The Language of God by Francis S. Collins

The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief by Francis S. Collins


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This book presents a skeptic with many interesting choices, as well as thoughtful and thought provoking arguments for faith.

In a quest to understand God's plans for us, the author realized through his scientific discoveries the enigma and beauty of God's work. This book represents his journey to mesh the two passions and devotions of a rational mind- faith and science. Can evolution, the genetic code, the complexity and diversity of life, and our own inquisitive spiritual questing not belie a fraction of God's elegant intended creation?
Harmony of faith and scientific fact can each be pillars to building a foundation of the truths of life, as our meager brains can accept them.

Additionally, the arguments between creation and evolution are given much consideration. He proposes a faith theory of theistic evolution or BioLogos, as coined by the author. It is given credence in its careful assertions as a faith based, not science based theory (as opposed to creationists or believers in Intelligent Design who maintain their belief as scientific "fact", which in turn leads to destruction of faith as science provides ample evidence to the contrary).

This is also not a "God of the gaps" theory offering a theist explanation for anything unknown or unknowable at this time. Per Collins, "it proposes God as the answer to questions science was never intended to address, such as 'How did the universe get here?' 'What is the meaning of life?' 'What happens to us after we die?'"

Premises of BioLogos as described by Collins:

The universe came into being out of nothingness, approximately 14 billion years ago.

Despite massive improbabilities, the properties of the universe appear to have been precisely tuned for life

While the precise mechanism of the origin of life on earth remains unknown, once life arose, the process of evolution and natural selection permitted the development of biological diversity and complexity over very long periods of time.

Once evolution got under way, no special supernatural intervention was required.

Humans are part of this process, sharing a common ancestor with the great apes.

But humans are also unique in ways that defy evolutionary explanation and point to our spiritual nature. This includes the existence of the Moral Law (the knowledge of right and wrong) and the search for God that characterizes all human cultures thourhout history.

Can God not be worshipped in prayer as well as in scientific discovery? Collins again- "His creation is majestic, awesome, intricate, and beautiful- and it cannot be at war with itself".

Some other choice quotes:

Psalm 19

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands

By Galileo

I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use

Most substantially, I appreciated the author's candor about his own quest, and the turning points in his life that helped answer perhaps the burning questions for all of us.

Questions to ponder in one's life:
What will be your life's work?
What role will love play in your life?
What will you do about faith?

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