Where does belief come from? Are we hard wired for religion? Is there an underlying reason for human belief?

Dr. Andrew Newberg, director of research at the Myrna Brind Center of Integrative Medicine at Jefferson, studies the links between religion and brain function in an attempt to better understand the nature of religious and spiritual practices and attitudes. In his work, Newberg asks: Why would the forces of natural selection, which gave the human brain its inexpressible powers of logical observation and rational analysis—all shaped toward the serious, pragmatic goal of keeping us alive—allow that very same organ to place such fundamental hope and trust in strange, unlikely myths? 

Start a conversation around the pro-science Pope's visit! Newberg's research fits neatly with Plato, the Daodejing, Hildegard of Bingen, Galileo, Darwin, Freud, scripture, and more.