Language of God

Julia Wattacheril is a hepatologist—a liver doctor—but in April she found herself walking into her first shift working with COVID patients during the peak of the pandemic in New York City. She describes what she and many other health care workers experienced during the peak of the pandemic and what they continue to experience as they care for those hit the hardest by COVID 19.  In this episode, Julia tells the story of a fellow doctor who died by suicide. If you're thinking about suicide, are worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support you can go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org or call 1-800-273-8255. Music in this episode is by Joseph McDade Join a conversation about this episode on the BioLogos Forum. Register for the 2024 Science and Faith Conference, April 17 - 19 | Raleigh, NC (Julia Wattacheril is a speaker!)

Denis Lamoureux didn’t just stumble unto evolutionary creation, though, as he will tell you, there was a great deal of stumbling on his path to get there. In the first part of the conversation he tells the story of faith to atheism, back to young earth creationism, and finally to evolutionary creationism, and how it was the bible, not science, which led him to where he is today.  His new book, The Bible and Ancient Science: Principles of Interpretation, gives 22 different principles for reading the bible. We focus on a few of those in our conversation, including accommodation, inerrancy, and what he calls, the message incident principle, which is that the most important thing about scripture is the spiritual truths held within. These principles have helped Denis, and now his students, to dig deep into scripture, remain committed to Christ, and also to see to see the beauty of biology.  The Bible and Ancient Science: Principles of Interpretation. Join a conversation about this episode on the BioLogos Forum.

Alister McGrath joins Jim Stump to talk about his book Born to Wonder. McGrath describes his early conversion to Christianity as feeling like he walked through a doorway—his new found faith gave him a fresh perspective when looking at the world. But instead of being content with standing just inside the doorway, he found that there was a whole world worth exploring. After many decades of deep exploration he has come away with a higher tolerance for uncertainty, even in the midst of all the knowledge and wisdom he has found. Join a conversation about this episode on the BioLogos Forum.

David grew up exploring the natural places where there were few people but his love for nature led him back to people and to a deep desire to understand why we have the ideas that we have about the world. His training in both philosophy and biology has given him an ability to explore these questions from many different angles. In the episode, David tells of his circuitous journey, from childhood to his current career, and how his scientific view of the world and his spiritual view of the world were developed in a way that made them inseparable. Then Jim and David talk about cultural evolution and how the ideas interplay with the current landscape of faith and science in the United States. Join a conversation about this episode on the BioLogos Forum.

Deb Haarsma, president of BioLogos, takes a turn in the interviewee’s seat as she tells her own story of an interest in science from a young age and how she was able to hold closely to her faith through her study of physics and a PhD in astronomy. But that doesn’t mean she has everything figured out—she also talks about some of the questions that remain unresolved. Even in the face of uncertainty, it is God’s glory, which she finds in abundance, including in the study of our vast universe, which turns her always back to praise.  Original music in this episode is from Carp. Join a conversation about this episode on the BioLogos Forum. Register for the 2024 Science and Faith Conference, April 17 - 19 | Raleigh, NC

Both science and the Christian faith share a commitment to humility. Each also provides us with a perspective of the world which we believe to be true. How then do we hold onto these things we believe to be true and be open to the fact that we can’t know everything? In this episode we explore that tension, looking into the deeper meaning of humility in the realms of both science and faith.  Thanks to our guests in exploring these ideas: psychologist, Charlotte vanOyen-Witvliet; theologian and poet, Padraig Ó Tuama; biologist, Steve Roels; and evolutionary biologist, Sarah Bodbyl Roels.  Join a conversation about this episode on the BioLogos Forum.

Justin Brierley has been the host of the Unbelievable? Radio Show and Podcast for almost 15 years and in doing so has been a part of conversations with Christians and non-Christians wrestling with questions of faith, and yet he has found his faith not only intact but sharpened. We talk to him about his experience on the show and about how his own beliefs have grown, changed, and continue to be formed.  Join a conversation about this episode on the BioLogos Forum.

Elaine Howard Ecklund is a sociologist who has devoted her career to understanding the attitudes and perceptions that scientists and religious people have toward each other. What she has found does not always match what would be expected. We talk about some of what she has learned over her years of research on this topic and talk about her new book, Why Science and Faith Need Each Other: Eight Shared Values The Move Us Beyond Fear. Elaine Howard Ecklund is a Professor of Sociology at Rice University and Director of the Religion and Public Life Program at Rice University. Join a conversation about this episode on the BioLogos Forum.

