
Conversations on Religion, Ethics, and Science (CORES)
About
"It is precisely the space between the world that is and the world that ought to be that is, or should be, the arena of conversation between science and religion, and each should be open to the perceptions of the other." — Jonathan Sacks, The Great Partnership: Science, Religion, and the Search for Meaning
"Daniel … was found to have a keen mind and knowledge and understanding, and also the ability to… solve difficult problems." — Daniel 5:12, NIV
We live in a bitterly polarized moment in history. Religious, ethical, and scientific precepts foundational to our society are being challenged inside and outside of the academy in increasingly harsh, polemical, and distorted ways. Controversy over climate change is but one of many examples of this polarization that has global consequences for present and future generations. Respectful, informed, and productive dialogue on issues critical to the flourishing of humanity and the natural world is needed now more than ever.
Hosted at Arizona State University, Conversations on Religion, Ethics, and Science (CORES) will seek to model a dialogical approach of intellectual humility and relational integrity to help correct the current dysfunction. By bringing together scholars, students, and life-long learners from a variety of academic disciplines and religious and secular communities, much can be achieved through dialogue that is not only informed and respectful, but also productive and solutions oriented.
Over the course of the project, CORES will multiply these conversations through a series of public events and conferences, creating an “arena of conversation” among people of “keen mind and knowledge and understanding” in order to “solve difficult problems at the intersection of science and technology and the theory and practice of religion and ethics, to engender new understandings of the “world as it is” and “what it ought to be.”
Support this initiative
Your generosity promotes respectful, informed and productive dialogue on issues of religion, science, technology and ethics that are critical to the flourishing of humanity and the natural world.
People
Principal investigators

Ben Sanders
Although not an employee of ASU, Sanders has served as a full-time campus minister at the university for over 20 years, co-directing the Campus Christian Center along with Sarah Sanders. He is the past president of ASU’s Council of Religious Advisors (2018-2020), a group comprised of campus ministries and faith-based organizations representing Baha’i, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, and Muslim traditions who work together peacefully to provide religious services, spiritual counseling, education, support, and opportunities for involvement to thousands of ASU students. As executive director of the Arizona Center for Christian Studies, he works with a consortium of Christian study centers and interested academics to integrate faith and learning through lectures, classes, conferences, discussion groups, research projects, publications, websites, and other academic initiatives, including the Conference on Faith and Science (COFAS), a series of annual events that began in 2019.
Leadership team:
Partners
CORES 2023

“Let There Be Light”: Religion and the Birth of Modern Science
Past events
CORES 2020 - Morality: Restoring the Common Good in Divided Times
Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks (z"l), an international religious leader, philosopher, award-winning author and respected moral voice was joined by directors of four academic centers at Arizona State University for a dynamic livestream conversation centered around the release of his latest book "Morality: Restoring the Common Good in Divided Times". While lamenting the cultural and political forces that have divided Britain, America and the wider world, Rabbi Sacks presents a remarkable vision of hope for the future. Watch as top scholars at ASU engage in meaningful discussion with one of the world’s leading public intellectuals to discuss topics around morality, religion and politics, featuring John Carlson (Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict), Paul Carrese (School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership), Paul Davies (Beyond Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science), Hava Tirosh-Samuelson (Irving and Miriam Lowe Professor of Modern Judaism and director of Jewish Studies), and moderated by Pauline Davies (Hugh Downs School of Human Communication).
CORES 2021: Conversations on Religion, Ethics and Science
CORES 2022: Brave New World? Revisiting Utopia
Support

Support our work.
Your generosity promotes respectful, informed and productive dialogue on issues of religion, science, technology and ethics that are critical to the flourishing of humanity and the natural world.
When you make a gift to the Conversations on Religion, Ethics and Science (CORES) Fund, you help fund initiatives, conferences and public events that bring together scholars, students and life-long learners to address challenges that arise at the intersection of religion, ethics, science and technology.
Your support helps foster new understandings of the “world as it is” and “what it ought to be.”