Niels Henrik Gregersen

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I.     Brief curriculum vitae of Prof. Niels Henrik Gregersen

Gregersen (b. 1956) received his PhD in theology from the University of Copenhagen (1987). Between 1986 and 2004 he held various faculty positions at Aarhus University, from 2000 to 2004 as Research Professor in Theology and Science. Since 2004 Professor of Systematic Theology at the University of Copenhagen.

From 1992 to 2003, he was a leader of the Danish Science-Theology Forum; 1998-2002 Vice-President of the European Society for the Study of Science and Theology (ESSSAT) and responsible for its publication program. In 2002-3 he was elected President of The Learned Society, Denmark. He is a founding member and Trustee of International Society for Science and Religion (ISSR) 2002-2007. Founder and Chairperson of the Løgstrup Archives at Aarhus University 1993-2000, and chairperson of the Institute for Ecumenical Research in Strasbourg, France, 2003-2010. From 2008 to 2013 he was co-Director of the Centre for Naturalism & Christian Semantics at the Faculty of Theology, funded by Copenhagen University’s “Star Research Program”. 2013-17 he is co-PI of the interdisciplinary research program, Centre for Changing Disaster at Copenhagen University. 

Some of his most recent publications include Den generøse ortodoksi: Konflikt og kontinuitet i kristendommen (Anis, 2015); Incarnation: On the Scope and Depth of Christology (Fortress Press, 2014); Information and the Nature of Reality: From Physics to Metaphysics (Cambridge University Press, 2010, reissued as Canto Classics 2014); Theology in an Evolutionary World (in Romanian 2007); The Gift of Grace: The Future of Lutheran Theology(Fortress Press, 2005); and From Complexity to Life: On the Emergence of Life and Meaning (Oxford University Press, 2003).

He was associate editor of the Encyclopedia of Science and Religion I-II (MacMillan Reference 2003), editor-in-chief of Dansk Teologisk Tidsskrift 2007-2014, and inaugural co-editor of Philosophy, Theology, and the Sciences (Mohr-Siebeck 2014ff).  

Fellow of Center of Theological Inquiry, Princeton (1996-97), and J.K. Russell Fellow at the Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences in 2004 and 2013.  

Gregersen's work focuses on two research fields:

(1) How to develop a constructive Christian theology in the context of secularized and multi-religious Western societies? Within systematic theology, he specializes in the theology of creation and Christology, but has written on most topics of Christian theology.

(2) How to bring about a mutual interaction between science and religion that also allows religious reflection to be an active player? Within the field of science & religion, he specializes in the philosophy of evolutionary biology and the sciences of complexity.

II.   Full Curriculum Vitae of Prof. Niels Henrik Gregersen

Overview

Niels Henrik Gregersen (born June 16, 1956) holds his PhD from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark 1987. Since 2004 he has been Professor of Systematic Theology, University of Copenhagen. At Aarhus University he was Assistant Professor in Ethics and Philosophy of Religion 1986-1989, Associate Professor in Systematic Theology 1989-2000, and Research Professor in Theology & Science 2000-2004.

His primary research fields are contemporary theology, and science and religion. His list of publications contains more than 500 entries, including 5 books, 2 co-authored books and more than twenty edited volumes.

In English, he has edited or co-edited The Concept of Nature in Science and Theology I-II (Geneva: Labor & Fides, 1997-98); Rethinking Theology and Science. Six Models for the Current Dialogue (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1998); Scientific and Theological Worldviews I-II (Labor & Fides, 1999); The Human Person in Science and Theology (Edinburgh: T & T Clark/Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2000); Design and Disorder. Perspectives from Science & Theology (T & T Clark, 2002); From Complexity to Life: On the Emergence of Life and Meaning (New York: Oxford University Press, 2003); Encyclopedia of Science and Religion I-II (New York: Macmillan/Gale, 2004); The Gift of Grace: The Future of Lutheran Theology (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2005); Wolhart Pannenberg, The Historicity of Nature: Essays in Science and Theology (Templeton Foundation Press, 2008);  Information and the Nature of Reality: From Physics to Metaphysics (Cambridge University Press, 2010; Canto Classics, 2014), and Incarnation: On the Scope and Depth of Christology (Fortress Press, 2015).   

