This year’s Church of Ireland Theological Lecture at Queen’s University, sponsored by the Board of Education, will be delivered by the Rev Prof David Wilkinson on Tuesday April 2.

The lecture is entitled: Science, Religion and the Search for Extra Terrestrial Intelligence.

The Rev Prof David Wilkinson will deliver the 2019 Theological Lecture at Queen’s University, Belfast.

Prof Wilkinson, BSc, PhD, MA, PhD, FRAS, is the Principal of St John’s College, Durham, and is a renowned writer, broadcaster and theologian.

He trained first as a scientist and then as a theologian. His first PhD was in astrophysics, looking at the process of star and galaxy formation, and mass extinctions. After this he studied theology at Cambridge and became a Methodist minister.

Later he completed a PhD in theology and since then has held a number of different positions at Durham University in apologetics and theology.

He is now Principal of St John’s College and Lecturer in the Department of Theology and Religion, Durham University.

Prof Wilkinson is interested in current culture and has written books relating subjects such as The X-Files and Star Wars to Christianity, as well as a number of other popular level books.

The discovery of exoplanets, alongside new missions to the surface of Mars, has given fresh interest and indeed excitement to the search for extra-terrestrial intelligence. In this lecture, Prof Wilkinson will explore the science of this quest and then ask how it relates to Christian faith, such as the doctrines of creation, image of God and redemption.

Rather than science and theology being in conflict, it will be argued that Christian theology promoted belief in other worlds and can be a fruitful dialogue partner today.

In keeping with the theme, the lecture will this year be hosted in the historic Emeleus Lecture Theatre in Queen’s Old Physics Building on the main QUB campus.

The lecture will begin at 6pm. A tea and coffee reception will be hosted beforehand from 5pm at The Hub Cafe, just a minute’s walk away at the chaplaincy buildings on Elmwood Avenue.

Due to popular demand, it is highly recommended that attendees register for free tickets through Eventbrite.