The current discussion on religion will be the central topic of the II International Symposium "Christian Faith and Contemporary Culture", to be held at the University of Navarra on May 15 and 16. The conference, organized by the University's Institute of Anthropology and Ethics, will bring together experts from various countries to analyze the current religious phenomenon with scientific criteria.

The program of the symposium, "Knowing Religion", will include eight central conferences that will interpret religion from sociology, Philosophy, psychology or empirical sciences.

Thus, Paul C. Vitz (New York University) will explain the psychological origins of atheism; Salvatore Abbruzzese (University of Trento) will take stock of religious status in a society characterized by secularism; Linda Zagzebski (University of Oklahoma) will deal with the meeting between different religions in the same social space; Juan Arana (University of Seville) will speak on the relationship between the results of scientific analysis and the belief in faith; Massimo Introvigne (University of Turin) will address the cultural fact of a religiosity that today many live on the margins of institutions, without any relationship with the Church; Víctor Sanz and José Morales (University of Navarra) will approach religion from Philosophy and theology; and Luis Romera (University of the Holy Cross, Rome) will speak on the human experience and religious openness to God.

The organizers consider that the new millennium is a historic moment to evaluate the present and future of culture and religious attitudes. As Full Professor Alejandro Llano, director of the Institute of Anthropology and Ethics, explains, "in our country a profound reflection on religion is necessary, as has already been done in other European nations."

In reality," continues Llano, former President of the University of Navarra, "religion belongs to everyone, and we cannot forget that 94.2% of the world's population declares itself a believer. The academic world should not ignore this reality. We must ask ourselves whether the university community will bridge the gap that separates it from social phenomena in this respect".

The conference are intended to be a channel between the world of ideas and the world of staff and social life. The sessions will take place in the classroom Magna of the Central Building of the University of Navarra.