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Louis Charles Birch (8 February 1918 – 19 December 2009) was an Australian geneticist specialising in population ecology and was also well known as a theologian, writing widely on the topic of science and religion, winning the Templeton Prize in 1990.^[1] The prize recognised his work ascribing intrinsic value to all life.

Birch's academic appointments at the University of Sydney have included Professor of Zoology from 1960-63, and Professor of Biology from 1963-83. He has been styled Emeritus Professor since 1983.

Publications

• The Distribution and Abundance of Animals, with H. G. Andrewartha, University of Chicago Press, 1954
• Nature and God, SCM Press, 1965
• Confronting the Future: Australia and the world: the next hundred years, Penguin Books, 1975 (2nd edition 1993) ISBN 0-14-021937-4
• Genetics and the Quality of Life, with Paul Abrecht. Pergamon Press, 1975. ISBN 0-08-018210-0
• Another Australia in a Just and Sustainable Global Society: An Address University of Newcastle, 1976.
• The Liberation of Life: From the Cell to the Community, with John B. Cobb Jr., Cambridge University Press, 1981. ISBN 0-521-23787-4
• The Ecological Web: more on the distribution and abundance of animals, with H. G. Andrewartha, University of Chicago Press, 1984. ISBN 0-226-02033-9
• Liberating Life: Contemporary Approaches to Ecological Theory, Orbis, 1990 ISBN 0-88344-689-8
• On Purpose, UNSW Press, 1990. ISBN 0-86840-371-7 (published in the USA as A Purpose for Everything: Religion in a Postmodern World View, Twentythird Publications, 1990. ISBN 0-89622-453-8)
• Regaining Compassion for Humanity and Nature, UNSW Press, 1993. ISBN 0-86840-213-3
• Feelings, UNSW Press, 1995. ISBN 0-86840-151-X
• Living With the Animals: The Community of God's Creatures, with Lukas Vischer. Risk Book Series, World Council of Churches, 1996. ISBN 2-8254-1227-9
• Biology and the Riddle of Life, co-published by UNSW Press (Australia), 1999. ISBN 0-86840-785-2
• Life and Work: Challenging Economic Man, with David Paul. UNSW Press, 2003. ISBN 0-86840-670-8
• Science and Soul, co-published by UNSW Press (Australia), 2007 and Templeton Foundation Press (USA), 2008. ISBN 978-0-86840-958-0

References

External links

• Australian Biography - Charles Birch
• Charles Birch, Science and Soul - Charles Birch interviewed by Stephen Crittenden on The Religion Report, ABC Radio National, 19 December 2007
• Obituary - Sydney Morning Herald 23 December 2009