Eduardo F. Gutiérrez González

eduardo gutierrez
Vanquishing the Wars Within. Religious Imagination & the Pursuit of Human Consilience
DPhil Candidate in Theology
eduardo.gutierrez@bfriars.ox.ac.uk

Supervisor/s:

Professor Alister McGrath

Dr Maria Power

College:

Blackfriars Hall

Research Overview:

My DPhil thesis argues that imagination plays a vital role in belief formation and transformation (1st line of research), and that understanding such a role can open a space for religious imagination to promote human flourishing and consilience in communities riven by conflict in Colombia (2nd line of research). For the first line of research, I am looking at contemporary understandings of social imaginaries, their configuration, and their [trans]formative processes, broadening the scope of authors to include an interdisciplinary approach to the conversation, and engaging with diverse understandings and application levels of consilience. For the second line of research, I am looking into canonical texts on peacebuilding and religion, ongoing research relevant to Colombia’s current post-accord situation, theories on Latin American religious imaginaries, and I am particularly interested in the work carried out by the Colombian Truth Commission.

Research Area/s: 

Science & Religion

About:

I am a Colombian scholar interested in how analogical reasoning and imagination can serve as powerful tools to overcome false mental oppositions and catalyse improbable dialogues in diverse scenarios. From these interests spring my efforts to bridge the gap between academic discussions and socio-political initiatives, my research concerning the cognitive common grounds between science and religion, and my current project of contributing to peacebuilding processes from theological reflection.

After my philosophy studies in Colombia (BA at Universidad de la Sabana, and MA at Pontificia Universidad Javeriana), I did research and taught at university level for several years before taking an MSt in Science and Religion at Oxford (Oriel College), with a dissertation that applied J.R.R. Tolkien’s ideas in literature to develop what I called a sub-creative theology. My current doctoral project is supported by a full Porticus UK (Stichting Benevolentia) Scholarship associated to the Las Casas Institute at Blackfriars Hall.

Links:

https://oxford.academia.edu/eduardofgutierrez

https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=7cMt1hwAAAAJ

https://philpeople.org/profiles/eduardo-federico-gutierrez-gonzalez

https://www.linkedin.com/in/eduardofgutierrez/

Select Publications:

  • «Imagination in Catholic Thought & Peacebuilding». To be published in the Journal of Moral Theology (Pennsylvania, US), forthcoming July 2023.

  • «Shifts in the Scientific Mind: Mapping Einstein’s Views on Imagination» in ESSSAT, Creative Pluralism? Images and models in science and religion. Springer International Publishing, Publications of the European Society for the Study of Science and Theology, (Cham: Switzerland), 2022, 85-96
  • «Analogía, Ciencias Sociales y Religión», with Fr. Luis Fernando Múnera Congote, SJ, Philosophia 77:2 (2017), 67-93.

 

Published Academic Translations (English to Spanish):

  • McGrath, Alister. «Implications of a Christian Doctrine of Creation». Book chapter published as «Implicaciones de una doctrina cristiana de la creación» in Múnera et al, Ciencia y creación. La investigación científica de la naturaleza y la vision Cristiana de la realidad. Editorial Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (Bogota) & Sal Terrae (Maliaño), 2018, 115-192.
  • Clayton, Philip. «From world to spirit: complexity, anthropology, theology». Book chapter published as «Del mundo al espíritu: complejidad, antropología y teología» in Múnera et al, Ciencia y creación. La investigación científica de la naturaleza y la vision Cristiana de la realidad. Editorial Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (Bogota) & Sal Terrae (Maliaño), 2018, 209-236.
  • Clayton, Philip. «“Open Panentheism” and Creation as Kenosis». Book chapter published as «El “panenteísmo abierto” y la creación como kénosis» in Múnera et al, Ciencia y creación. La investigación científica de la naturaleza y la vision Cristiana de la realidad. Editorial Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (Bogota) & Sal Terrae (Maliaño), 2018, 237-264.
  • Connell, William. «Machiavelli on growth as the end (telos) of the state». Article published as «Maquiavelo y el crecimiento como fin (telos) del Estado». Revista de Estudios Políticos 167, FECYT (Madrid), 2015, 13-32.
  • Connell, William. «Dating Machiavelli’s composition of The Prince: Beginnings and Endings». Article published as «Datación del Príncipe: inicio y culminación». Ingenium. Revista Electrónica de Pensamiento Moderno y Metodología en Historia de la Ideas 7 (93-113), Universidad Complutense de Madrid (Madrid), 2014, 93-113
  • Connell, William. Sacrilege and Redemption. Book published as Sacrilegio y Redención en la Florencia del Renacimiento. El caso de Antonio Rinaldeschi. Universitat de Valencia (Valencia), 2019.

