley Author Services;• Where Zygon is required to disclose personal information in response to lawful requests by public authorities and government agencies, including to meet national security or law enforcement requirements; to comply with a subpoena or other legal process; when we believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, to enforce our Terms of Service, or to protect the rights, property or safety of our services, users or others; and to investigate fraud; and• Where all or substantially all of the business or assets of Zygon relating to our services are sold, assigned, or transferred to another entity. Cross Border TransfersZygon may transfer your personal information outside of your country of residence, outside the country where our office is, and outside the country where the editor resides, when that facilitates the peer review process, the production process, or the distribution and visibility of the journal, and when needed to satisfy reporting requirements.Security
We will use appropriate physical, technical and administrative safeguards to protect your data. Access to your data will be restricted to those who need to know that information to perform their function. Your RightsYou have the right to make a request in writing or by e-mail (by emailing to zygon@lstc.edu) to be informed whether or not we hold or process any of your personal information). In your request, you may:• Request that we provide you with details of your personal information that we possess, the purpose for which it is processed, the recipients of such information, the existence of any automated decision making involving your personal information, and what transfer safeguards we have in place;• Request that we rectify any errors in your personal information;• Request that we delete your personal information in full or in part if our continued processing of such information is not justified;• Request that we transfer your personal information to a third party; and• Object to processing for purposes of scientific, historical research and statistics.
We will not use your personal information for marketing purposes, nor disclose your information to any third parties, unless we have your prior consent. If at any point you wish to review or change your preferences you can indicate so by sending an email to zygon@lstc.edu. Third-PartiesWiley’s websites or services may include links to third-party websites and cookies. In using such links, please be aware that each third-party website is subject to its own privacy and data protection policies and is not covered by our Privacy Policy.Changes to this Privacy Policy
Zygon reserves the right to modify its Privacy Policy at any time without notice. Any changes to the Privacy Policy will be posted on this page and will become effective on the date of posting. We encourage you to periodically review this page for the latest information on our privacy practices. RecourseAny comments, complaints or questions concerning this policy or complaints or objections about our use of your personal information should be addressed first by directing your comments to the Editor-in-chief, via zygon@lstc.edu. If you do not receive timely acknowledgment of your complaint, or if your complaint is not satisfactorily addressed by the Editor-in-Chief, you may appeal to the Joint Publication Board, as listed in the most recent issue of Zygon: Journal of Religion and Science. If thereafter a dispute is not resolved satisfactorily, Zygon will follow the procedures outlined in the Privacy Policy of our publishing agent, Wiley.