He has published some 150 articles in Nordic, German and English books and journals including Dialog: A Journal of Theology, Ecotheology, Glauben und Denken, Ideas in Context, Kerygma und Dogma, Kritik, Norsk Teologisk Tidsskrift, Philosophy, Theology and the Sciences, Politik, Studia Theologica, Studies in Science and Theology, Scottish Journal of Theology; Svensk Teologisk Kvartalstidsskrift, Theology and Science; Theology Today; Toronto Journal of Theology; and Zygon: Journal of Religion & Science.

Contributor to The Oxford Companion to Christian Thought; The Cambridge Dictionary of Christianity; The Cambridge Dictionary of Christian Theology; Die Religion in Geschichte und Gegenwart (4th ed., 8 vols.), also translated into English as Religion in Past and Present; Encyclopedia of Science and Religion; Encyclopedia of Religion and Nature; Dictionary of the Ecumenical Movement; Dictionary of Historical Theology, and Den Store Danske Encyklopædi (20 vols).

1992-2003 he was a leader of the Danish Science-Theology Forum; 1996-2002 Vice-President of The European Society for the Study of Science and Theology (ESSSAT); 2002ff founding Executive Committee member and Trustee for the International Society of Science and Theology (ISSR). In 1999 he was elected as member of The Learned Society, Aarhus University, Denmark, and he served as its President in 2002 and 2003. 2003-2010 he represented the Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Denmark in The Lutheran World Federation and was chairperson of the board for the Institute for Ecumenical Research in Strasbourg. He was founder and chairperson of the Løgstrup Archives at Aarhus University 1993-2000, and chairperson of the Institute for Ecumenical Research in Strasbourg, France, 2003-2010. From 2008 to 2013 he was co-Director of the Centre for Naturalism & Christian Semantics at the Faculty of Theology, funded by Copenhagen University’s “Star Research Program”. 2013-17 he is co-PI of the interdisciplinary research program, Centre for Changing Disaster at Copenhagen University.

General editor of Studies in Science and Theology and of Issues in Science and Theology 1996-2005; systematic-theological editor of Dansk Teologisk Tidsskrift since 1993, and the editor-in-chief 2007-2014. He is inaugural editor of Philosophy, Theology, and the Sciences (Mohr-Siebeck), 2014ff. He also serves on the editorial boards of Dialog: A Journal of Theology; Zygon: Journal of Religion & Science; and Theology and Science. 

Fellow of Center of Theological Inquiry, Princeton since 1996, and the J.K. John Russell Fellow at the Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences, Berkeley, October 2004 and 2013. He has received several international research awards, among them a research award of 100.000 $ from the John Templeton Foundation for his work on the constructive interface between science & religion.

He lectures widely in Europe and the USA, and has been invited main speaker to major conferences in South Africa, Asia (China, Japan and South Korea), and in Australia. He writes in Danish, English and German, and has been translated into Swedish, French, Dutch, Russian, Romanian, Korean, Japanese, and Chinese.

 

Details of Curriculum Vitae

Education

1975 High school from Haderslev Cathedral School

1983 MA in theology, University of Copenhagen

1983: Pastoral Training and Examination, Copenhagen Pastoral College 

1987 PhD, University of Copenhagen (published with Aarhus University Press 1988, 2^nd ed. 2001).

 

Employments

1978-1981: Student advisor, Faculty of Theology, Copenhagen University (50 %)

1984-1986: PhD student, University of Copenhagen, on the project "Theology and Culture"

1986-1989: Assistant Professor in Ethics and Philosophy of Religion, University of Aarhus

1989-2000: Associate Professor in dogmatics and ecumenical theology at the Department of Systematic Theology, University of Aarhus

2000: Research Professor in Theology & Science at Aarhus University

2004:  Professor of Systematic Theology, University of Copenhagen.

  

 

Main Publications in chronological order

* Teologi og kultur. Protestantismen mellem isolation og assimilation i det 19. og 20. århundrede (Acta Jutlandica, LXV: 1, vol 17) (Aarhus: Aarhus UP, 1988, 2001²), 310 pp.

* Gud og universet. W. Pannenbergs religionsfilosofi (Copenhagen: GAD, 1989), 164 pp.

