Faith & Clarity - Biblical Perspectives and Biblical Wisdom on News & Cultural Issues

Faith, science, and the call to hospitality with Dr. James Tour

Oct 8, 2025

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Dr. Mark Turman sits down with world-renowned scientist Dr. James Tour for a conversation that bridges faith and science in remarkable ways. Dr. Tour shares his story of coming to faith in Jesus—how a secular Jewish student became a passionate follower of Christ—and what that journey has taught him about truth, reason, and grace.

Together, they talk about the mysteries of life’s origin, the promises and pitfalls of artificial intelligence, and how Christian hospitality can open hearts to the gospel. Dr. Tour also reflects on his pioneering work in nanotechnology at Rice University and offers wisdom for students and parents seeking to hold onto faith in the world of higher education.

It’s a thoughtful, hope-filled dialogue about what it means to follow Jesus with both mind and heart.

Topics

(01:28): Introducing Dr. James Tour
(09:40): Daily devotion and Scripture engagement
(10:51): Faith on college campuses
(13:21): The power of Christian hospitality
(15:10): Dr. Tour's scientific work and achievements
(16:20): The wonders of photosynthesis
(19:29): Exciting scientific discoveries
(22:55): Medical innovations with nano machines
(25:25): Exploring the origin of life
(28:16): Challenges in evolutionary theory
(29:52): The role of AI in scientific research
(33:03): Impact of AI on education and employment
(39:38): Choosing the right university for Christian students
(46:12): Dr. Tour's online resources
(47:50): Closing remarks and prayer

Resources

About Dr. James Tour

Professor James Tour is the T. T. and W. F. Chao Professor of Chemistry, Professor of Computer Science, and Professor of Materials Science and NanoEngineering at Rice University in Houston, Texas. Professor Tour has over 800 research publications, over 140 granted patents, and over 100 pending patents. His h-index is 178, with total citations over 150,000. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry. His research group works in materials science, energy, medicine, electronics, and single-molecule nanomachines. He founded 17 companies based on his academic research, three of which are now public companies.

In addition to this, he has an active social media presence, @drjamestour, spanning YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, Rumble, Facebook, and X. In 2024, on YouTube alone, there were 24 million views of his content for over 2 million viewed hours, which spans topics on science, faith, and the origin of life. For 10 years, Professor Tour led weekly Bible studies in the living units of maximum-security prisons.

He has been teaching a weekly Bible study to college students for the past 26 years, and he and his wife, Shireen, have served about 75 meals to students per week in their home for that entire time. They also distribute dozens of weekly meals to local cancer patients residing in church facilities and elderly shut-ins in Houston.

About Dr. Mark Turman

Mark Turman, DMin, serves as the Executive Director of Denison Forum, where he leads with a passion for equipping believers to navigate today’s complex culture with biblical truth. He is best known as the host of the Faith & Clarity podcast and the lead pastor of the Possum Kingdom Chapel, the in-person congregation of Denison Ministries.

Dr. Turman is the coauthor of Sacred Sexuality: Reclaiming God’s Design and Who Am I? What the Bible Says About Identity and Why it Matters. He earned his undergraduate degree from Howard Payne University in Brownwood, Texas, and received his Master of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth. He later completed his Doctor of Ministry at George W. Truett Theological Seminary at Baylor University in Waco.

Before joining Denison Forum, Mark served as a pastor for 35 years, including 25 years as the founding pastor of Crosspoint Church in McKinney, Texas.

Mark and his high school sweetheart, Judi, married in 1986. They are proud parents of two adult children and grandparents to three grandchildren.

About Denison Forum

Denison Forum exists to thoughtfully engage the issues of the day from a biblical perspective through The Daily Article email newsletter and podcast, the Faith & Clarity podcast, as well as many books and additional resources.