Hazara Society of Science-Religion Dialogue (HSSRD)
Government Postgraduate College
Mansehra
HSSRD was the first three-time awardee of the LSI supplemental award in 2002, 2003 and 2004.The focus of this society is to view the multitude of dialogue topics from different angles under the heading of “Religion and Science: Past, Present and Future”. In the words of the Chair of HSSRD, the society wants to “provide a forum where both Traditionalists and Modernists will be invited, diverse viewpoints can be presented and accommodated, and where tolerance should be nurtured in its true sense in religious scholars and scientists”. Among many projects the society seeks to form a study circles, discussions held at fortnightly meetings with paper presentations, and seminars organized on a national level. Outreach of the group is extensive, including a website, a quarterly journal entitled Science-Religion Dialogue, national essay competitions, translations of contemporary texts into Urdu, an online course, and a book competition. By providing the publications to institutions of higher learning, religious institutes (madrassas), and libraries throughout Pakistan the society hopes to foster open dialogue across the country. Members of the society believe that through equipping religious students and scholars with scientific knowledge and scientific scholars with religious knowledge they promote the bridging of the gap between reason and revelation. The ultimate goal is to motivate an increasing number of thinkers and scholars to “engage in constructive and purposeful dialogue.”