Language of God

In the second half of our conversation with Francis Collins, he recalls writing Language of God over ten years ago and how the excited public response to the book sparked his idea for BioLogos. We reflect on the early days at the organization as well as Francis’ departure to become the head of the National Institutes of Health. Despite his departure from BioLogos, he still shares a firm commitment to gracious dialogue, to finding common ground with those with whom we disagree. Francis hopes we can learn to approach each other with respect and spend time with people who are different from us. We discuss the perception of religion in the scientific community and which questions science can answer and which ones it cannot. Finally Francis looks forward to the future of science—the exciting new horizons afforded by single-cell analysis, cryogenic electron microscopy, and treatments for genetic diseases. Dr. Francis Collins is a physician and geneticist known for spearheading the Human Genome Project and for his landmark discoveries of disease genes. Collins founded BioLogos in November 2007 and served as its president until August 16, 2009, when he resigned to become director of the National Institutes of Health. You can find his landmark book on science and faith—Language of God—on Amazon. More information on the concern about gene editing of human embryos can be found at the following links: Call for a moratorium on heritable genome editing in the journal Nature Francis Collins supports international moratorium on germline editing Original music from Carp. Find a conversation about this episode at the BioLogos Forum.

Philip Yancey is one of the most compelling and popular Christian authors of our time. But the Church has not always been good him: growing up in Atlanta included absorbing the confidently racist doctrine his childhood pastor distributed from the pulpit. At one point, an inability to reconcile his experiences with the Christianity he was brought up to practice caused Yancey to abandon the faith. Yancey is not free from the pangs of doubt and disappointment today, but he gathers courage from the selfless love played out in people like Dr. Paul Brand, a medical doctor who dedicated his life to treating leprosy. In this episode’s conversation, Philip Yancey and Language of God host Jim Stump discuss rediscovering faith after messy first encounters, disappointment with the state of the world, and stepping into a life colored with hope. Philip Yancey, author of books like Disappointment with God, The Jesus I Never Knew, and What’s So Amazing About Grace, is one the best selling Christian authors alive today. Early experiences in a toxic church environment as well as co-authoring several books with Dr. Paul Brand inform his writing on faith, the problem of pain, and unexpected grace. He holds graduate degrees in Communications and English from Wheaton College and the University of Chicago. Yancey lives in Colorado as a freelance writer and avid hiker. Find a conversation about this episode at the BioLogos Forum.

Dr. Steve Bouma-Prediger, a Professor of Reformed Theology, and Dr. Dan Richter, a Professor of Soils and Forest Ecology, share insights on humanity's connection to soil and environmental stewardship. They discuss how biblical narratives frame our role as caretakers of the Earth, emphasizing humility in our relationship with nature. The conversation delves into the scientific findings around soil health, advocating for hopeful agricultural practices and the intertwined nature of faith and ecological responsibility for a sustainable future.

As she recounts her life in science, astronomer Jennifer Wiseman discusses faith in her work, human significance in a vast universe, and the mysterious awe inspired by investigating the cosmos. Spanning her life from gazing at the night sky as a child in the Ozark mountains to searching for life outside our galaxy as an astronomer, Wiseman’s passionate work in science and Christian faith have been the warp and woof of her life story. Jennifer J. Wiseman is an astrophysicist, author, and speaker. She studies the formation of stars and planets in our galaxy using radio, infrared, and optical telescopes. Dr. Wiseman studied physics for her bachelor’s degree at MIT, discovering comet Wiseman-Skiff in 1987. After earning her Ph.D. in astronomy from Harvard University in 1995, she continued her research as a Jansky Fellow at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory. Dr. Wiseman also has an interest in national science policy and has served as an American Physical Society Congressional Science Fellow on Capitol Hill. Dr. Wiseman enjoys giving talks on the excitement of science and astronomy to schools, youth and church groups, and civic organizations. She is a former Councilor of the American Astronomical Society and a former President of the American Scientific Affiliation. Find a conversation about this episode at the BioLogos Forum.

Praveen Sethupathy, a leading biomedical researcher at Cornell, discusses his journey from a Hindu upbringing to Christianity, blending faith with science. He shares insights on the interplay between evolution and divine imagery, emphasizing humanity's unique role in reflecting God's character. Rebecca McLaughlin, a communicator and theologian, supports the dialogue on fostering unity within faith communities, addressing how civil discourse can bridge gaps between science and spirituality. Together, they explore what it means to be made in God's image and the importance of respectful conversations.

Dr. Francis Collins is a physician and geneticist known for spearheading the Human Genome Project and for his landmark discoveries of disease genes. Collins founded the BioLogos Foundation in November 2007 and served as its president until August 16, 2009, when he resigned to become director of the National Institutes of Health. Collins sat down with us at his home to talk about his own journey in finding a harmony between faith and science. He talks about the early part of his career studying medicine and leading the Human Genome Project, shares stories of some of the people in his life who were influential in his conversion from atheism to Christianity, and discusses the role that music has played in his life. Find a conversation about this episode at the BioLogos Forum.

Language of God is a podcast on science and Christian faith from BioLogos. For more information about BioLogos visit our website at biologos.org.