John Haught
Encyclopedia
John F. Haught is a Roman Catholic theologian and Senior Research Fellow at the Woodstock Theological Center
at Georgetown University
. His area of expertise is systematic theology
, with a special interest in issues of science, cosmology, ecology, and reconciling evolution and religion. Haught testified against the teaching of intelligent design
in schools due to its religious nature in the case of Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District. Haught was also involved in a controversy over his blocking of the publication of a video of a public debate on the compatibility of science and religion.
in Baltimore
and subsequently received his PhD in theology from The Catholic University of America
in 1970
Haught was the winner of the 2002 Owen Garrigan Award in Science and Religion and the 2004 Sophia Award for Theological Excellence. Additionally, in 2009, in recognition of his work on theology and science, Haught was awarded the degree of Doctor Honoris Causa by the University of Leuven.
, including Deeper Than Darwin: The Prospect for Religion in the Age of Evolution, God After Darwin: A Theology of Evolution, and Responses to 101 Questions on God and Evolution.
for the plaintiffs in the case of Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District
. His opinion was that the effect of the intelligent design
policy adopted by the Dover School board would "be to compel public school science teachers to present their students in biology class information that is inherently religious, not scientific in nature." He also testified that materialism
, the philosophy that only matter exists, is "a belief system, no less a belief system than is intelligent design. And as such, it has absolutely no place in the classroom, and teachers of evolution should not lead their students craftily or explicitly to ... feel that they have to embrace a materialistic world-view in order to make sense of evolution."
and religion
, sharing the stage with Daniel Dennett
at the City University of New York in 2009, Kenneth Miller
at the The New York Academy of Sciences in 2011, and Jerry Coyne
at the University of Kentucky in 2011. After agreeing to be taped for his debate with Coyne, Haught attempted to block release of the videos, objecting primarily to what he saw as ad hominem attacks by Coyne. Taking issue with Coyne's final list of Catholic "evils" as a way to end the presentation, Haught explained that he sought to "protect the public from such a preposterous and logic-offending … presentation." Coyne called Haught's action the "cowardly and intellectually dishonest actions of a theologian". After a strong public reaction, Haught agreed to the release of the video.
Woodstock Theological Center
The Woodstock Theological Center is an independent, nonprofit Catholic theological research institute in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1974, the center takes its name from Woodstock College, a former Jesuit seminary located in Maryland. The center is an affiliate member of the Washington Theological...
at Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
. His area of expertise is systematic theology
Systematic theology
In the context of Christianity, systematic theology is a discipline of Christian theology that attempts to formulate an orderly, rational, and coherent account of the Christian faith and beliefs...
, with a special interest in issues of science, cosmology, ecology, and reconciling evolution and religion. Haught testified against the teaching of intelligent design
Intelligent design
Intelligent design is the proposition that "certain features of the universe and of living things are best explained by an intelligent cause, not an undirected process such as natural selection." It is a form of creationism and a contemporary adaptation of the traditional teleological argument for...
in schools due to its religious nature in the case of Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District. Haught was also involved in a controversy over his blocking of the publication of a video of a public debate on the compatibility of science and religion.
Career
Haught established the Georgetown Center for the Study of Science and Religion. He was the chair of Georgetown's theology department between 1990 and 1995. An evolutionary creationist, Haught views science and religion as two different and noncompeting levels of explanation, asserting "Science and religion cannot logically stand in a competitive relationship with each other."Education and Awards
Haught graduated from St. Mary's Seminary and UniversitySt. Mary's Seminary and University
St. Mary's Seminary and University is a Roman Catholic seminary in Baltimore, Maryland; it was the first seminary founded in the United States of America.-History:...
in Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
and subsequently received his PhD in theology from The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America
The Catholic University of America is a private university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States. It is a pontifical university of the Catholic Church in the United States and the only institution of higher education founded by the U.S. Catholic bishops...
in 1970
Haught was the winner of the 2002 Owen Garrigan Award in Science and Religion and the 2004 Sophia Award for Theological Excellence. Additionally, in 2009, in recognition of his work on theology and science, Haught was awarded the degree of Doctor Honoris Causa by the University of Leuven.
Authorship
He is the author of several books on the creation-evolution controversyCreation-evolution controversy
The creation–evolution controversy is a recurring cultural, political, and theological dispute about the origins of the Earth, humanity, life, and the universe....
, including Deeper Than Darwin: The Prospect for Religion in the Age of Evolution, God After Darwin: A Theology of Evolution, and Responses to 101 Questions on God and Evolution.
