A South African theoretical cosmologist, Dr. Ellis has written numerous scientific books, including The Moral Nature of the Universe, co-authored with Nancey Murphy, and The Large Scale Structure of Space-Time, co-authored with Dr. Steven Hawking. Ultimately his work as a scientist and activist won him the 2004 Templeton Prize and acclaim from President Nelson Mandela in the post-apartheid era. In this talk, Dr. Ellis addressed some of the provocative spiritual issues emerging from the field of neuroscience.

Dr. Ellis gave a rather lacklustre performance, however, unexcitingly reading from a PowerPoint slide presentation. The highlights of the talk were firstly an emotionally powerful example of “kenosis” in a group of Scottish peacekeepers  and secondly when he came alive during the question and answer period (when he wasn’t reading).

He did a good job of illustrating the differentiation of the value spheres of judgement and art in comparison to the qualitative spheres of science and objective truth. He pointed out that Science and Religion crossover mainly in three areas: firstly, during questions surrounding the origins of universe, secondly, during questions surrounding the origins of humanity and lastly, in consciousness studies.

He came across a little unkempt and dishevelled as only a theoretical cosmologist could. Large complex terms rolled off his comfortingly accented tongue with ease and speed. I look forward to more talks that so directly relate to my own thesis.