The Albertus Institute
A vibrant and diverse community, exploring open dialogue between science, religion and other intellectual disciplines
About The Albertus Institute
The Albertus Institute was established in 2012 to provide a forum to encourage an open dialogue between science, religion and other forms of intellectual discipline. It also offers opportunities for Christians and, in particular, members of the Catholic Church to enter public debate on these matters.
The Institute is named after St Albert the Great (d.1280), often referred to as Albertus Magnus. Albert was a German Dominican friar and bishop who achieved fame for his comprehensive knowledge of and advocacy for the peaceful collaboration of science and religion.
The Institute is based at the Parish of St Albert the Great, the Catholic Chaplaincy which serves the universities of Edinburgh, Scotland.
The Institute has the support of the English Province of the Order of Preachers (Dominicans).
The Trustees are Agnes Robson, Patricia Jones, Andrew Dolan and Fr Samuel Burke OP.
The Institute is registered as a Scottish charity (SCIO), number SC045760. Registered Office: 24 George Square, Edinburgh EH8 9LD.
Upcoming Events
2026 - 2027 Programme
Our 2026-2027 Programme will be published shortly, stay up to date and be the first to hear about our upcoming events by following us on social media, or join our mailing list below.
Past Events
‘God as Nothing’
Public Lecture by Gilbert Markus, 11 January 2026, at New College, Edinburgh.
‘God as nothing’ is the title of the latest book by the former Dominican, Gilbert Markus who is now an ecclesiastical historian. Addressing a topic which follows in a long tradition of Jewish and Christian writers, Gilbert explained that his starting point is that “if God created everything that exists God cannot be one of the things that exists.” In other words, God cannot be a particular entity but is the mystery which is behind all that exists. This questions the underlying assumption of both believers as well as atheists that their arguments depend on proof that God either exists or that God doesn’t exist. To try to understand God as an existing being becomes a form of idolatry. Of course, all of this begs challenging questions at both theological and pastoral levels, as his audience moved quickly to raise. Gilbert’s talk was followed in the following weeks by a more detailed reflection on his book over three sessions for those who had been encouraged to read it which allowed for a more reflective and focussed discussions of the contents. The Institute is most grateful to the Edinburgh Quaker Meeting House for their hosting the reading group.
Gilbert Markus’s original talk can be found at https://youtu.be/ZEqHOJMsXPg
AI and Theological Anthropology
'What's the place of Humans in creation?'
Monday, November 24th, 2025
17:15 - 19:00
Martin Hall, New College,
University of Edinburgh
A free interactive Seminar which will be led byDr. Shoaib Malik
2025 Conference
Love, Human and Divine: Christian Traditions of Love
and Friendship
Saturday, November 1st, 2025
Martin Hall, New College, University of Edinburgh
Professor Jeremy Carrette
Mystical Love/Romantic love
Dr Harriet Harris
Love and the University
Dr Sara Parvis
Revisiting Fergus Kerr OP on Charity as Friendship
Dr Elizabeth Drummond Young
CS Lewis, Friendship and Faith
Annual Lecture
Are Friends Electric?
The benefits and risks of human robot relationships
Tuesday, October 14, 2025 from 6-8pm
Elizabeth Templeton Lecture Theatre,
New College, University of Edinburgh.
There is provision for disabled access
The lecture is given by Professor Tony Prescott
(MA, MSc, PhD, CPsychol, FBPsS) Professor of Cognitive Robotics, University of Sheffield
Coffee House
Wednesday 20th November, 6-8pm chaired by Fr David Docherty in the Library, 24 George Square.
The Nuclear Debate:
Scottish Energy, Sustainability and Justice
Evolution and Theism: A Day Conference
Day Conference
March 23, 2024
Lecture from Dr Bethany Sollereder
(Genesis and Suffering)
Lecture from Fr Michael Baggot
(Beyond Natural Selection: The Human-Driven Future of Technological Evolution)
The Albertus Institute Annual Lecture
'God in the Machine? Thoughts on AI, faith and religious experience’
January 24, 2024
Professor Michael Rostavos (Bayes Centre, University of Edinburgh) gave a lecture on 'God in the Machine? Thoughts on AI, faith and religious experience’. The Martin Hall at New College in Edinburgh saw a large gathering of academics, students and members of the public to hear Professor Rovatsos present the recent evolution of AI and machine learning techniques and unpack how this poses new questions for religious understandings of the human person and society. Without glossing over the problematic dimensions of AI and its abuse, Professor Rovatsos offered personal insights and speculations on how God might be seen in these developments.
Modern Security
The changing face of conflict
Nov., 26, 2016
10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Appleton Tower
Faith and Cosmology
What are the implications for faith of the existence of extra terrestial beings?
How is the thesis of a multiverse compatible with belief in a creator- God?
And other challenging questions!
Nov., 15th, 2014
2:00 pm - 8:00 pm
New College Edinburgh
Thinking through Catholic Social Teaching
Sept., 24th, 2014
9:00 am - 11:00 am
Catholic Chaplaincy
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