Tim’s transformation from West-coast skateboarder, to Bible student, to video producer may seem surprising, but his unorthodox journey to faith has given him a unique perspective and passion for the Bible.

Prayer is a central tenet to the Christian faith. In this episode we explore the intersection of science and faith when it comes to prayer. Can the effectiveness be prayer be tested with scientific studies? How does prayer affect us physically and what happens in our brain when we pray? And what is the role of prayer during a worldwide pandemic?  The first part of this episode is from episode 8 which aired on May 2nd, 2019 Join a conversation about this episode on the BioLogos Forum.

Our last conversation with Katharine Hayhoe aired in early March, the same week as the United States declared a state of emergency because of COVID-19. We’re bringing part of that conversation back in this episode, along with an update on how we might think about climate change in a post-COVID world, without falling into despair. Katharine Hayhoe is the Political Science Endowed Professor in Public Policy and Public Law in the Department of Political Science, a director of the Climate Center, and an associate in the Public Health program of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Texas Tech University. She and her husband wrote A Climate for Change: Global Warming Facts for Faith-Based Decisions, a book that untangles the complex science and tackles many long-held misconceptions about global warming. Her TED talk titled “the most important thing you can do to fight climate change: talk about it” has been viewed over 2.5 million times.  You can find the extended version of our first conversation with Katharine Hayhoe in Episode 35, which aired on March 12th, 2020. Join a conversation about this episode on the BioLogos Forum.

Today we revisit one of our favorite early episodes. From Praveen’s childhood, growing up in a Hindu family, to his later conversion to Christianity and his entry into science, he has gained great insight into the science and faith conversation. With grace and humility, Praveen shares some of that insight as he considers what it means to be made in the image of God in light of our understanding of evolution and DNA. He has long felt the importance of fostering healthy dialogue among Christians and the scientific community and discusses how such a dialogue might actually bring us closer together. Praveen Sethupathy is a Professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences at Cornell University, where he directs a research laboratory focused on human genomics and complex diseases. Find a conversation about this episode at the BioLogos Forum.

Philip Yancey returns to the podcast to dig deeper into his many years spent traveling and writing with Dr. Paul Brand and learning about the marvel of the human body. What we can learn from the human body—about the importance of pain, about healing and unity—can also be applied to the body of Christ. In doing so, we find relevance with many of today’s issues including the coronavirus and the need for the church to find unity among racial tensions.  Philip Yancey, author of books like Disappointment with God, The Jesus I Never Knew, and What’s So Amazing About Grace, is one of the best selling Christian authors alive today. His most recent book is an updated collaboration with Dr Brand called Fearfully and Wonderfully: The Marvel of Bearing God’s Image. Yancey lives in Colorado as a freelance writer and avid hiker.  Fearfully and Wonderfully: The Marvel of Bearing God’s Image Join a conversation about this episode on the BioLogos forum. Register for the 2024 Science and Faith Conference, April 17 - 19 | Raleigh, NC (Philip is a keynote speaker!)

Amid a surge in COVID-19 cases across the country, what should be the Christian response? Bible scholar N.T. Wright and BioLogos founder Francis Collins, two influential Christian figures and long-time friends, ponder this question and more.  N.T. Wright is a globally renowned New Testament scholar, Pauline theologian, and Anglican bishop. He is considered to be one of the most respected theologians and Christian apologists in the world. Francis Collins is the Director of the National Institutes of Health, and works closely with Dr. Anthony Fauci, a key White House advisor on the national health crisis. He also wrote the bestselling book The Language of God, which led to the creation of BioLogos. This conversation was originally broadcast live on video on July 12, 2020.  Watch the “Genesis” music video.Watch the video of this conversation.God and the Pandemic bookMore BioLogos resources on Coronavirus Find a conversation about this episode on the BioLogos forum. 

Shauna Niequist brings her passion for food and her Christian experience to a conversation about how food connects us to the created world and to each other and how our spiritual lives might be nourished around the table. Shauna is a popular author, speaker, podcaster. Her most recent book is Present Over Perfect, which came out in 2016. The interview was originally streamed live on June 29th. Original music in this episode is from Carp. You can find a link to a conversation about this episode on the BioLogos forum.