270:. He grew up in an agnostic family, and knew at an early age that he wanted to be a scientist. At first, he was interested in the physical sciences, since "biology was rather like existential philosophy: it just didn't make sense" (page 181). However, nearing the end of his Ph.D. program, Collins took a biochemistry course and became interested in the field. He entered medical school and began genetic research and a clinical practice after graduating. In one instance, Collins was asked by a Christian patient about his spiritual beliefs. He did not really have an answer; Collins then decided that he should confirm his atheism by studying the best arguments for faith. A pastor directed him to
292:. Moral Law is very important to Collins: "After twenty-eight years as a believer, the Moral Law stands out for me as the strongest signpost of God" (p. 218). Moral Law is an argument for the existence of God; Collins quotes C. S. Lewis to describe it: "The denunciation of oppression, murder, treachery, falsehood and the injunction of kindness to the aged, the young, and the weak, almsgiving, impartiality, and honesty." Collins argues that all cultures and religions of the world endorse a universal, absolute and timeless
36:
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that
Collins' book is meant to be "the story of how and why he came to believe in God... There are many conversion stories and many scientific autobiographies, but few books in which prominent scientists tell how they came to faith." Barr concludes that while "so many people on both sides are trying
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that "the scientific method and the scientific worldview can't be allowed to get distorted by religious perspectives", but that he does not think "being a believer or a non-believer affects one's ability to do science." He also said that "the faith that
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writes: "This marvelous book combines a personal account of
Collins's faith and experiences as a genetics researcher with discussions of more general topics of science and spirituality, especially centering around evolution."
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to foment a conflict between science and religion, Collins is a sorely needed voice of reason. His book may do more to promote better understanding between the worlds of faith and science than any other so far written."
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as a unique property that separates humans from animals. The Moral Law includes altruism, which is more than just reciprocity ("You scratch my back, and I'll scratch yours"). His second argument is: "Selfless
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is well written, and in many places quite thoughtful, but unless one is predisposed to the idea of theistic evolution, most will probably find the book unconvincing on this front."
395:"BioLogos" expresses the belief that God is the source of all life and that life expresses the will of God. BioLogos represents the view that science and faith co-exist in harmony.
372:, where "Word" is an ordering principle as well as a creative agent for all that exists. Furthermore, in some Christian thinking, the eternal and divine
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became the name of the science and faith organization
Collins founded in November 2007. The organization BioLogos now prefers the term "
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isn't the faith I recognize," and that, like him, "most people are seeking a possible harmony between these worldviews ."
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the existence of an omnipotent, omniscient, omnibenevolent God, rather than whether the evidence is
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However, this did not become the most widely used definition of that name. Instead,
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Collins argues that science and faith can be compatible. In an interview on the
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Collins's conversion to
Christianity is detailed at the beginning and end of
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An extended, chapter-by-chapter review by atheist B.J. Marshall, on
Patheos
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merged and synthesized with a human nature to become Jesus Christ in the
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by C. S. Lewis, which he cites as the main cause of his conversion.
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Decoding the
Language of God: Can a Scientist Really Be a Believer?
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447:) as no more valid than would be a reminder to him (Harris) of the
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Collins raises arguments for the existence of God, drawing from
713:"The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief"
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presents a major challenge for the evolutionist" (p. 27).
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The
Language of God: a Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief
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The
Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief
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406:" to describe its position regarding evolution and Genesis.
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by arguing that rationalists should ask whether evidence
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The book proposes the name "BioLogos" as a new term for
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360:is Greek for "word", with a broader meaning in
247:and others. The book was selected for the 2007
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504:"Faith, Reason, God and Other Imponderables"
216:from August 17, 2009, to December 19, 2021.
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212:(HGP). He served as the director of the US
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605:Dr. Francis Collins - The Language of God
427:(the digital newsletter of the American
833:Book Review - Writing outside his field
758:"Sam Harris: The Language of Ignorance"
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392:for the second person of the Trinity.
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818:The Language of God on BioLogos.org
561:National Institutes of Health (NIH)
298:Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics
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631:The Incarnation of the Word of God
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309:Intersection of science and faith
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693:"What is evolutionary creation?"
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858:2006 non-fiction books
784:"The Form of Speaking"
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210:Human Genome Project
29:The Language of God
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535:Scientific American
435:The Language of God
286:The Language of God
284:Another section of
268:The Language of God
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648:Francis S. Collins
582:"Book Awards 2007"
370:Christian theology
344:theistic evolution
250:Christianity Today
233:Augustine of Hippo
194:theistic evolution
188:is a 2006 book by
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764:. August 21, 2006
762:www.samharris.org
717:Publishers Weekly
673:"BioLogos — Home"
416:Publishers Weekly
354:word for "life."
319:podcast, he told
273:Mere Christianity
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390:God the Son
378:Incarnation
229:C. S. Lewis
80:apologetics
56:Illustrator
842:Categories
768:2012-12-08
743:2007-11-11
698:2019-07-05
678:2011-04-20
616:2015-09-03
567:2024-04-11
542:2007-11-11
515:2007-11-11
489:References
469:compatible
457:exaptation
441:Sam Harris
225:philosophy
206:geneticist
100:Free Press
794:15 August
471:with it.
410:Reception
294:Moral Law
280:Moral Law
202:physician
96:Publisher
736:eSkeptic
654:, 2006.
465:suggests
461:theodicy
425:eSkeptic
400:BioLogos
366:Stoicism
338:BioLogos
303:altruism
257:Synopsis
152:65978711
64:Language
662:. p.203
445:Trinity
386:Trinity
350:is the
326:Dawkins
221:science
72:Subject
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165:215 22
46:Author
374:Logos
357:Logos
352:Greek
124:Pages
86:Genre
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111:2006
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