The conference will be held on 15-16 June 2022 remotely via the Zoom platform.
Inventions, discoveries and innovations are an integral part of human history and identity. Today, we are living in an era of innovation, with increasing discussion of the uses of artificial intelligence, the many social changes, and life at the height of the fourth industrial revolution. Social and technical innovations allow humanity to renew itself qualitatively, but often with undesirable consequences.
The conference’s goal is thus to assess the importance of inventions, discoveries and innovations, processes that have taken place, are taking place and will take place in the future, through the lens of a Christian worldview, making use of interdisciplinary scientific reflection for interpretation.
Christianity, itself the Western world’s greatest innovation, whose direct and indirect influence has spawned thousands of secular innovations, encourages technical and social innovations along with a critical look at them to ensure they are at the service of integral human flourishing. According to the popular philosopher Yuval Harari, the Vatican in the Middle Ages was, technologically speaking, like the Silicon Valley of that time. Is Christianity actively involved in processes of innovation and development today? What is its role in tackling pressing issues like climate change, the social and technological changes leading to a “fluid society”, or global migration?
The 2nd International Scientific Conference in Šiluva is a call to look more deeply at Christianity’s relationship with innovation and examine the issue of harmony between faith and secular innovation.
Topics:
- processes of invention, discovery and innovation (technological and/or social) from a historical perspective, illustrating their relationship to Christianity;
- the impact of secular innovations on the life of the Church and the development of Christianity;
- problematic aspects of the relationship between Christianity and innovation;
- ways of solving future problems on the basis of Christian thought;
- the theological conception of invention, discovery and innovation;
- the consequences of innovation for society and the individual;
- correlations and disparities between miracles and technical advances.
Abstracts of papers (up to 200 words) may be submitted until 23 May 2022 to info@siluva.lt
Scientific Committee:
Chairman: Assoc. Prof. Dr Benas Ulevičius
Deputy: Dr Kastytis Rudokas
Members: Prof. Dr Elžbieta Osewska; Prof. Dr Žanete Narkeviča, Prof. Dr Marek Chmielewsky, Assoc. Prof. Dr Piotr T. Nowakowski, Prof. Dr Birutė Obelenienė
Organizing Committee:
Silvija Čižaitė-Rudokienė, PI Siluva Piligrim Centre, Lithuania
Priest Robertas Urbonavičius, Siluva Parish, Lithuania
Dr Kastytis Rudokas, KTU Institute of Architecture and Construction, Lithuania
Organisers: the Šiluva Pilgrim Center and the Faculty of Catholic Theology at Vytautas Magnus University
Conference Patron: Archbishop Kęstutis Kėvalas
Conference partners: Archdiocese of Kaunas, Raseiniai District Municipality, VšĮ Atrask Raseinius
Media sponsors: Marijos Radijas, Bernardinai.lt
Call of abstract: 2nd International Scientific Conference in Šiluva