 

Edited Volumes:

Retos de la implementación de la justicia transicional en Colombia —Challenges of the Implementation of Transitional Justice in Colombia—, with María Lucía Zapata and Sebastián Peñuela. Colombian Ministry of Justice & Editorial Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (Bogota), 2018.

Academic Interests: 

Science and Religion, Peacebuilding and Theology, Imagination and Belief Transformation

Academic Related Activities: 

  • Forthcoming June 30, 2023 - Invited speaker and member of the Organizing Committee for the Inter-Religious Workshop What is Peace?, organized by OxPeace, Rodeemos el Diálogo, the Department of Peace Studies and International Development at Bradford University, the University of Winchester's Centre of Religion, Reconciliation and Peace, and the Jeeyar Educational Trust UK (St John’s College, Oxford).
  • Apr. 2023 - Co-Chair and Organiser of Embrace Dialogue Academia Seminar No. 16, a conversation between 10 intellectuals working in the UK, exploring options for future collaboration with Mrs Dorys Ardila, Member of the Follow-up and Monitoring Committee of the Colombian Truth Commission’s Recommendations. Organised by Rodeemos el Diálogo and Las Casas Institute (Blackfriars Hall, Oxford).
  • Mar. 20-24, 2023 - Supporting the Organising Committee for the Oxford Consortium for Human Rights’ Human Rights Activism & Civil Resistance Workshop (Blackfriars Hall, Oxford).
  • Feb. 7, 2023 - Invited speaker for the Oxford C. S. Lewis Society, with the paper «Tolkien, Cosmopoiesis, & The Imagination with a Thousand Faces» (Pusey House, Oxford).
  • Feb. 6, 2023 - Invited speaker for the Theology Society, with the paper «Hic Sunt Dracones: A Philosophical Cartography of Human Imagination» (Magdalen College School, Oxford).
  • Dec. 12-13, 2022 - Invited speaker for the Symposium and Conference The Christian Literary Imagination (Georgetown University, Blackfriars Hall Oxford, Campion Hall Oxford), sharing «Tolkien, Cosmopoiesis, & the Imagination with a Thousand Faces».
  • Nov. 16, 2022 - Invited speaker for the Science and Religion Seminar (Faculty of Theology, University of Oxford), sharing «Vanquishing the Wars Within».
  • June 20-23, 2022 - Invited Speaker in the Panel “A Critical Assessment of Catholic Social Teaching Through the Lens of Peacebuilding?”, as part of the U. of Notre Dame’s Catholic Peacebuilding Network’s Catholic Peacebuilding in Times of Crisis: Hope for a Wounded World Conference, sharing the paper «Imagination in Catholic Thought & Peacebuilding» (Online).
  • Mar. 18, 2022 – Invited by the Oxford Consortium for Human Rights as speaker for the Conference Human Rights, Armed Conflict & the Struggle for Peace (Oxford), sharing the talk «Fundamental Disagreements & Imagining Peace» alongside Tamara Niella PhD(c), based on both our doctoral research projects.
  • Jan. 28, 2022 – Invited speaker for the Graduate Seminar as part of the Conference Narrativas para la Reconciliación (Latin American Centre, University of Oxford & Universidad del Rosario), sharing «Bridging Worlds: Imagination, Belief Transformation & Peacebuilding in Colombia», based on my DPhil research.
  • Nov. 4, 2021 - Invited speaker to the Informal Graduate Seminar (Blackfriars Hall), sharing «Bridging Worlds. Imagination, Belief Transformation & Peacebuilding in Colombia», based on my DPhil research.
  • Apr. 28, 2021 - Organised and moderated the webinar «Rebels, Romantics and Prophets. The responsibility of Priests, Politicians and Intellectuals in the Colombian Armed Conflict» with Las Casas Institute (Blackfriars Hall).
  • Mar. 25, 2021 - Invited speaker to Graduate Class «Creative Processes», U. Jorge Tadeo Lozano (Colombia), talking about «Tolkien’s Sub-Creation & the Religious Imagination», based on my MSt dissertation.
  • Feb. 23, 2021 - Invited speaker to Oriel Talks (Oriel College), sharing «Tolkien’s Sub-Creation & the Religious Imagination», based on my MSt dissertation.
  • Sept. 2020 - Feb. 2022 - «What’s my Purpose?», facilitating 6 Online and In Person Workshops for We Create Space, using Peacebuilding resources.