Purpose—IRAS () is an independent society of scientists, philosophers, religion scholars, theologians, and others who want to understand the role of religion in our dynamic scientific world.
Activities—Each year IRAS organizes a week‐long conference. Topics are selected to be relevant to current scientific thinking and to fundamental religious questions. (IRAS members pay a reduced rate for conference registration.)
IRAS organizes events at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), and IRAS members help organize sessions at the American Academy of Religion (AAR). IRAS has sponsored more than two hundred fifty meetings at universities, colleges, and theological schools.
IRAS members may also join the lively online discussion group, and thus learn about new developments and publications, express their views, and become familiar with those of others.
Publications—Zygon: Journal of Religion and Science and IRAS Newsletter. IRAS members receive subscriptions to these publications free of additional charge.
Special Relationship—Affiliated Society, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).
Membership Dues
Membership is very attractive for those interested in Zygon: Journal of Religion and Science. The membership fee for IRAS for individual members, including Zygon, online and print, is lower than the U.S. rate for an individual subscription to Zygon! An even lower rate is available for those who prefer to have Zygon online only! And new members receive an additional discount in their first year of membership! There is also a discount for student members! For full details, see .
Invitation to Join—You are most welcome to join IRAS, the Institute on Religion in an Age of Science. For further information and an application write to:
Dan Solomon
6434 North Mozart Street
Chicago, IL 60645
USA
dan.solomon.45@gmail.com
Tel: 888‐673‐3537
The “Wicked Problem” of Climate Change: What Is It Doing to Us and for Us?
The 63rd Conference of the Institute on Religion in an Age of Sciencein Partnership with the Parliament of the World's Religions June 24–July 1, 2017, Star Island off Portsmouth, NH
Organized by Emily E. Austin, austin.emily@gmail.com and Karl Peters, kpeters396@cox.net (Co‐chairs), and Paul H. Carr, paul.carr2@comcast.net (Conference Champion).
Climate change is a “wicked problem” with causes and consequences in economic, ecological, ethical, and technological realms. As climate change continues to alter our planet, how can we use this monumental change as an opportunity for societal and spiritual transformation?
“Uncertainty and ambiguity emerge here as resources, because they force us to confront those things we really want—not safety in some distant and contested future, but justice and self‐understanding now.” – Sheila Jananoff
What is the way forward? We must confront climate change as a planetary community. It affects every institution, society, public policy, culture, and ecosystem into the foreseeable future. Every possible course of action intertwines with issues of international and intra‐societal economic and social justice. Climate change is a multigenerational, transnational “wicked problem” with no single, simple solution.
PLENARY DIALOGUE SPEAKERS :
Can World Food Production Keep Up with Population Growth?
Soloman Katz, Anthropology and World Food Problems, University of Pennsylvania.
Barry Costa‐Pierce, Marine Sciences, University of New England, Maine.
Maintaining Hope, Acting for Justice
Barbara R. Rossing, Biblical Studies, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago
Carol Wayne White, Philosophy of Religion, Bucknell University
Creation Sprituality and How the Crisis of Climate Change Challenges Our Species to a New Evolutionary Awakening
Matthew Fox, Institute in Culture and Creation Spirituality
Ellen Kennedy, Sacred Circle Dance
Changing Course: How Social Brain Empathy and Politically Viable Technology Can Impact Climate Change
Bill Shoemaker, Neuroscience, University of Connecticut Health Center
Jim Rubens, Green Energy Investor, former NH State Senator, U.S. Senate Candidate
CHAPLAIN: Mary E. Westfall Community Church, UCC, Durham, NH.
SCIENCE SPEAKERS :
What Are We Doing to Our Climate? What Is It Doing to Us?
Paul H. Carr Conference Champion, IEEE Life Fellow .
Ocean Climate Change
Robert S. Pickart, physical oceanography, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI)
Terrestrial Carbon Transformations
Emily E. Austin, ecosystem ecology and biogeochemistry, University of New Hampshire
Coming to terms with what the “wicked problem” of rapid climate change might do for us will take creativity, imagination, and complex interdisciplinary thinking of organizations like IRAS .
CALL FOR PAPERS :
In addition to invited speakers such as those above we also invite the submission of paper or poster proposals. Proposals of no more than 250 words should be sent by email to Paulene Candaux before February 15, 2017, pcandaux@gmail.com. Please put “IRAS Proposal—[your last name]” in the subject line of the email. Proposals will be blind‐reviewed by a three‐person committee. There will be full and partial scholarships for the top papers.
For more information, visit the IRAS website .
To register, please contact Marion Griswold, Registrar, at mbgriswold@yahoo.com . For instructions on how to register online, go to and click on 2017 CONFERENCE or go to starisland.org.