Emily Qureshi-Hurst
https://www.emilyqureshihurst.com/
Emily Qureshi-Hurst is a Junior Research Fellow at Pembroke College and a College Lecturer in Philosophy at Oriel College, University of Oxford. Her research focuses on the philosophical questions raised by interactions between science and religion, particularly physics and Christianity. Emily has written on issues in the philosophy of religion, the philosophy of time, the philosophy of physics, and the philosophy of social media. She has also participated in cross-disciplinary collaborations with scholars from philosophy, theology, and physics.
Emily is committed to sharing ideas with wider audiences. To this end, she has appeared on BBC Radio 3, Premier Unbelievable's 'The Big Conversation', and several podcasts to discuss issues relating to science, religion, and philosophy. She has also spoken at a New Scientist event 'Instant Expert: Quantum Mechanics' on her work on the philosophical implications of the Everett Interpretation of QM.
Her first book 'God, Salvation, and the Problem of Spacetime' was published by Cambridge University Press in 2022. Her second book, 'Salvation in the Block Universe: Time, Tillich, and Transformation' will be published by Cambridge University Press in August 2024.
Supervisors: Alister McGrath
Address: Pembroke College
Pembroke Square
Oxford
OX11DW
Emily Qureshi-Hurst is a Junior Research Fellow at Pembroke College and a College Lecturer in Philosophy at Oriel College, University of Oxford. Her research focuses on the philosophical questions raised by interactions between science and religion, particularly physics and Christianity. Emily has written on issues in the philosophy of religion, the philosophy of time, the philosophy of physics, and the philosophy of social media. She has also participated in cross-disciplinary collaborations with scholars from philosophy, theology, and physics.
Emily is committed to sharing ideas with wider audiences. To this end, she has appeared on BBC Radio 3, Premier Unbelievable's 'The Big Conversation', and several podcasts to discuss issues relating to science, religion, and philosophy. She has also spoken at a New Scientist event 'Instant Expert: Quantum Mechanics' on her work on the philosophical implications of the Everett Interpretation of QM.
Her first book 'God, Salvation, and the Problem of Spacetime' was published by Cambridge University Press in 2022. Her second book, 'Salvation in the Block Universe: Time, Tillich, and Transformation' will be published by Cambridge University Press in August 2024.
Supervisors: Alister McGrath
Address: Pembroke College
Pembroke Square
Oxford
OX11DW
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Papers by Emily Qureshi-Hurst
Blog Posts by Emily Qureshi-Hurst
https://blogos.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk/2020/12/22/on-the-value-of-dialogue-between-physics-and-theology-by-emily-qureshi-hurst/
Thesis Chapters by Emily Qureshi-Hurst
Time is often neglected in conversations between science and religion. As this thesis engages time and theology within the theological framework provided by Paul Tillich’s Systematic Theology, it is a step towards addressing this oversight. In this work I use Tillich’s method of correlation as my overarching structure, a theological methodology which is explicitly designed to encourage the continuous evolution of theology in dialogue with pressing questions from the culture in which that theology is to be received. My approach is fundamentally one of constructive engagement, meaning I am not concerned with proving or disproving any theological, philosophical, or scientific claims; rather, this thesis engages time and theology with the aim of fostering a constructive dialogue. The method of correlation involves locating specific cultural concerns, the so-called philosophical question, and providing a theological response, termed the theological answer. To this end, this thesis begins with the physics and metaphysics of time, especially Einstein’s Relativity Theories, and argues that these give good reason to accept a B-theory of time in which time does not pass and reality is comprised of a block universe. The philosophical question that arises is this: how can change be understood within this static temporal metaphysic? This question is highly important for any doctrine of salvation that requires a transformation in time. I then explore Systematic Theology, with a particular focus on Tillich’s treatment of salvation, time, and history, as these are the foundations of my theological answer. Finally, the thesis argues that given a B-theory of time, a salvation-transformation is best understood as a form of qualitative, phenomenological change, rather than a robust ontological change. I use concepts from the philosophy of temporal experience to make this argument, ultimately concluding that the individual’s transformation from fallen to saved is one of mind-dependent becoming.
Books by Emily Qureshi-Hurst
https://blogos.wp.st-andrews.ac.uk/2020/12/22/on-the-value-of-dialogue-between-physics-and-theology-by-emily-qureshi-hurst/
Time is often neglected in conversations between science and religion. As this thesis engages time and theology within the theological framework provided by Paul Tillich’s Systematic Theology, it is a step towards addressing this oversight. In this work I use Tillich’s method of correlation as my overarching structure, a theological methodology which is explicitly designed to encourage the continuous evolution of theology in dialogue with pressing questions from the culture in which that theology is to be received. My approach is fundamentally one of constructive engagement, meaning I am not concerned with proving or disproving any theological, philosophical, or scientific claims; rather, this thesis engages time and theology with the aim of fostering a constructive dialogue. The method of correlation involves locating specific cultural concerns, the so-called philosophical question, and providing a theological response, termed the theological answer. To this end, this thesis begins with the physics and metaphysics of time, especially Einstein’s Relativity Theories, and argues that these give good reason to accept a B-theory of time in which time does not pass and reality is comprised of a block universe. The philosophical question that arises is this: how can change be understood within this static temporal metaphysic? This question is highly important for any doctrine of salvation that requires a transformation in time. I then explore Systematic Theology, with a particular focus on Tillich’s treatment of salvation, time, and history, as these are the foundations of my theological answer. Finally, the thesis argues that given a B-theory of time, a salvation-transformation is best understood as a form of qualitative, phenomenological change, rather than a robust ontological change. I use concepts from the philosophy of temporal experience to make this argument, ultimately concluding that the individual’s transformation from fallen to saved is one of mind-dependent becoming.