* Niels Henrik Gregersen (ed.):  Fragmenter af et spejl. Bidrag til dogmatikken (Copenhagen: ANIS, 1992), 2^nd ed. 1993, 3^rd ed. 1997, 4^rd ed. 2003. Reprint 2014, 334 pp.

* N.H. Gregersen/A. Wiin Nielsen (eds.): Kaos og kausalitet. Om kaosteorien og dens betydning for filosofi og teologi (Aarhus: Aarhus University Press, 1992).

* Niels Henrik Gregersen (ed.): Naturvidenskab og livssyn  (Copenhagen: Munksgaard, 1993), 2^nd ed. 1994, 461 pp.

* Niels Henrik Gregersen/Eva Meile/Kirsten Nielsen: Tid og evighed. I begyndelsen skabte Gud... (Copenhagen: ANIS, 1995), 126 pp.

* Niels Henrik Gregersen/Eva Meile/Kirsten Nielsen: Rejsen og grænsen. Som mand og kvinde skabte han dem... (Copenhagen: ANIS, 1995), 2^nd ed. 1998, 110 pp.

* Den dobbelte kristendom (Herning: Poul Christensen 1996), 104 pp.

* Niels Henrik Gregersen/Wentzel van Huyssteen (eds.): Rethinking Theology and Science: Six Models for the Current Dialogue (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1998).

* Niels Henrik Gregersen/Willem B. Drees/ Ulf Görman (eds.): The Human Person in Science and Theology (Edinburgh: T & T Clark/Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 2000).

* Niels Henrik Gregersen/Ulf Görman (eds.): Design and Disorder: Perspectives from Science & Theology (Edinburgh: T & T Clark 2002).

* Niels Henrik Gregersen (ed.): From Complexity to Life: On the Emergence of Life and Meaning (New York: Oxford University Press, 2003).

* Co-editor (Editor-in-chief Wentzel van Huyssteen) of Encyclopedia in Science & Theology vols. I-II (New York: MacMillan Reference/Gale, 2003). 

* Niels Henrik Gregersen, Ted Peters, Bo Holm, and Peter Widman (eds.): The Gift of Grace: The Future of Lutheran Theology (Minneapolis: Fortress Press 2005).                                           

* The Presence of God in an Evolutionary World, translated into Romanian as Dumneuzeu intr-o lume evolunista (Bucharest: Curtea Veche 2007), 160 pp.

* Wolfhart Pannenberg: The Historicity of Nature. Essays on Science & Theology, ed. Niels Henrik Gregersen (Philadelphia: Templeton Foundation Press 2008).  

* Paul Davies & Niels Henrik Gregersen (eds.): Information and the Nature of Reality: From Physics to Metaphysics (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2010). Reissued as Canto Classics (2014), 487 pp.

* Niels Henrik Gregersen (ed.): Incarnation: On the Scope and Depth of Christology (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2015), 387 pp.

* Niels Henrik Gregersen: Den generøse ortodoksi: Konflikt og kontinuitet i kristendommen (Copenhagen: Anis, 2015), 523 pp.                                 

See under "Publications" for a full list of publications. 

 

Experience as Organizer

1988: The Centenary of John Henry Newmann: An International Symposium, Aarhus University 1988 (chairperson)

1990-2003: 10-23rd Symposia for Forum for Theology and the Natural Sciences, Aarhus University (co-organizer with Kees van Kooten Niekerk)                                                                                            

1994: 5th European Conference on Science and Theology, Freising/Munich (member of the organizing committee with Karl Schmitz-Moormann, Christof Wassermann a.o)

1995: 11th Nordic Conference in Systematic Theology, Aarhus University 1995 (chairperson)

1996: 6th European Conference on Science and Theology, Krakow (member of the organizing committee with Karl Schmitz-Moormann, Christof Wassermann a.o)

1996: IXth International Congress on "Ecological Culture in Scientific, Philosophical and Theological Interpretations", Sct. Peterburg, Russia, 17-19 October (Main organizers Alexander Soldatov and Alexei Nesteruk)

1998: 12th Nordic Conference in Systematic Theology, Uppsala (main organizer Carl Reinhold Bråkenhielm)

