Religion and Science

The Great Partnership: God, Science and the Search for Meaning by Jonathan Sacks is the starting point for a conversation between the Chief Rabbi and mathematician Marcus du Sautoy, chaired by Daniel Glaser. They will explore the sometimes fraught relationship between religion and science in different cultures but will more specifically discuss belief and scepticism, open-mindedness and intolerance to the challenge of the other or the unknown. The Chief Rabbi and the atheist mathematician may find they have more in common than expected.  

Jonathan Sacks has been Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth since 1991. He studied philosophy at Cambridge. He has written 24 books up to date and received many honours and prizes. He is also a frequent contributor to radio, television and the national press.  

Marcus du Sautoy is Charles Simonyi Professor for the Public Understanding of Science and Professor of Mathematics at Oxford. He contributes extensively to the media and has made mathematics almost comprehensible to millions. In 2004 he was one of Esquire’s 100 most influential men under 40.

Daniel Glaser is an imaging neuroscientist. He is currently Head of Special Projects in Public Engagement at the Wellcome Trust, Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and the first ‘Scientist in Residence’ at the ICA .