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Conference

A Contemporary Conversation: Dialogue Between Religion and Science

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This conference aims to explore the relationship between natural science and religion as complementary ways of understanding existence, fostering a meaningful dialogue that highlights both the extraordinary success of scientific discovery and the profound mysteries it continues to reveal. By bringing together scholars, scientists, philosophers, and knowledge seekers from diverse traditions, the conference seeks to encourage mutual understanding, reduce divisions, and promote a holistic perspective in which empirical knowledge and metaphysical insight can illuminate one another in the search for meaning, coherence, and purpose.

Date: November 6-8th, 2026
Place: Austin, Texas

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Conference Highlights

Scholars, educators, and faith leaders from around the world gathered at Drew University to explore Fethullah Gülen’s enduring influence on education, interfaith dialogue, and moral renewal in modern society.

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Keynote Speakers

Dr. Philip Clayton is a distinguished scholar working at the intersection of philosophy, theology, and science. He serves as Professor Emeritus at Claremont School of Theology, where he previously held the Ingraham Chair and founded the PhD program in comparative theologies and philosophies. Dr. Clayton earned his PhD from Yale University and has taught at institutions including Williams College and California State University. He has also held visiting professorships at the University of Munich, the University of Cambridge, and Harvard University.

An accomplished author, Dr. Clayton has published several dozen books and over 350 scholarly articles. He is the founding president of the EcoCivilization Coalition (formerly the Institute for Ecological Civilization), an organization dedicated to advancing sustainable and integrative approaches to global challenges. In addition to his academic work, he has served in senior leadership roles, including Dean, Founding Provost, and Executive Vice President at Claremont Lincoln University, contributing significantly to the development of interdisciplinary and multi-religious higher education.
Dr. Philip Clayton
Claremont School of Theology
Dr. Y. Alp Aslandogan is a scholar and community leader whose work focuses on interfaith dialogue, shared values, and civic engagement. He currently serves as the Executive Director of the Alliance for Shared Values, a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering cooperation among individuals of diverse backgrounds around common human values. He also serves as the Chair of the Integration Committee of the North America Civic Platform, a network of cultural, religious, and humanitarian organizations. Dr. Aslandogan holds a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Prior to his current roles, he served as President of North American University, as well as an adjunct faculty member at Prairie View A&M University. He has also held leadership positions as Board President of the Institute of Interfaith Dialogue and as a board member of the Gülen Institute in Houston, Texas. An active contributor to academic and public discourse, he is a co-editor of Muslim Citizens of the Globalized World and co-author of The Messenger: Prophet Muhammad and His Life of Compassion. He has written for platforms such as the Huffington Post and CNN, and has been featured in media outlets including PBS, CBS, and Voice of America.
Dr. Alp Aslandogan
Alliance for Shared Values
Science & Religion Symposium

Symposium Panels

Explore the eight panels bringing together perspectives on science, religion, theology, ethics, and interdisciplinary research. Select a panel to jump to its place in the program.

Panel 1

New Reflections on Science & Religion

Saturday 4 scheduled contributions

Moderator: Dr. Moe (Mustafa) Tabanli

 Panel 2

Sacred Scriptures & Science

Saturday 4 scheduled contributions

Moderator: Dr. Seyma Aslan

 Panel 3

Issues in Artificial Intelligence and Religion

Saturday 4 scheduled contributions

Moderator: Dr. Yetkin Yildirim

 Plenary 4

Plenary Panel

Saturday 3 scheduled contributions

Moderator: Dr. Philip Clayton

 Panel 5

Partnerships Between R&S

Sunday 3 scheduled contributions

Moderator: Dr. Stephen Simmons

 Panel 6

Physical Sciences and Religion

Sunday 4 scheduled contributions

Moderator: Dr. Ozgur Koca

 Panel 7

Life Sciences and Religion

Sunday 3 scheduled contributions

Moderator: Dr. Philip Clayton

 Panel 8

Contemporary Debates in Science & Religion

Sunday 3 scheduled contributions

Moderator: Dr. Muhammed Cetin

Program at a glance

Symposium Schedule

View the Saturday and Sunday sessions using the tabs below. The program is tentative and may be updated.

