June 17, 2021
Fossils open a window deep into the history of the earth. Through that window we learn about how whales evolved from four-legged creatures to the aquatic animals we know today, we learn about our own species and where we came from, and we learn more about God who made it all. Language of God producer Colin Hoogerwerf journeys into the world of fossils alongside paleontologist Ryan Bebej to explore some of these stories. Guest geologist and paleontologist Ralph Stearley introduces us to some of the early Christians who helped figure out what fossils really are, and biological anthropologist Cara Wall-Scheffer joins to talk about what fossils can teach us about what it means to be human.
This episode originally aired September 12, 2019.
Find Ryan Bebej’s personal story here.
See photos from our visit to Calvin’s fossil collection at our website.
Find a conversation about this episode at the BioLogos Forum.
![78. Stephen Freeland | Life on Earth and Elsewhere]()
June 10, 2021
Humans have long been captivated by life outside of our planet. While mainstream speculation about aliens is usually confined to the fictitious worlds of Hollywood films, respected scientists have also made sophisticated arguments for their existence. To sort through these claims, as well as recent news of unidentified aerial phenomena, we turned to an expert in the field.
Our guest today, Stephen Freeland, has been exposed to a wide range of academic science—he went from studying zoology to computer science to genetics before settling into a career as an astrobiologist. He talks with Jim about what astrobiology is, the rich benefits of a multidisciplinary approach to the subject, and his take on the possibility of life, intelligent or otherwise, beyond our planet.
Read more about recent speculations and an upcoming government report here.
Find Avi Loeb and Amir Siraj’s now famous claims about an interstellar object here.
Check out the article on phosphine in Venus published in Nature.
May 27, 2021
In this conversation with acclaimed Stanford neuroscientist Dr. Bill Newsome, we hear about his journey to becoming a neuroscientist, how hundreds of millions of neurons enable the fantastic emergence of a unified visual world, and how free will might operate in relation to the seemingly infinite causal chains which bring us all to this moment. Along the way, Dr. Newsome shares his own experiences with science and faith and why biological explanations should not be seen as weapons beating back the claims of Christianity.
Read Bill’s article, “Life of science, life of faith”, here
Join a conversation about this episode on the BioLogos Forum.
May 13, 2021
The roaring current of stubborn partisan standoffs challenges us to cement ourselves in our views; dialogue erodes as we ditch the public conversation to wrap ourselves in the self-affirming comfort of our isolated belief nooks. Among the most well-acquainted with this phenomenon is On Being host Krista Tippett, who worked as a journalist and diplomat in Cold War Berlin. But she sees something else as well: a hunger for honest conversation. In this episode, Jim talks with Krista about how her work attempts to feed that desire—and where science and faith live in that discussion.
Explore the Better Conversations Guide.
Join a conversation about this episode on the BioLogos Forum.
This episode originally aired on August 29, 2019
![76. Stephen C. Meyer | Is God a Hypothesis?]()
May 6, 2021
Proponents of intelligent design and evolutionary creation have some different ideas about the relationship of science and faith, and relations between BioLogos and the Discovery Institute have not always been easy. But there is some common ground. We explore some of that common ground in this episode while also discussing the philosophical differences between the positions. Stephen Meyer is a leading advocate for intelligent design and is the Director for the Center for Science and Culture at the Discovery Institute, and his new book, Return of the God Hypothesis, frames this conversation.
This was meant to be a conversation and not a debate and so the intention was not to stop every time a claim was made that we disagree with. Instead, we made a companion piece to this episode where we point to many resources that do respond to these claims and help to further explain some of the philosophical concepts covered in this conversation.
Join a conversation about this episode on the BioLogos Forum.
April 22, 2021
Earth Day has not always been a holiday widely celebrated by the Christian Church. It might have something to do with the fact that many Christians have been told that they can’t be both a Christian and an environmentalist. Sandra Richter was told the same thing, but as she studied to become a professor of Old Testament, she found a rich biblical basis for caring for the earth, and she found that in doing so we are also caring for the widow, the orphan and the oppressed. Drawing from her recent book, Stewards of Eden, she helps to break down the biblical call for stewardship and leaves us with a message of hope and encouragement.
Join a conversation about this episode on the BioLogos Forum.
![74. Francis Collins & David Anderson | How Christians Can End the Pandemic]()
April 15, 2021
Polling data tells us Christians are the most hesitant group in the United States about receiving the COVID-19 vaccines. Yet research on the vaccines show that they are incredibly safe and effective. It’s clear that if we want to get past this pandemic, our Christian community needs a radical reorientation based on sound evidence and an abundance of grace. Offering perspectives rooted in Biblical faith, Dr. Francis Collins and Dr. David Anderson join in conversation about how Christians can bring about the end of the pandemic. Dr. Collins brings a depth of scientific knowledge alongside Dr Anderson’s pastoral wisdom to talk about the vaccine and the hesitancy many people harbor about the vaccines. In doing so, these renowned spiritual leaders lay the groundwork for Christians to build bridges toward healing and change.
This conversation was originally aired as a livestream video event on April 11, 2021.
Original music in this episode is by Carp.
Join a conversation about this episode on the BioLogos Forum.
April 8, 2021
Joel Chopp and Geoff Fulkerson are the editors of a new book called Science and the Doctrine of Creation: The Approaches of Ten Modern Theologians (InterVarsity Press, 2021). In the episode Geoff, Joel and Jim talk about the doctrine of creation itself before taking a look at four of the ten theologians in the book to see how they have influenced the conversations around faith and science.
Join a conversation about this episode on the BioLogos Forum.
April 1, 2021
Dan Kuebler got his undergraduate degree in English—it was not until his senior year that he joined his first lab and fell in love with biology. He joins Jim on this episode to discuss what fascinated him about science, and how his subsequent career as a biology professor has impacted his faith as a Catholic believer. The conversation covers his experience as a graduate student at University of California Berkeley, later work on science and faith (exemplified by The Evolution Controversy, which Dan co-authored with Thomas Fowler), and the impact all this has on his approach to science and faith education as Dean of the School of Natural and Applied Sciences at Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio.
Join a conversation about this episode on the BioLogos Forum.
Read the article Dan coauthored with Dennis Venema here.
![71. Curtis Chang and David French | Christians and the Vaccine]()
March 18, 2021
With the rollout of several different COVID-19 vaccines and the prominence of anti-vaxx groups, gracious conversations between opposing sides are increasingly difficult to initiate. Yet when our family members and friends voice doubts about a vaccine’s safety or effectiveness, these are the exact conversations needed to bridge that divide. Our two guests on today’s episode, Curtis Chang and David French, offer eminently approachable places to start. Two well-known voices in the conservative Christian arena, Curtis and David are passionate about having informed and empathetic discussions around vaccination. Whether you have doubts about the vaccine or are trying to find common ground where you and your family members or friends can broach these difficult topics, this conversation is a great place to start.
Curtis Chang is not only a consulting professor in innovation and organization at Duke Divinity School but also founder and head of Consulting Within Reach, a firm which aims to help nonprofits implement best practices to more effectively achieve their goals. David French is a former lawyer and current writer. He was a fellow at the National Review Institute and staff writer for National Review from 2015 to 2019. Currently, he serves as senior editor of The Dispatch. Curtis and David collaborated on a series of videos addressing common concerns Christians have around the vaccine called Christians and the Vaccine. For more on this resource, check the link below.
Check out the videos mentioned in the episode at Christians and the Vaccine homepage.
Read David French's newsletter.
Join a conversation about this episode on the BioLogos Forum.