Expert witness testimony
Haught testified as an expert witnessExpert witness
An expert witness, professional witness or judicial expert is a witness, who by virtue of education, training, skill, or experience, is believed to have expertise and specialised knowledge in a particular subject beyond that of the average person, sufficient that others may officially and legally...
for the plaintiffs in the case of Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District
Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District
Tammy Kitzmiller, et al. v. Dover Area School District, et al. was the first direct challenge brought in the United States federal courts testing a public school district policy that required the teaching of intelligent design...
. His opinion was that the effect of the intelligent design
Intelligent design
Intelligent design is the proposition that "certain features of the universe and of living things are best explained by an intelligent cause, not an undirected process such as natural selection." It is a form of creationism and a contemporary adaptation of the traditional teleological argument for...
policy adopted by the Dover School board would "be to compel public school science teachers to present their students in biology class information that is inherently religious, not scientific in nature." He also testified that materialism
Materialism
In philosophy, the theory of materialism holds that the only thing that exists is matter; that all things are composed of material and all phenomena are the result of material interactions. In other words, matter is the only substance...
, the philosophy that only matter exists, is "a belief system, no less a belief system than is intelligent design. And as such, it has absolutely no place in the classroom, and teachers of evolution should not lead their students craftily or explicitly to ... feel that they have to embrace a materialistic world-view in order to make sense of evolution."
Public debate
Haught has participated in several public debates about the compatibility of scienceScience
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
and religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
, sharing the stage with Daniel Dennett
Daniel Dennett
Daniel Clement Dennett is an American philosopher, writer and cognitive scientist whose research centers on the philosophy of mind, philosophy of science and philosophy of biology, particularly as those fields relate to evolutionary biology and cognitive science. He is currently the Co-director of...
at the City University of New York in 2009, Kenneth Miller
Kenneth Miller
Kenneth Miller may refer to:* Kenneth Hayes Miller , American painter and teacher* Kenneth R. Miller , U.S. biologist known for his role in the Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District court case...
at the The New York Academy of Sciences in 2011, and Jerry Coyne
Jerry Coyne
-Online articles:* , The New Republic* , The New Republic* , The New Republic* ", The New Republic * -Online articles:* , The New Republic* , The New Republic* , The New Republic* ", The New Republic (Review of Michael Behe's The Edge of Evolution)* -Online articles:* , The New Republic* , The...
at the University of Kentucky in 2011. After agreeing to be taped for his debate with Coyne, Haught attempted to block release of the videos, objecting primarily to what he saw as ad hominem attacks by Coyne. Taking issue with Coyne's final list of Catholic "evils" as a way to end the presentation, Haught explained that he sought to "protect the public from such a preposterous and logic-offending … presentation." Coyne called Haught's action the "cowardly and intellectually dishonest actions of a theologian". After a strong public reaction, Haught agreed to the release of the video.
Books
- The Cosmic Adventure: Science, Religion and the Quest for Purpose, 1984, Paulist Press, ISBN 0-8091-2599-4
- What Is God?: How to Think about the Divine, 1986, Paulist Press, ISBN 0-8091-2754-7
- Science & Religion: From Conflict to Conversation, 1995, Paulist Press, ISBN 0-8091-3606-6
- Science and Religion: In Search of Cosmic Purpose, 2000, Georgetown University Press 2001 reprint: ISBN 0-87840-865-7
- God After Darwin: A Theology of Evolution, 2000, Westview Press 2001 reprint: ISBN 0-8133-3878-6
- 2nd Edition of God After Darwin: A Theology of Evolution, 2008, ISBN 0-8133-4370-4
- Responses to 101 Questions on God and Evolution, 2001, Paulist Press, ISBN 0-8091-3989-8
- In Search of a God for Evolution: Paul Tillich and Pierre Teilhard de Chardin, 2002, American Teilhard Association, ISBN 0-89012-088-9
- Deeper Than Darwin: The Prospect for Religion in the Age of Evolution, 2003, Westview Press, hardcover: ISBN 0-8133-6590-2, paperback: ISBN 0-8133-4199-X
- The Promise of Nature: Ecology and Cosmic Purpose, 2004, Wipf & Stock Publishers, ISBN 1-59244-945-X
- Is Nature Enough?: Meaning and Truth in the Age of Science, May 2006, Cambridge University Press, ISBN 0-521-60993-3
- God and the New Atheism: A Critical Response to Dawkins, Harris, and Hitchens, December 2007, Westminster John Knox Press, ISBN 978-0664233044
- Making Sense of Evolution: Darwin, God and the Drama of Life, forthcoming 2010, Westminster/John Knox Press