2000: 8th European Conference in Science and Theology, Lyon April (member of the Organizing Committee)

2002: Founding Meeting of the International Society of Science and Religion (ISSR), Granada, Spain (member of the Organizing Committee)

2003: Contexts and Charisms of Lutheran Theology: A Global Convocation on the Future of Lutheran Theology, Aarhus University January 16-20 (Co-chair with Ted Peters and Peter Widman, co-sponsored by the Danish Government; the Research Foundation of Aarhus University, CTNS, Berkeley, and the Lutheran World Federation)

2004: 2^nd ISSR Conference on Creation, Law and Probability, Boston (member of the Organizing Committee)

2006: God, Matter and Information: What Is Ultimate? John Templeton Foundation and Copenhagen University (main organizer with Mary-Ann Meyers and Paul Davies)

2006: Myths, Metaphors, and Meta-Narratives, 2^nd. International Conference at the Copenhagen Research School on Religion and Society (co-organizer with Erik Sand a.o.)  

2007: 15^th Nordic Conference in Systematic Theology, Copenhagen University (main organizer with Kirsten Busch-Nielsen and Jonas Adelin Jørgensen)

2007: Significance and Transformations: Copenhagen Conference on Religion in the 21^st  Century, Copenhagen University (main organizer Hans Raun Iversen)

2011: Varieties of Naturalism and the Problem of Transcendence, Center for Naturalism and Christian Semantics, Copenhagen University (main organizer with Mikael Stenmark)

2011: Is God Incarnate in All that Is?, Templeton Humility Theology Symposium, Hotel Marienlyst, Elsinor, Denmark (main organizer together with Mary-Ann Meyers)

2013: Deep Incarnation and other Models of Incarnation, Center for Naturalism and Christian Semantics, Copenhagen University (main organizer) 

 

Services for Research Institutions, Journals and Societies

1992-2003: Steering group member of the Danish Science-Theology Forum, Aarhus University

1990-1995: Editorial Board of the publishing house, ANIS, Copenhagen

1992-1996: Scientific Program Officer of the European Society for the Study of Science & Theology (ESSSAT)

1993-2000: Founder and chairperson of the Løgstrup Archives, Aarhus University (launched 1995) 

1993-2014: Systematic-theological editor of Dansk Teologisk Tidsskrift (editor-in-chief 2007-2014) 

1995-2001: Steering Board Member of the Department of Systematic Theology, Aarhus University

1994-2002: Co-editor of Studies in Science and Theology, Geneva (general editor 1998-2002)

1996-:  Editorial Advisory Board of Zygon. Journal of Religion and Science

1996-: Editorial Council of Dialog: A Journal of Theology

1996-2002: Vice-President of European Society for the Study of Science and Theology (ESSSAT).

1998-2002: General editor of Studies in Science and Theology (Labor & Fides, Geneva)

1998-2005: Founding Editor of Issues in Science and Theology (T & T Clark) 

2000-2002 & 2004-2006 & 2008-2012: Member of the International Advisory Board of the John Templeton Foundation

1999-2003:  member of the presidium of Det Lærde Selskab [The Learned Society], Aarhus University

2000-2005: Board member of Diakonhøjskolen [Diaconal School], Skåde

2001ff: Editorial Board Member of Science and Theology (launched 2002)

2002-2003: President of Det Lærde Selskab [The Learned Society], Aarhus University    

2002-2007: Founding Executive Committee member and Trustee for the International Society for Science and Religion (ISSR)

2003-2010: Chairperson of the board for the Institute for Ecumenical Research, Strasbourg, France

2006-: Member of the Academic Council, Faculty of Theology, University of Copenhagen

2006-2008: Member of PhD Board of Studies, Faculty of Theology, University of Copenhagen

2006-2009: Board Member of Research School on Religion and Society, University of Copenhagen

2006-08: Advisory Board of the Korean Center for Life and Science, Seoul

2007-2011: Advisory Board of the Finnish Graduate School of Theology   

2007-2014: Editor-in-chief of Dansk Teologisk Tidsskrift (Danish Journal of Theology)

2008-09: Steering Committee Member of the Group on "Science and Technology" at American Academy of Religion (AAR)  

