Language of God

In July of 1925, two significant dramas unfolded on different continents—the Scopes “Monkey” Trial in Tennessee and the censure of Pierre Teilhard de Chardin in France— shaping the enduring conversation between science and faith. On the surface, these 1925 events couldn't be more different – one a public courtroom showdown, the other a hushed ecclesiastical reprimand. Yet, they both tackled the sa...

Dr. Jay Butler is an infectious disease physician, epidemiologist, and former Deputy Director for Infectious Diseases at the CDC. We had the joy of hosting Dr Butler in the BioLogos offices recently where we shared his perspective on public health as a ministry, discussing his career journey from the CDC to working with Alaska Native communities. He also delves into the history of measles, its imp...

From the earliest bipedal ancestors to the dawn of spiritual awareness, we delve into the archaeological, anthropological, and theological questions surrounding our shared past. Join us over two episodes as we uncover the blurred lines between ancient hominins and modern humans, and ponder the moments that shaped our anatomy, behavior, and spirit. Building on our journey through the Paleolithic, t...

From the earliest bipedal ancestors to the dawn of spiritual awareness, we delve into the archaeological, anthropological, and theological questions surrounding our shared past. Join us over two episodes as we uncover the blurred lines between ancient hominins and modern humans, and ponder the moments that shaped our anatomy, behavior, and spirit. n this first episode, we trace the incredible evol...

Francis Collins, founder of BioLogos, and Kristine Torjesen, the new President and CEO, are deeply invested in the power of science to do good in the world. Yet, they observe with concern a growing distrust in science within our technologically advanced society. In this conversation, they share profound personal stories of how scientific breakthroughs have brought healing and hope, illustrating ho...

In a world of increasing division, Monica Guzman offers advice for approaching conversation with curiosity. When we attempt to understand those who we disagree with, instead of merely attempting to change their beliefs, we are able to see people more fully and to even learn more about our own beliefs and ideas.  Learn more about Monica and her book, I Never Thought About it That Way at her website...

Alan Lightman is a theoretical physicist and has always seen the world as a place governed by unbreakable laws. But those laws never did a very good job explaining some of the most important moments of his life, moments when he felt a profound connection to the world. A journey to understand some of those transcendent moments has opened his appreciation to multiple ways of knowing and being in the...

How do science-minded Christians make sense of the resurrection? This Easter season, Jim Stump tackles that question. After hearing the Gospel accounts read by listeners and staff, he examines some of the differences in the Biblical accounts and considers how we might understand the story as a whole. Then he brings his expertise in the philosophy of science to explore how we can think of resurrect...

Life has a way of persisting through ecological disturbance in small protected places and then radiating outward. In Hawaii, those places are called “kipukas.” But biological life is not the only thing that can grow and thrive in the refuge of a kipuka. In this episode we hear the story of three places where people are caring for the land. At the base of the Ko’olau mountains in Oahu, a church is...

The giant Pacific octopus and humans have been evolving separately for more than 500 million years, but still, we have a few things in common. We explore what this means about octopuses, what it means about humans, and what it tells us about the Creator of All Things. As we dive into the science of octopus cognition and behavior we find the questions get more and more interesting. To help us sort...

From stargazing as a child to helping lead the team which took the first ever image of a black hole, Heino Falcke has only seen his faith and his work as an astronomer as deeply connected. In this episode we talk about his book, Light in the Darkness: Black Holes, the Universe and Us, where Falcke shares more about what creating the image actually consisted of, and some wisdom he picked up along t...

In the fall of 2024 198 countries from around the world came together in Azerbaijan, at COP29, to try and find solutions to the climate crisis. While the policy outcomes were disappointing, the stories of people from around the world were inspiring, even if they include a lot of pain and suffering. These stories help to connect us to our neighbors from around the world and these stories can help t...