TimeSpeaker / ActivityPresentation / Details
Welcoming And Keynote Speeches
9:00–9:10 AMWelcome Dialogue Institute - Austin—
9:10–9:20 AMWelcome UT Austin—
9:20–9:30 AMWelcome Dr. Suleyman Eris (RGS President)—
9:30–10:30 AMKeynote Dr. Philip Clayton—
10:30–10:45 AMBreak
01Panel 1: New Reflections on Science & Religion
10:45–10:50 AMModerator: Dr. Moe (Mustafa) Tabanli
10:50–11:10 AMDr. Kari L O’RourkeReligion And Science: Mutually Exclusive Or Synergistic Bed-Partners?
11:10–11:30 AMDr. Katherine Ann GrahamTheology and Science: Expanding Our Awe for God
11:30–11:50 AMDr. Ozgur KocaDivine Action and Scientific Inquiry: Toward an Islamic Metaphysics of Causality
11:50 AM–12:10 PMDr. Safiye YigitReconsidering Prophetic Revelation as a Source of Knowledge in Light of Virtue Epistemology
12:10–12:30 PMQuestions & Answers
12:30–1:30 PMBREAK with snacks
02Panel 2: Sacred Scriptures & Science
1:30–1:35 PMModerator: Dr. Seyma Aslan
1:35–1:55 PMDr. Ahmet CelenliRevisiting Qur'anic Earth-Science Passages: Toward an Interdisciplinary Hermeneutical Framework
1:55–2:15 PMDr. George HandleyLatter-day Saint Creation Theology: An Embrace of Science and a Call to Stewardship
2:15–2:35 PMAlan AdlerThe Relevance of The Torah in Daily Life
2:35–2:55 PMDr. Muhammed Cetin & Dr. Ergun CapanThe Qur'an And Scientific Truths: A Balanced Methodological Framework
2:55–3:15 PMQuestions & Answers
3:15–3:45 PMBreak
03Panel 3: Issues in Artificial Intelligence and Religion
3:45–3:50 PMModerator: Dr. Yetkin Yildirim
3:50–4:10 PMProf. Dr. Rocco Morelli, Prof. Dr. Judit Szalay and Prof. Dr. Luigi BattistiAlgor-Ethics, Human Dignity, and Resource Justice: An Ethical Framework for Emergent AI Consciousness and Energy Competition in Light of Magnifica Humanitas
4:10–4:30 PMDr. Turgay KorkmazUnderstanding the Mechanics and Limitations of AI in Islamic Scholarship: A Computer Science Perspective
4:30–4:50 PMDr. Ahmed IbrahimMoral Foundations of Algorithmic Fairness: Bridging Religious Ethics, Human Intention, and AI Bias Mitigation
4:50–5:10 PMDr. Zeynep OrhanCan One Be Sacrificed for Many? Absolute Justice, Relative Justice, and the Zeroth Law of Robotics
5:10–5:30 PMQuestions & Answers
5:30–6:45 PMReception
04Plenary Panel 4
6:45–6:50 PMModerator: Dr. Philip Clayton
6:50–7:10 PMRabbi Geoffrey A. MitelmanFounding Director of Sinai and Synapses
7:10-7:30 PMDr. Eric MartinAssociate Professor of the History and Philosophy of Science; Assistant Director of the University Scholars Program at Baylor University
7:30-7:50 PMDr. Alp AslandoganExecutive Director of Alliance for Shared Values
7:50–8:10 PMQuestions & Answers
TimeSpeaker / ActivityPresentation / Details
Keynote Speech
9:00-10:00 AMKeynote Dr. Alp Aslandogan—
10:00–10:15 AMBreak
05Panel 5: Partnerships Between R&S
10:15–10:20 AMModerator: Dr. Stephen Simmons
10:20–10:40 AMDr. Eric Martin—
10:40–11:00 AMRabbi Geoffrey A. Mitelman—
11:00–11:20 AMDr. Albert FrolovScientific Realism, Abduction, and the Reality of God: Nursi and Peirce in Dialogue
11:20–11:40 AMQuestions & Answers
11:40 AM–12:40 PMBreak with snacks
06Panel 6: Physical Sciences and Religion
12:40–12:45 PMModerator: Dr. Ozgur Koca
12:45–1:05 PMDr. Ali KayaOn the Nature of Natural Laws and Order in the Universe
1:05–1:25 PMDr. Moe (Mustafa) TabanliUnity and Uniqueness in Electrons
1:25–1:45 PMDr. Mehmet Halidun KelestemurFrom Sacred Language to Scientific Insight: Iron in the Dialogue Between Religion and Science
1:45–2:05 PMDr. Ummugul BulutExploring the Conceptual Parallels Between Calculus and Religion
2:05–2:25 PMQuestions & Answers
2:25–2:55 PMBreak
07Panel 7: Life Sciences and Religion
2:55–3:00 PMModerator: Dr. Philip Clayton
3:00–3:20 PMDr. Seyma Aslan and Dr. Nur BilginerWater as The First Sign of Life—A Dialogue Between Scientific Discovery and Scriptural Wisdom
3:20–3:40 PMDr. Mustafa BalciogluReading the Signs Within; Cell-Free DNA Diagnostics and the Qur'anic Epistemology of the Self (Anfus) Liquid biopsy, the seen and the unseen, and a dialogue between molecular medicine and revelation
3:40–4:00 PMDr. Aysegul KucuksucuSound, Vibration, and the Softening of Iron: An Interdisciplinary Analysis of Saba 34:10–11 in the Context of Acoustoplasticity and Technological Horizons
4:00–4:20 PMQuestions & Answers
4:20–4:40 PMBreak
08Panel 8: Contemporary Debates in Science & Religion
4:40-4:45 PMModerator: Dr. Muhammed Cetin
4:45-5:05 PMDr. Mukaddes SablakFrom Scriptural Reflection to Scientific Inquiry: A Fluid-Mechanical Perspective on Long-Term Mountain Dynamics
5:05–5:25 PMDr. Suleyman MamalogluRhetorical Problems That Imply Naturalism in Science Textbooks
5:25–5:45 PMDr. Omer Atilla ErgiEvidence For Extraterrestrial Life In The Quran
5:45-6:05 PMQuestions & Answers
6:35 PMClosed Dinner

