With many people in our church congregation who work at the University or in the field of medicine, I know that this will be of interest to quite a few at St Paul's.
Most of day will be based in the laboratory where all comers will have the chance to extract DNA, try to solve a crime using DNA technology, and to engage in real ethical scenarios raised by the emerging science – some of which, including DNA fingerprinting, were discovered in Leicester.
Scientists and ethicists will speak about their work and Bishop Tim Stevens, Bishop of Leicester will conclude the day by chairing a panel of thinkers including Professor Annette Cashmore (Director of GENIE Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning in Genetics and Sub-Dean, Faculty of Medicine and Biological Sciences, Leicester University) , Revd Mark Bratton (Senior Chaplain University of Warwick and Editor of God, ethics and the human genome, CHP, 2009)and Revd Dr Malcolm Brown (Director of Mission and public Affairs for the Church of England).
As the promotional material says, "Leicester Cathedral is seeking to build good partnerships with other places of learning, including the universities which are deemed to be some of the best in the country. Medicine and biomedical sciences are very significant areas of study in the east midlands with significant numbers of Christians working in these fields. Yet the dialogue between faith and science often does not take place or it is stifled as a result of the crude backdrop created by Richard Dawkins and others. This is an opportunity for any Christian with an enquiring mind to experience the world of science and then to actively try to connect that world with their faith and therefore it is not restricted to ‘professional Christians’ or those within accredited ministries."
For information: Faith and the human genome flyer
Or Contact Canon David Monteith, Canon Chancellor at Leicester Cathedral 0116 248 7463 david.monteith@leccofe.org or at the University Jenny Pickard jha4@le.ac.uk 0116 252 3319
Cost: £10 including lunch
Venue: Maurice Shock Building, University of Leicester
