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The prestigious Gifford Lectureships were established by Adam Lord Gifford (1820–1887), a senator of the College of Justice in Scotland. The purpose of Lord Gifford's bequest to the universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow, St. Andrews and Aberdeen was to sponsor lectures to “promote and diffuse the study of Natural Theology in the widest sense of the term—in other words, the knowledge of God”.

Since the first lecture in 1888, Gifford Lecturers have been recognized as pre-eminent thinkers in their respective fields. Among the many gifted lecturers are Hannah Arendt, Noam Chomsky, Stanley Hauerwas, William James, Jean-Luc Marion, Iris Murdoch, Roger Scruton, Eleonore Stump, Charles Taylor, Alfred North Whitehead, and Rowan Williams.

The online Gifford Lectures database presents a comprehensive collection of books derived from the Gifford Lectures. In addition to the books, the Web site contains a biography of each lecturer and a summary of the lecture or book. The Web site also contains a biography of Adam Lord Gifford, a copy of his will bequeathing money to the four major Scottish universities to hold the lectures, a brief description of natural theology, an introduction to each of the four universities and news about forthcoming Gifford-related events.

Featured Article

John Haldane, “Scotland’s Gift: Philosophy, Theology, and the Gifford Lectures,” Theology Today 63 (2007): 469–476.

Featured Video

Prof Michael Welker: Called to Justice

3. Called to Justice

Over centuries of evolution, the traditional patriarchal ethos has only reluctantly, and only in parts of the world, embraced legal concepts, morality, and politics based on equality – that is, an ethos based on justice and the protection of the weak, and focused on the freedom and equality of all human beings. This ethos also shapes the evolution of jurisprudence and provides a foundation for both international and interreligious understanding, prompting a critical reexamination of ‘natural law’.