Program Schedule

Morning Parallel Sessions

9:00–10:30 · Two Rooms
Panel 1 — Life, Influences, and Spiritual Foundations Crawford Hall | Moderator: Dr. Alp Aslandogan
9:10–9:30
Dr. Adnan Aslan — A Comprehensive Humanism Stemming from Islamic Values: The Perspective of Fethullah Gülen
9:30–9:50
Inamul Haq — Fethullah Gülen, a Saint, a Reformer & a Humanitarian
9:50–10:10
Dr. Oliver Leaman — Towards an Understanding of Gülen as a Theologian
10:10–10:30
Q&A Session
Panel 2 — Life, Influences, and Spiritual Foundations The Space | Moderator: Dr. Kim Shively
9:10–9:30
Dr. Ori Soltes — Jihad and Transformation in the Life and Thought of Fethullah Gülen
9:30–9:50
Dr. Antonio Cuciniello — Bridging Faith and Humanity: Fethullah Gülen’s Thought in Light of the Abu Dhabi Document on Human Fraternity
9:50–10:10
Wendi Lawson See, Esq. — Servant Leadership in Islam: the Case of M. Fethullah Gülen
10:10–10:30
Q&A Session
10:30–10:45
COFFEE BREAK
Panel 3 — Life, Influences, and Spiritual Foundations Crawford Hall | Moderator: Dr. Lyndsey Eksili
10:55–11:15
Dr. Fevzi Sarac — Fethullah Gülen and the Ethics of Leadership: A Transformational Model Rooted in Spiritual Responsibility
11:15–11:35
Dr. James Puglisi — Keeping the Vision of Hizmet Intact: Lessons to Learn from the Movement’s Catholic Neighbors
11:35–11:55
Semih Kiyma — A Stance Beyond Resistance: Spiritual Leadership and the Theo-Ethical Framework in Fethullah Gülen's Post-2016 Discourse
11:55–12:15
Q&A Session
12:15–1:15
COFFEE BREAK
Panel 4 — Intellectual Legacy The Space | Moderator: Dr. Derya Iner
10:55–11:15
Ekrem Dumanli — Fact, Freedom, and Dialogue: Media Ethics in the Thought of Fethullah Gülen
11:15–11:35
Dr. Mohammad Abul Mufazzal — Text, Context, and Renewal: Fethullah Gülen’s Hermeneutics in the Age of Crisis
11:35–11:55
Dr. Muhammed Cetin — Fethullah Gülen’s Leadership Philosophy: Integrating Realism, Universalism, and Transformative Leadership for Global Impact
11:55–12:15
COFFEE BREAK
12:15–12:35
Dr. Suleyman Sertkaya — Fethullah Gülen as a Modern Sīrah Scholar: A Novel Methodological and Intellectual Contribution
12:35–12:55
Dr. Rafeeq Karimpanackal — "Faith in Motion: The Transnational Dynamics and Local Reception of the Hizmet Movement"
12:55–1:15
Q&A Session
1:15–2:15
Light Lunch Break + Book Event
2:15–3:00
Keynote Speaker: Dr. Sophia Pandya
Panel 5 — Peacebuilding through Education Crawford Hall | Moderator: Dr. Paul Weller
3:20–3:40
Dr. Bilal Ansari — Gülen as a Pastoral Theologian: Identity and Conduct Formation in Muslim Chaplaincy
3:40–4:00
Dr. Zuleyha Mary Fikret — Revelation-Oriented Deep Educational Pedagogy: Fethullah Gülen’s Response to the Crisis of Modern Secular Education
4:00–4:20
Abdulhamit Bilici — Three Dimensional Peace at Fethullah Gülen’s Perspective and Hizmet's Practice
4:20–4:40
Q&A Session
Panel 6 — Peacebuilding through Education The Space | Moderator: Dr. Jonathan Golden
3:20–3:40
Celil Akgobek, Mahmut Yilmaz, Dr. Yetkin Yildirim — Education as Ethical Peacebuilding: The Vision of Fethullah Gülen
3:40–4:00
Dr. Mehmet Evrim Altin — Gülen's Ideal: Hizmet Schools
4:00–4:20
Dr. Vincent Parillo — Hearts and Minds: Hizmet Schools and Interethnic Relations
4:20–4:40
Q&A Session
5:00–6:30
Driving to Chestnut Retreat Center (Invitations Only)
6:30–7:30
Welcoming (Semih Kiyma) + Dinner
7:30–8:00
Dr. Adnan Aslan / Theodore Howard, Esq. / Adem Kalac
8:00–8:30
Tour
8:30
Return to the Hotel
Download the Schedule
