The Language of God (Book)
The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief by Dr. Francis Collins should be a prerequisite read for anyone wanting to discuss religion and science. Collins systematically addresses many of the arguments often presented by the binarily-opposed camps of atheism and theism. In rational, but earnest, straight-forward speak, Collins discusses how he traveled [...]
The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief by Dr. Francis Collins should be a prerequisite read for anyone wanting to discuss religion and science.
Collins systematically addresses many of the arguments often presented by the binarily-opposed camps of atheism and theism. In rational, but earnest, straight-forward speak, Collins discusses how he traveled a path through ambivalence, agnosticism, and atheism to arrive at a belief system he describes as theistic evolution and labels BioLogos.
Through his experience as the head of the Human Genome Project he describes how he sees science and religion as partners instead of enemies. He shows how a synergistic relationship between science and theology is possible and can lead us to understand who we are, where we came from, and where we could potentially go in the future.
Collins now serves as the Director of the National Institutes of Health and in January of 2010 published another book called The Language of Life.
The Language of God Links
More books by Dr. Francis Collins
- Belief: Readings on the Reason for Faith
- The Language of Life: DNA and the Revolution in Personalized Medicine
UPDATE: After posting this, a friend wrote to me the following message via Facebook:
Hey Scott,
I’d really appreciate your take on this. It’s something I’ve struggled to reconcile with my own faith. Since I’ve only been saved for 7 years I’m still learning about a lot of things.
Thanks,
[Name Withheld]
This is what I wrote in reply:
Hi [Name Withheld],
Good to hear from you. If you’re going to struggle with a topic, this is definitely a good one. You’ll be glad to know that regardless of knowledge and experience nearly everyone has and still does struggle with these concepts. It’s been called “the human condition,” so don’t feel like you’re alone in it.
The debate has raged on since time began. I think if there was a definitive answer we wouldn’t still be arguing about it. Considering the fact that the finer points and deepest understanding of both science and religion are far beyond the intelligence of most of us, there is good reason for us to feel inadequate in our ability to really know the answer. At best we’re all operating on faith in something, be it reason, religion, or a mix of both.
As for me… I consider myself merely a layman in both fields, but a curious, eager, hopeful, and self-educating layman. I read a lot and try to understand as much of it as I can. For any matter in either field I rely on the “experts” for the best information, which I then must parse for myself. I do my best to avoid the trolling, antagonism, and rhetoric that do nothing to help progress, take into account the biases, presuppositions, and worldviews that form and shift the information, and look for the positive aspects, rational thought processes, and those ideas/concepts that have the “ring of truth” to them. This is probably the best any of us can do.
That said, I respect what Dr. Francis Collins has to say. He’s a very bright scientist that led the team that mapped the human genome. He’s a skeptic that wrestled with all the questions we do and yet still became a believer. He seems like a respectable human being that is neither pandering nor aloof. In short, I like him (or what I know of him). He seems like the kind of guy that I would like to be: an intelligent mystic – someone who educates himself as best he can, but has not reduced all of life to an equation.
And so I listen to him.
We tend to seek out the people that think similarly. Maybe this is the case here, but I suppose that just exposes my biases and the mixed bag of diametrically opposed concepts I enjoy and find myself holding onto. Things like rationality and spirituality, science and poetry, evidence and blind faith, deep wisdom and child-like belief. And that mix of things doesn’t seem all that bad to me.
Towards the end of the book, Collins tells how both religious believers and scientific skeptics have issues with him and his beliefs. That’s no surprise. To believe as he does (which, I think I do), means that I will most likely find myself at odds with nearly everyone since humans like to polarize themselves into mutually exclusive groups (e.g. Democrats vs. Republicans). Middle ground people (like myself) are a threat to both sides. I like to think that I’m dangerous, but the good kind of dangerous – like Jesus.
Years ago I was told that evolution was heresy and a threat to my faith. Various religious people/groups instructed me to fight against the huge lie and conspiracy of evolution. They said if we allowed this “theory” to prevail, then our faith would be lost. We would be reduced to monkeys, heaven would dissolve, and God would no longer exist.
At times evolution did threaten my faith, but only because of how the issue was framed for me. Somewhere deep down I knew that there was good science behind evolution, but that my faith was also true. I had heard stories and experienced things that could not be accounted for. So even then (some 20 years ago) I suspected what this book now proposes. It feels like confirmation of the worldview that’s been hanging around inside of me.
The more I live, read, discover, and understand, the more I feel I have good reason to be grounded in my beliefs, but usually not for the original reasons. I go through periods of doubt and renewal as I learn new things, let go of old things, and find the true things. This book walks along that same path. It has that “ring of truth” to it that I’ve been looking for.
In the coming weeks I hope to be blogging more about faith and science. I have a bunch of ideas bouncing around in my thick old head. I suppose I’m wise enough to have some good thoughts, but foolish enough to actually say them. Maybe you’ll find my thoughts enjoyable and possibly even helpful. I’d love to hear your thoughts.
All the best,
Scott
I’m really intrigued by the idea of a separation between “Homo Sapiens” on the one hand, and “Homo Divinus” on the other. If this idea is accepted, then the implication is that all of us are merely “Homo Sapiens” until our dead spirit is regenerated by God’s Grace at the moment of our salvation. Stuff to ponder!