2009- Member of Global Network of Theology at Heidelberg University (main organizer: Michael Welker)

2012-: Member of the senate of Copenhagen University

2013-2015: Area editor for “Science and Religion” in the Oxford Research Encyclopedias (ORE) on Religion

2014-: Co-editor (with Celia Deane-Drummond, Dirk Evers, and Gregory Peterson) of the Journal Philosophy, Theology, and the Sciences (Mohr-Siebeck)

2015: Advisory Board member of Theology, Science and Human Flourishing at Notre Dame University (PI: Celia deane-Drummond)

 

Services for the Church

1992-1997: Ordained and unsalaried pastor in Johanneskirken (St. John’s Chruch), Aarhus

1995-2002: Member of Theological Commission, Church of Denmark Council of Interchurch Relations  

2003-2010: Council member in The Lutheran World Federation (LWF), representing the Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Denmark

2013-: Unsalaried pastor in Trinitatis Kirke (the Round Tower Church), Copenhagen

 

Research Grants 

The Danish Research Foundation for the Humanities (ca. 300.000 Dkr)

The Research Foundation of AarhusUniversity, Aarhus (ca. 500.000 DKr)

Felix Foundation, Copenhagen (minor grant)

Niels Møgelvang Foundation, Copenhagen (2 minor grants)

Center of Theological Inquiry, Princeton, USA (ca. 50.000 USD)

John Templeton Foundation, Philadelphia, USA (ca. 110.000 USD)

Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences, Berkeley, USA (minor grant)

Metanexus Institute, Philadelphia, USA (ca. 15.000 USD)

Copenhagen University's "Star Research Program" 2008-2013 (50 % of 14,2 Mill Dkr.)

Copenhagen University's "Excellence Program for Interdisciplinary Studies", 2013-2017 (20 % of 18, 1 mill. Dkr.)  

Velux Foundation (minor grant)

Hal Koch & Nørregaard Fonden (minor grant)  

 

Awards include

May 1995, prize of $ 2.000 in Humility Theology from the Templeton Foundation for "Three types of Indeterminacy - An Argument for a Differentiated Notion of Divine Action", Studies in Science and Theology 3, 1995.

November 1996, award of $ 2.000 in the Exemplary Papers Program from Templeton Foundation for "Theology in a Neo-Darwinian World", Studia Theologica 48, 1994.

May 1996, award of $ 5.000 (+ $ 5.000 to Aarhus University) from CTNS Course Program: "Temporality and Divine Action".   

1996-1997, research grant for 10 months' research scholarship at the Center of Theological Inquiry, Princeton.

September 1999, award of $ 100.000 from Templeton Foundation for work on the constructive interface between science and religion.

November 1999, ‘outstanding paper' award of $ 3.000 from the Templeton Foundation for the article, "The Idea of Creation and the Theory of Autopoietic Processes", Zygon 33:1.

 

Lecturer Experiences

Invited lecturer to:

All Danish universities: Copenhagen (including the Niels Bohr Institute, Technical University of Denmark, Danish Institute of Technology, Copenhagen Business School), Aarhus University, Southern Danish University, Aalborg University, and Roskilde University.  

In Nordic countries: Faculties of theology in Oslo, Lund, Uppsala, Helsinki, Åbo, and Reykjavik.

In Europe: Oxford, Cambridge, Edinburgh, London, Heidelberg, Tübingen, Munich, Augsburg, Düsseldorf, Loccum, Arnoldsheim, Paris, Lyon, Rome, Madrid, Tallinn, Tartu, Krakow, St. Petersburg, Moscow.

In the US and Canada: Berkeley, Chicago, St. Paul, San Francisco, Santa Fe, Princeton, Grand Rapids, Boston and Montreal.

In Africa: University of South Africa (UNISA), University of Cape Town, University of Durban, University of Pretoria, University of Stellenbosch.

In Asia: Ryokoku University, Kyoto, Japan; Seoul Presbyterian Seminary, Korea & Korean Center for Science and Life, Seoul; Beijing Normal University & Tsinghua University, Beijing; Fudan University & Tongi University,  Shanghai; Nanjing University and Nanjing Theological Seminary.

In Australia: Canberra University.