His research career has focused on the interaction of religion and science, for which he is most well known. Hefner has held several dozen visiting teaching and lecturing appointments at seminaries, colleges, and universities in the United States, Europe, Africa, and Asia. He is an ordained minister of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, and has taught in numerous Lutheran seminaries in America.
In 1988, Hefner was instrumental in bringing to fruition the vision of Ralph Wendell Burhoe by helping to create the Chicago Center for Religion and Science, which later was renamed the Zygon Center for Religion and Science. He was the first director of the center and remained in that capacity from 1988 until 2003, at which point Antje Jackelén succeeded him.[2] Today the Zygon Center is directed by Lea Schweitz.[3]
He is the former editor for Zygon: Journal of Religion & Science[4] the leading journal of religion and science in the world. He retired as editor at the end of 2008. Dutch scholar Willem B. Drees was named as his successor at the Journal. Hefner was four times co-chair of the annual conference of the Institute on Religion in an Age of Science (IRAS).[5] In this activity he has been a leader in the discussions there on the evolving paradigm of Religious Naturalism.[6] Hefner is a prominent figure in this emergence belief. It distances itself from traditional religions seeing religious aspects in the world which can be appreciated in a naturalistic framework rather than relying on the supernatural. He is an individualist in his approach to it.[7][8]
Hefner writes "A second alternative response, often identified as “religious naturalism,” is composed of a cross-section of people, many of whom are scientists, who are fashioning a religious worldview that is consistent with their personal outlook and/or free of those encumbrances of traditional religion which they consider conceptually anachronistic and morally dangerous. Religious naturalism is a variety of naturalism which involves a set of beliefs and attitudes that there are religious aspects of this world which can be appreciated within a naturalistic framework."[9]
Audrey R. Chapman says of him "Philip Hefner is perhaps the theologian who has grappled the most seriously and explicitly with the evolution of human nature. His approach to this topic, particularly in his work ‘The Human Factor’ is to sacralize the process of evolution....like several other thinkers, Hefner presents a bio-cultural evolutionary paradigm of Homo sapiens...For him, culture is a happening in nature"[10]
The Publications Board of Zygon has established the Philip Hefner Fund to honor the 20 years of outstanding editorial leadership that was demonstrated by Hefner.[13]
Selected worksedit
Hefner Publications
Over 150 scholarly articles, about half of which deal with religion and the natural sciences, while the other half deal with traditional historical and theological issues.
Faith and the Vitalities of History: A Theological Study Based on the Thought of Albrecht Ritschl - Harper and Row, 1966
Changing Man: The Threat and the Promise- Doubleday, 1968
The Promise of Teilhard - Lippincott, 1970
Defining America: A Christian Critique of the American Dream (with Robert Benne) - Fortress Press, 1974
The Human Factor: Evolution, Culture, Religion - Fortress Press, 1993 (Templeton Foundation's Best Books in Religion and Science Award also Good Reads Award)
Biocultural Evolution and the Created Co-Creator - in Ted Peters (ed.), Science and Theology: The New Consonance - Westview Press, 1998
When Worlds Converge: What Science and Religion Tell Us about the Story of the Universe and Our Place in It (with others) - Open Court, 2001, ISBN0-8126-9451-1 (Good Reads Award)
Technology and Human Becoming - Fortress Press, 2003 (Good Reads Award)
Religion-and-Science as Spiritual Quest for Meaning - Pandora Press, 2008
Human Becoming in an Age of Science, Technology, and Faith - Edited by Jason P. Roberts and Mladen Turk - Lexington Books / Fortress Academic, 2022
He translated and edited a volume of Ritschl's shorter writings, Three Essays by Albrecht Ritschl – Fortress Press, 1972. He contributed two essays Creation and Church to the two-volume work, Christian Dogmatics – eds., Carl Braaten and Robert Jenson – Fortress Press, 1984. His 2002 Rockwell lectures, delivered at Rice University, on the theme of the Created Co-Creator were to be published by Trinity International Press.
