In Depth:  science

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Life and death matters

Life and death matters
Xander Coomber

Book Review PLAYING GOD: Science, Religion and the Future of Humanity

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MS stem cell breakthrough

MS stem cell breakthrough
Nicola Laver
Nicola Laver

An Oxford professor who was diagnosed with primary progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) six years ago aged 49 has revealed how a new form of stem cell treatment, that does not rely on foetal stem cells, halted the disease.

Robert Douglas-Fairhurst told The Times newspaper in December that his condition deteriorated quickly for the first two years. In 2019, he underwent chemotherapy and radiotherapy followed by autologous haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (aHSCT) – the implantation of the patient’s own stem cells.

Mutant mice & human DNA editing ‘wake up’ call

Mutant mice & human DNA editing ‘wake up’ call
Nicola Laver
Nicola Laver

A dramatic scientific breakthrough unveiled at an international conference in London is a ‘wake-up’ call for Christians, an evangelical bioethicist is warning.

Scientists say they have created mice with two biological fathers using eggs made from male mice skin cells, in a first for science. One of the scientists said the process could be used to produce human babies within ten years – though similar claims are not new.

Science and Scripture

Science and Scripture
Jordan Brown
Jordan Brown

Web Review SCIENCE, SCRIPTURE, & SALVATION

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Letter

Science and faith
Date posted: 1 Oct 2022

Dear Editor,

In the recent past, scientific discoveries have overturned several widely-held notions that each in their way denied what the Bible teaches. For example, the Bible states or strongly implies:–

‘Fanatical arrogance of men of science?’ Selective, alarmist and dystopian

‘Fanatical arrogance of men of science?’ Selective, alarmist and dystopian
By Prof. Keith R. Fox

‘I have never seen Francis Crick in a modest mood’ wrote James Watson at the start of his book The Double Helix.

Crick may well have said the same about Watson because these two scientists were certainly not known for their humility. And surely it is no surprise that some scientists are arrogant, just as are some sportspersons, some teachers, some doctors, some pastors and church leaders, and so on. Humans are not perfect and one way of being imperfect is arrogance. Scientists are no exception – they exhibit the same range of imperfections as society at large.

Letter

Scientific arrogance?
Date posted: 1 Aug 2022

Dear Editor,

I’ll admit that I was not inclined to lend a sympathetic ear to William Philip’s article, entitled ‘The fanatical arrogance of men of science’ (en June), given his insensitive stance on climate change during COP26 in Glasgow (see http://ne-calltoaction.org.uk/?m=202207). Indeed, it really upset me to see all the good people I’ve worked with over the years maligned in this way and I hate to think of the damage such teaching could do to young people. The article fosters an attitude of fear and antagonism towards the whole scientific community and this is undeserved. ‘Men (and women) of science’ are not generally ‘fanatically arrogant’, any more than are men of politics, lawyers, school teachers – or ‘men of the church’.

Letter

Science and faith
Date posted: 1 Jul 2022

Dear Editor,

William Philip’s article in the May en is perceptive. As someone who has made a career in science, I think the warnings should be heeded.

Evangelical Futures: The ‘fanatical arrogance of men of science’

Evangelical Futures: The ‘fanatical arrogance of men of science’
William Philip

‘I dread government in the name of science. That is how tyrannies come in’ (C.S. Lewis, 1958).

Laura Dodsworth’s recent book, A State of Fear: how the UK government weaponised fear during the Covid-19 pandemic, is a troubling read. It exposes the extent to which behavioural scientists and their ‘psychological operations’ to manipulate behaviour have become a pervasive tool of government. This coercive power over populations has been amply manifest over the past two years, as has the influence of scientists generally; the voices of the SAGEs have been ubiquitous in the public consciousness, like oracles of a national religion, the source of all guidance and authority.

Science and faith united

Science and faith united
Davin Merrifield

Christians in Science (CiS) has hosted a conference at St Johns College, Durham (and online) to address the issue of science and religion in dialogue rather than conflict, with a keynote talk from Professor Bob White of the University of Cambridge.

The conference bought together many UK-based science-faith involved organisations such as CiS, Equipping Christian Leadership in an Age of Science, the Faraday Institute for Science and Religion, ‘God and the Big Bang’ (which runs interactive workshops for school students) and UCCF, the student Christian group, plus others. Presentations ranged from connecting with students, to talking science-faith in schools or with church audiences as well as discussing practical ways of sharing resources, experiences and skills. These were interspersed with networking times and an exhibition so that attendees were able get to know each other more deeply.

Scientists backtrack on Adam and Eve

Scientists backtrack on Adam and Eve
en staff, Richard Buggs

An internationally-known thinktank run by evangelical scientists has reversed its view on the literal existence of Adam and Eve.

BioLogos – which has been endorsed by influential voices such as Tim Keller, former bishop Tom Wright, and Fuller professor Richard Mouw – used to maintain that a literal Adam and Eve were scientifically impossible and that all humans could not have come from a single couple. They have now backtracked on that.

Pro-science, but pro-wisdom!
Technology

Pro-science, but pro-wisdom!
Pete Nicholas

Much is made of the information overload of the modern era.

With the 24/7 news cycle, multiple feeds, and social media, we have a proliferation of information. This has been an exaggerated feature of the pandemic: endless Covid ‘live feeds’, whether it is ‘second wave updates LIVE’ or ‘vaccine roll-out LIVE’. Commentators then perpetuate this with near-instant reflections on these live updates.

Letter

Lennox and DNA
Date posted: 1 Jan 2021

Dear Editor,

I was surprised by Rodney Holder’s comments in his review of 2084: Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Humanity (November en) that John Lennox uses a ‘God of the Gaps’ argument in his book. In fact, it is nothing of the sort. Lennox’s argument is a positive one – that the information in our DNA had to come from an intelligent source. (In the beginning was the Word. And the Word was God … All things were made through Him. John 1:1.) Also that codes are not the same as patterns and do not occur naturally in the world but are the deliberate inventions of intelligent consciousness.

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