The Bible and the Brain: Experiencing Christian Scriptures Through the Insights of Cognitive Science

An evening with the Rev. Jim Burklo, associate dean for religious life at the University of Southern California, and Soquel native.

Jim Burklo writes and speaks frequently about progressive Christianity.  He is the author of Birdlike and Barnless: Meditations,  Poems, Prayers, and Songs for Progressive Christians, and Open Christianity, a primer on the progressive Christian movement.  

Burklo poses provocative questions:  What is the role of the Bible in Christian faith?  Does it prescribe our behavior as faithful people today, or does it describe the spiritual stories, both inspirational and cautionary, of faithful people who lived long ago?  Is faith strengthened or weakened if we assume that the fantastic and miraculous events described in the Bible are mythical in nature?  Can recent discoveries in neuroscience about the brain provide a bridge between ancient and modern interpretations of scripture?

This event is the first of a planned series of annual lectures that relate to theological issues and spiritual insights. These lectures honor the legacy of Robert Bruce Hope, a lifelong Presbyterian and member of the Trinity Presbyterian congregation.