The Vatican has historically grappled with resolving the theological issues that are associated with new scientific discoveries (Allen, 2004; Byers, 2005). Recently, the Vatican press office announced a new project on science and religion titled the Science, Theology, and the Ontological Quest (STOQ) in which the Church would undertake a fundamental step forward to improve relations between the Church and scientists (Vatican project onà, 2003). The STOQ will conclude a congress to be held at the Pontifical Lateran University from November 9-11, 2005 on the theme of "infinity in the sciences in Philosophy and in Theology." Led by Cardinal Paul Poupard (president of the Pontifical Council for Culture), Monsignor Gianfranco Basti of the STOQ Project, and an assortment of scientists, the goal of this initial Congress was to create a new climate of dialogue within the Catholic Church between scientific culture and daily life (Infinity in scienceà, 2005).
The project seeks to insert the Pontifical universities into a research project that focuses on identifying the meaning of infinity and other important issues in mathematics (STOQ project plan, 2005). The Congress is historic and has been blessed by Pope Benedict who believes that scientific advancement is a blessing for human beings, or alternatively, their ruin. By recognizing the nexus between religion and science, Pope Benedict asserts that the rationality of science will be tempered by the spirituality of religion (Scientific advancement can beà, 2005).
The ultimate goal of the STOQ as described by Cardinal Poupard is to change the mentality of believers toward the sciences and to offer the world of science competent partners with whom to maintain a respectful dialogue on the many questions raised by the development of science today (Historic Holy Seeà, 2005). While John D. Barrow (2005) has pointed out that science and religion often make for odd if not overtly ...