"Professor Haq specializes in Islamic theology, Qur’anic studies, history of Islam, and Muslims in America. He has an international educational background and interreligious professional experience. He has received professional and graduate degrees from Islamic seminaries in Pakistan and from major universities in the U.S. He has been a principal at Islamic high schools and taught in graduate and undergraduate programs. At Elmhurst University he gives leadership to the development of its Islamic studies curriculum and teaches introductory courses on Islam and international courses on religion in Turkey, Israel, Palestine and Jordan. He is a founding member of the International Strategy and Policy Institute, a frequent public speaker and an honorary Imam at area mosques. He is a board member of a number of organizations, including the Fiqh Committee of the Council of Islamic Organizations of Chicago, and the Interfaith Committee of the Bernardin Center."
Inamul Haq
Adjunct Faculty and Coordinator of Islamic Studies Program
Oliver Leaman is Professor of Philosophy at the University of Kentucky. He is the author and editor of books on Islamic, Jewish and Asian philosophy and culture, and his most recent books are Controversies in Contemporary Islam, Routledge, 2013, the second edition of his Biographical Encyclopedia of Islamic Philosophy, published by Bloomsbury in 2015, The Qur’an: Philosophical Perspectives, also Bloomsbury and the Routledge Handbook of Islamic Ritual and Practice, 2022, which he edited.. He has edited for Routledge The Qur'an: An Encyclopedia, 2006, Ninian Smart’s World Philosophies, 2008, and co-written Islam: the Key Concepts, with Kecia Ali, 2008. He is the author of Islamic Aesthetics, Notre Dame University Press, 2004 and Key Concepts in Eastern Philosophy, 1999 and Eastern Philosophy: Key Readings, 2000. He has written and edited other books on Islamic, Jewish and general philosophy. He is the editor of the Islamic Philosophy Series, Routledge.
Dr. Oliver Leaman
University of Kentucky
Ori Z. Soltes teaches at Georgetown University across a range of disciplines, from art history and theology to philosophy and political history; and also the former Director of the B’nai B’rith Klutznick National Jewish Museum. He has curated over 90 art, ethnographic, and historical exhibitions and authored or edited 31 books and several hundred articles and essays. Among these are Searching for Oneness: Mysticism in Judaism, Christianity and Islam, Our Sacred Signs: How Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Art Draw from the Same Source, Embracing the World: Fethullah Gulen’s Thought and Its Relationship to Jalalluddin Rumi and Others, Untangling the Web of the Middle East; Between Thought and Action: An Intellectual Biography of Fethullah Gulen; and The Problem of God and How Humans Have Tried to Solve It Across History.
Dr. Ori Soltes
Georgetown University
"Ekrem Dumanlı is a distinguished Turkish journalist, author, and media executive whose career spans over three decades. He served as Editor-in-Chief and CEO of Zaman Daily from 2001 to 2015, where he became a leading voice in Turkish media. A graduate of Istanbul University in Turkish Language and Literature, Dumanlı went on to earn his master’s degree in Print Journalism from Emerson College in the United States. He later taught courses on international relations and media at Fatih University, and moderated the widely followed TRT Haber program Çıkış Yolu. His work has appeared in prestigious international outlets such as the Los Angeles Times and The Washington Post, and he has been interviewed by global media including Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and The Huffington Post. Throughout his career, Dumanlı has been an advocate for press freedom and ethical journalism. He chaired the Journalists and Writers Foundation, co-founded the Media Association, and was a keynote speaker at the European Parliament and the World News Media Congress. His contributions to media have earned him numerous accolades, including being named one of The 500 Most Influential Muslims by Georgetown University and receiving the Award of Excellence from The Society for News Design. He is also a prolific author, with over a dozen books exploring media, politics, and society."