2006 – Loyal Rue – Religion Is Not About God, Rutgers University Press, July 24, 2006, ISBN0-8135-3955-2
External linksedit
Zygon: Journal of Science and Religion
Zygon Center for Religion and Science
Center for Advanced Studies in Religion and Science (CASIRAS)
January 01, 1970
philip, hefner, 1932, 2024, professor, emeritus, systematic, theology, lutheran, school, theology, chicago, born, 1932, december, 1932denver, coloradodied27, april, 2024, 2024, aged, chicago, illinoisalma, matermidland, universitylutheran, school, theology, ch. Philip Hefner 1932 2024 was a professor emeritus of systematic theology at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago 1 Philip HefnerBorn 1932 12 10 10 December 1932Denver ColoradoDied27 April 2024 2024 04 27 aged 91 Chicago IllinoisAlma materMidland UniversityLutheran School of Theology at ChicagoUniversity of ChicagoScientific careerFieldsSystematic TheologyPhilosophy of Religion Theology of CultureInstitutionsLutheran School of Theology at ChicagoNotable studentsAnn Pederson Anne Kull Mladen Turk Eduardo Cruz Stewart Herman Contents 1 Academic career 2 Legacy 3 Selected works 4 References 5 Further reading 6 External linksAcademic career editHis research career has focused on the interaction of religion and science for which he is most well known Hefner has held several dozen visiting teaching and lecturing appointments at seminaries colleges and universities in the United States Europe Africa and Asia He is an ordained minister of the Evangelical Lutheran Church and has taught in numerous Lutheran seminaries in America In 1988 Hefner was instrumental in bringing to fruition the vision of Ralph Wendell Burhoe by helping to create the Chicago Center for Religion and Science which later was renamed the Zygon Center for Religion and Science He was the first director of the center and remained in that capacity from 1988 until 2003 at which point Antje Jackelen succeeded him 2 Today the Zygon Center is directed by Lea Schweitz 3 He is the former editor for Zygon Journal of Religion amp Science 4 the leading journal of religion and science in the world He retired as editor at the end of 2008 Dutch scholar Willem B Drees was named as his successor at the Journal Hefner was four times co chair of the annual conference of the Institute on Religion in an Age of Science IRAS 5 In this activity he has been a leader in the discussions there on the evolving paradigm of Religious Naturalism 6 Hefner is a prominent figure in this emergence belief It distances itself from traditional religions seeing religious aspects in the world which can be appreciated in a naturalistic framework rather than relying on the supernatural He is an individualist in his approach to it 7 8 Hefner writes A second alternative response often identified as religious naturalism is composed of a cross section of people many of whom are scientists who are fashioning a religious worldview that is consistent with their personal outlook and or free of those encumbrances of traditional religion which they consider conceptually anachronistic and morally dangerous Religious naturalism is a variety of naturalism which involves a set of beliefs and attitudes that there are religious aspects of this world which can be appreciated within a naturalistic framework 9 Audrey R Chapman says of him Philip Hefner is perhaps the theologian who has grappled the most seriously and explicitly with the evolution of human nature His approach to this topic particularly in his work The Human Factor is to sacralize the process of evolution like several other thinkers Hefner presents a bio cultural evolutionary paradigm of Homo sapiens For him culture is a happening in nature 10 Legacy editHefner is a Senior Fellow at the Metanexus Institute where one can find his biography 11 12 The Publications Board of Zygon has established the Philip Hefner Fund to honor the 20 years of outstanding editorial leadership that was demonstrated by Hefner 13 Selected works edit nbsp Hefner PublicationsOver 150 scholarly articles about half of which deal with religion and the natural sciences while the other half deal with traditional historical and theological issues Faith and the Vitalities of History A Theological Study Based on the Thought of Albrecht Ritschl Harper and Row 1966 Changing Man The Threat and the Promise Doubleday 1968 The Promise of Teilhard Lippincott 1970 Defining America A Christian Critique of the American Dream with Robert Benne Fortress Press 1974 The Human Factor Evolution Culture Religion Fortress Press 1993 Templeton Foundation s Best Books in Religion and Science Award also Good Reads Award Natur Weltbild Religion Bavarian Evangelical Press Munich 1995 Biocultural Evolution and the Created Co Creator in Ted Peters ed Science and Theology The New Consonance Westview Press 1998 When Worlds Converge What Science and Religion Tell Us about the Story of the Universe and Our Place in It with others Open Court 2001 ISBN 0 8126 9451 1 Good Reads Award Technology and Human Becoming Fortress Press 2003 Good Reads Award Religion and Science as Spiritual Quest for Meaning Pandora Press 2008 Human Becoming in an Age of Science Technology and Faith Edited by Jason P Roberts and Mladen Turk Lexington Books Fortress Academic 2022 He translated and edited a volume of Ritschl s shorter writings Three Essays by Albrecht Ritschl Fortress Press 1972 He contributed two essays Creation and Church to the two volume work Christian Dogmatics eds Carl Braaten and Robert Jenson Fortress Press 1984 His 2002 Rockwell lectures delivered at Rice University on the theme of the Created Co Creator were to be published by Trinity International Press References edit Faculty Emeriti 1 retrieved 2 26 09 Dr Hefner directed the Zygon Center Zygon Center for Religion and Science Archived from the original on 2009 07 19 Retrieved 2009 02 26 retrieved 2 26 09 Home Zygon Center for Religion and Science Zygon Center for Religion and Science Retrieved 2017 05 08 Hefner retirement 2 retrieved 2 26 09 IRAS conferences Past Conferences Archived from the original on 2009 05 17 Retrieved 2009 02 26 retrieved 2 26 09 Religious Naturalism Discussion Group 3 retrieved 2 26 09 Sectors of Religious Naturalism Archived from the original on 2012 03 21 Retrieved 2011 03 31 Phil Hefner systematic theologian Archived 2010 12 07 at the Wayback Machine retrieved 3 30 2011 Zygon From the Editor Archived 2009 03 10 at the Wayback Machine Audrey R Chapman Unprecedented Choices Religious Ethics at the Frontiers of Genetic Science Fortress Press 1999 ISBN 0 8006 3181 1 Hefner Biography 4 retrieved 9 27 12 Metanexus Senior Fellow 5 retrieved 9 27 12 Philip Hefner Fund 6 retrieved 2 26 09Further reading edit2010 Michael Hogue The Promise of Religious Naturalism Rowman amp Littlefield Publishers Inc Sept 16 2010 ISBN 0 7425 6261 1 2009 Willem B Drees Religion and Science in Context A Guide to the Debates Routledge 1 edition October 16 2009 ISBN 978 0 415 55617 0 2008 Jerome A Stone Religious Naturalism Today The Rebirth of a Forgotten Alternative State University of New York Press December 2008 ISBN 0 7914 7538 7 2006 Loyal Rue Religion Is Not About God Rutgers University Press July 24 2006 ISBN 0 8135 3955 2External links editZygon Journal of Science and Religion Zygon Center for Religion and Science Center for Advanced Studies in Religion and Science CASIRAS Religious Naturalism Information Religious Naturalist Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Philip Hefner amp 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