The Language Of God - Francis Collins

[Stanley]

I am surprised this book isn't here. It is one I really enjoyed. Francis Collins was in charge of the Human Genome Project. At one point in his life he was an atheist, which he says means he didn't really think about it, but when he started thinking about it he read a lot of C.S. Lewis and that clicked with him. He now calls himself an evangelical Christian.

 

What I liked about the book is he explains his positions on different topics based on logic. He is very critical of the creationist. He says that branches of Christianity who teach creationism are going to diminish Christianity. If kids are taught creationism at a young age and then go to college and learn in their first geology class they have been deceived (my words, not his) they are likely to reject Christianity as a whole.

 

I like his tone and the way he came across in general. It was a peaceful expression of his thoughts/beliefs and was not pushing the reader to believe one way or another.

[romansh]

Will,

Which parts of the Bible does Dr Collins suggest that we take literally?

[Stanley]

You know, it doesn't stand out that he pushed that. You made me go look up the difference between fundamentalist and evangelical. It seems that all evangelical Christians don't necessarily take the Bible literally. He struck me a very rational person and the main purpose of the book was to show that science and religion are not at odds with each other. But maybe someone else has a different take on the book.