Ekrem Dumanli
TR724 Media Group
"Dr. Mohammad Abul Mufazzal is a distinguished scholar of Arabic epigraphy, Islamic archaeology, and Islamic intellectual history. He currently serves as the Director of Academic Programs and Research at the Center for Interdisciplinary Islamic Studies and Research (CIISR) in Noida, India. A gold medalist in Arabic from the University of Delhi, he completed his M.Phil. and Ph.D. at Jawaharlal Nehru University, where his doctoral research focused on the development of Arabic epigraphy in North India and its broader cultural impacts. His academic interests span classical Arabic texts, Islamic historiography, and Arabic travelogues, with particular attention to the interplay between language, identity, and material culture in South Asia. Dr. Mufazzal has contributed to numerous peer-reviewed journals and edited volumes, authoring articles on topics ranging from poetic Arabic inscriptions in the Red Fort to comparative studies of Islamic maslahah and Western utilitarianism. His scholarship has been presented at academic forums worldwide, including the United Nations General Assembly, Qatar, Uzbekistan, and the U.S. He has translated significant classical works, such as Ibn Rushd’s Al-Kulliyyāt fī al-Ṭibb, and played a key role in organizing international conferences addressing religion, extremism, and intercultural dialogue. Fluent in Arabic, English, Urdu, and Hindi, and conversant in Turkish and Persian, Dr. Mufazzal brings a multilingual and interdisciplinary perspective to his teaching, research, and public engagement."
Dr Mohammad Abul Mufazzal Khan
Centre for interdisciplinary Islamic Studies & Research (CIISR)
"Muhammed Çetin holds a master’s degree from the University of Leicester and a PhD in Sociology from the University of Derby, UK. He has served in various academic and advisory roles, including Lecturer, Vice Rector, and Ministerial Adviser in Turkmenistan. From 2003 to 2008, he was a Visiting Scholar in the Department of Sociology at the University of Texas at Austin and in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Houston. Dr. Çetin served voluntarily as President of the Institute of Interfaith Dialog (USA) from 2002 to 2008, where he also coordinated publications (2003–2011) and organized numerous interfaith conferences and cultural initiatives. He was a columnist for the international daily Today’s Zaman (2007–2011) and taught sociology at East Stroudsburg University, Pennsylvania (2010–2011). He is the author and producer of the documentary DVDs Rumi and Universal Love and Dialogue and Call to Prayer, and has published several books, including The Gülen Movement: Civic Service Without Borders (2010), Hizmet: Questions and Answers on the Gülen Movement (2012), and Turkey’s Path to Democratization: Barriers, Actors, Outcomes (2014)—all published by Blue Dome Press and translated into multiple languages. From 2011 to 2015, Dr. Çetin served as a Member of Parliament in Turkey, representing Istanbul. During his tenure, he was Deputy Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee and a member of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly."
Dr. Muhammed Cetin
North American University

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