A reflection on what it means to cultivate joy even if you don't feel very merry.  Theme song and credits music by Breakmaster Cylinder. Other music in this episode by Titan Sound, Vesper Tapes and Glory House, courtesy of Shutterstock, Inc. Renditions of In the Bleak Midwinter and Happy Xmas by Jim Stump. The short clip from COP29 is the voice of Juan Carlos Gomez, Panama’s special representative...

Jim and Colin report on location from Baku, Azerbaijan where they are attending COP29, the United Nations Climate Change conference. In this bonus episode, they briefly describe what COP29 is, why they are there, share a few stories of their own experiences so far and a few clips from interviews gathered from people from around the world.  Resources: Christian Climate Observers Programs Bringing H...

Hope has sometimes been made out to be something we possess, something we hold like a shield to protect us from pain. But Norman wants to recast hope as something we do, and most importantly, as something that is animated by love. He talks through some of the different textures of hope to bring out more of its richness so that it might better form us through times of crisis. Theme song and credits...

Hans Madueme is a Young-Earth Creationist. In this conversation, the goal was not to come to an agreement about the age of the earth but instead to understand one another better, find common ground, and explore the points of disagreement with curiosity and friendliness. Hans explains his views of where the Bible has a clear message and where he sees the limits of science in explaining things that...

After many years working at the very top levels of science and medicine, pursuing knowledge that would lead to better and healthier lives for so many people, Francis Collins started to see an erosion of trust in science, as well as across social and political landscapes. That led him to start wondering about what leads people to trust—in facts, in ideas, in institutions—and to wonder about the nat...

The title of Brian McLaren’s new book, Life After Doom, might at first be imposing…that word, “doom" looms large, but there is also life. McLaren has been looking into the face of the climate crisis and has, himself, felt the sense of doom that many people describe when they look into the future. McLaren does not dismiss the seriousness of the problems, nor is he paralyzed by it, but instead imagi...

It is hard to care for, protect, or even to mourn those we have no relationship with. We try to develop a relationship with a few creatures that are still among us, even if they are imperiled, to better know and love our world. And we end with a last few thorns…should we attempt to bring back extinct species and how should we think about the future of our own species? This is episode three of a th...

We look to present times to see how extinctions are actually happening and what we know about them and we explore the work of biological conservation to protect species. Then we return to the question of how to feel about extinction, comparing modern day and historical extinctions and adding a few more layers to the question. This is episode two of a three-part series.  About the series: Extinctio...

Extinction is a familiar idea for almost everyone, but it wasn’t long ago that no one would have thought a species could go out of existence. We explore this history of the human understanding of extinction, and then we go much further back in history, to explore how extinction has played a role in the development of life over hundreds of millions of years leading to our world today. This is the f...

The story of evolution is often centered around genes and randomness. More and more, scientists are finding that culture is also a driver of evolution. When we explore how humans have both emerged from an evolutionary process and contribute to it, we begin to understand ourselves differently. This new understanding will ultimately lead us to a deeper relationship with God. In this episode, we foll...

When the wind is just right, on a small beach in Titusville, Florida, horseshoe crabs crawl out of the water and onto the beach to lay their eggs. Jim and Colin joined up with two marine biologists—Bob Sluka who works with A Rocha, a Christian conservation organization and Margaret Miller, a coral biologist who works with SECORE International—and three A Rocha interns to survey the horseshoe crabs...

The climate crisis often leads people to feelings of grief, despair, and fear. With the of help faith leaders, climate activists, artists and teachers from around the world we explore some of the emotions that result from an awareness of the climate crisis. And consider how naming and accepting the grief and sorrow that many people are feeling can also be a path toward hope. Featured guests: Heath...

The church has had a complicated relationship with mental health. Research shows that 1 in 5 adults experience mental illness in a given year and yet 66% of pastors talk about mental health in sermons only once a year or less. In the episode we break down what exactly mental illness and mental health are, what is happening in the brain, and how the church can respond in ways that help us all to be...