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Inaugural Meeting: 

Interface between Quantum Science, Philosophy, and Catholic Theology

Chapman University, in Orange County, California, 12-15 July 2026

 

Organizers: Prof. Vincenzo Tamma, Quantum Science and Technology Hub, University of Portsmouth, UK and Fr. Robert Spitzer, S.J., Director of the Magis Center

Local Organizers: Prof. Andrew N. Jordan and Prof. Daniele C. Struppa, Institute for Quantum Studies, Chapman University

 

The intent of this inaugural meeting is to build an interdisciplinary academic community of engaged and active intellectuals that do not normally interact.  The conference will feature talks on timely research topics on philosophy, Catholic theology and science, with this first meeting focused on quantum physics.

There will also be time scheduled for information discussion to form an international, interdisciplinary program on science, philosophy and theology, dedicated to exchange of ideas and collaborative projects involving young researchers within a community of intellectuals living their faith in an international environment where an open interdisciplinary dialogue between science and faith can be fostered. This will also facilitate international collaborations between academic institutions, centers, societies and associations across different science, philosophy and theology areas in the context of interdisciplinary research, dissemination, and networking depending on their specific missions.
This research programme will benefit the dialogue between science, philosophy and the overall Christian tradition with relevance and ecumenical reach also towards other religious traditions."
 
Participation at the conference meetings is by invitation only. If you are an academic/intellectual or entrepreneur interested to attend, please email as soon as possible since only limited seats are available.
Please reach out to: mgaji@chapman.edu and vincenzo.tamma@port.ac.uk 
 

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Background

Since the beginning of 1900 the quantum revolution brought a new understanding of the basic structure of the natural world, has inspired philosophical and theological reflections and is now driving quantum technologies. Paraphrasing St. Augustine, the “book of nature” contains a “quantum chapter” on the nature of reality which can be of inspiration towards a deeper understanding of the ‘book of revelation’. Quantum scientists can be enriched in their studies by the engagement with philosophers and theologians and vice versa. Examples of still unresolved ‘quantum puzzles’ with philosophical and theological implications are the measurement problem in quantum mechanics, quantum indeterminism and quantum interference and correlation phenomena beyond the ‘classical’ Young double-slit experiment. Such interdisciplinary research has started to bring interest among Christian theologians (see for example the NIODA project) although only a limited number of Catholic theologians have been engaging with it generally and with a limited collaboration with quantum physicists. 

Key-Note Speakers

Stephen M. Barr, Univ. of Delaware, President of the Society of Catholic Scientists


Javier Sanchez Canizares, Science, Reason and Faith Group, University of Navarra


Br. Guy Consolmagno, Vatican Observatory


Fr. Thomas Davenport, O.P., Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum)


Paolo Facchi, Univ. of Bari


Fr. Ambrose Little, O.P., Director of the Thomistic Institute, DC


Fr. Matthieu Raffray, Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum)


Luis Sanchez-Soto, University of Madrid


Valerio Scarani, National Univeristy of Singapore 


William Simpson, Durham University


Fernando Sols, Univ. of Madrid


Mark Spencer, University of St. Thomas, Minnesota


Giuseppe Tanzella-Nitti, Founder of the DISF Center, Pontifical University of the Holy Cross


Fr. Robert Verril, O.P., Blackfriars Priory & Studium


Fr. Alex Yeung, LC, Director of Science and Faith Institute, Pontifical Univ. Regina Apostolorum

Agenda

AGENDA FOR JULY 13,14,15
LOCATION: Chapman University

Monday July 13

8:00 AM - Mass @ Fish Interfaith Chapel

8:45 AM – Light Breakfast @ Killefer

9:10 AM – Opening Remarks (Killefer Conference Room A)

Matt Parlow or Daniele Struppa

9:20 AM - Opening Discussion and Conference Intentions ( Organizers )

9:30 AM – Tanzella Nitti, Present and Future of Academic Dialogue on Science and Theology

10:10 AM – Fernando Sols, Poincaré, Heisenberg, Gödel, Bell: discovering science fundamental limits

10:50 AM – Coffee Break

11:10 AM – Paolo Facchi, Quantum Mechanics and the Structure of Reality: Scientific Insights for a Theological Dialogue

11:50 AM – Robert Verrill, On Hylomorphism and the Meaning of Light

12:30 PM – Lunch

2:00 PM – Mark Spencer, Analogy, Aesthetic Method, and Theories of Quantum Mechanics, Freedom, and Providence

2:40 PM – Coffee Break

3:00 PM – Fr. Ambrose Little, O.P. , Act, Potency, and Quantum Indeterminacy: A New Thomistic Proposal

3:40 PM – William Simpson, Quantum Hylomorphism — Beyond the Copenhagen Interpretation

4:20 PM – Vincenzo Tamma, Quantum Foundations of Multiphoton Interference and its openings for a philosophical and theological dialogue

5:00 PM – Adoration @ Fish Interfaith Chapel

6:00 PM – Dinner @ Avila’s

 

 

 

Tuesday, July 14

 8:00 AM – Mass @ Fish Interfaith Chapel

8:45 AM – Light Breakfast (Killefer Conference Room A)

9:10 AM – Valerio Scarani, Bell Nonlocality: The Bare Minimum

9:50 AM - Matthieu Raffray, Does Quantum Entanglement Disqualify Substance Ontology? Non-Separability, Local Realism, and Ontological Dependence after John Bell

10:30 AM – Coffee Break

10:45 AM – Br. Guy Consolmagno , Why Do I Believe in Science?

11:25 AM – Joseph Yost, From Leo XIII to Leo XIV: continuity in responses to multiple emerging technological revolutions

12:05 PM – Lunch

1:35 PM – Javier Sanchez Cañizares, Beyond Physical Closure: Re-envisioning Immaterial Causality in a Scientific Age

2:15 PM – Coffee Break

2:30 PM – Thomas Davenport ,Quid est Lux: Where Does Electromagnetic Radiation Fit in a Thomistic View of Nature?

3:10 PM – Steve Barr , Why quantum mechanics is consistent with a realist
philosophy of science, but not with materialism

3:50 PM – Discussion (Invited Speakers Only)

5:20 PM – TLM @ Fish Interfaith Chapel

6:00 PM – Dinner

 

Wednesday, July 15

8:00 AM – Mass @ Fish Interfaith Chapel

8:45 AM – Light Breakfast (Killefer Conference Room A)

9:30 AM – Alex Yeung, Metaphysical Use of Quantum Mechanical Metaphors: Indetermination, Configuration Space, and Correlation

10:10 AM – Luis Sanchez Soto , Revisiting causal inference in quantum mechanics

10:50 AM – Coffee Break

11:10 AM – Business Planning (Invited Speakers Only)

12:20 PM – Lunch

Afternoon – Beach Events and Discussions

6:00 PM – Dinner @ Andrew’s House,