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<strong>Series:</strong> Evolution Basics

Series: Evolution Basics

Written by BioLogos Fellow of Biology Dennis Venema, this series of posts is intended as a basic introduction to the science of evolution for non-specialists.
May 17, 2013 
Dennis Venema 
Genetics, History of Life, Evolution - How It Works
Biological Evolution: What Makes it Good Science? Part 2

Biological Evolution: What Makes it Good Science? Part 2

The Galápagos Islands were not a distinct “center of creation,” but a workshop for evolution in which an ancestral species made it to the yet uncolonized island and underwent a massive degree of speciation to adapt to the environment of the island. This is precisely what one would expect if the species of islands had arisen by evolution.
Apr 16, 2013 
Michael Buratovich 
Genetics, History of Life
6
Meet Jimmy Lin, “Medical and Scientific Doxologist”

Meet Jimmy Lin, “Medical and Scientific Doxologist”

In our current culture, we’re defined by our jobs. It’s having a vocation. I wanted to shift away from that. I didn’t want to be a doctor first and foremost, or a scientist, but one who praises God.
Mar 25, 2013 
Jimmy Lin, Ruppel, Emily 
Genetics, Science as Christian Calling
2
<strong>Series:</strong> Understanding Randomness

Series: Understanding Randomness

In this series, Kathryn Applegate addresses the concern that randomness implies the absence of God's activity and involvement in the natural world. She begins by clearing up some common misconceptions about the concept of "randomness", and later focuses on the mechanisms of the immune system to demonstrate that God works through random processes to preserve life. Far from being an indication of a "godless" universe, one might conclude that randomness is one of God’s favorite mechanisms for creating and sustaining life!
Mar 23, 2013 
Kathryn Applegate 
Divine Action & Purpose, Randomness, Evolution - How It Works
Genes, Cells, and the Changing Face of Technology, Part 1

Genes, Cells, and the Changing Face of Technology, Part 1

Right on this tabletop, you could make materials that by current manufacturing processes would otherwise cause a great amount of environmental hazard … In 50 years, we should be able to do things in ways we don’t do them now, that will be cheaper, less toxic, less polluting, more efficient, and so forth…
Mar 12, 2013 
Doug Lauffenburger, Ruppel, Emily 
Genetics
1
<strong>Series:</strong> Made in the Image of God: The Theological Implications of Human Genomics

Series: Made in the Image of God: The Theological Implications of Human Genomics

This series by Denis Alexander reflects on advancements in genomics as well as their theological implications. He focuses on the relatedness of hominin genomes, arguing that this does not interfere with the image of God in humans. The image of God depends more on the capacity for relationship and covenant, not on a list of particular physical qualities. He then discusses why the recent studies of genomics provide “no grounds for genetic determinism.”
Jan 15, 2013 
Denis Alexander 
Genetics, Image of God, Atheism & Scientism
<strong>Series:</strong> Behe, Lenski and the “Edge” of Evolution

Series: Behe, Lenski and the “Edge” of Evolution

In this series, we reexamine the claim made by Intelligent Design proponent Michael Behe to have found a limit to “Darwinian” evolution in light of recent results from the laboratory of Richard Lenski.
Nov 29, 2012 
Dennis Venema 
Genetics, ID Movement, Evolution - How It Works
<strong>Series:</strong> Decoding ENCODE

Series: Decoding ENCODE

The BioLogos Foundation explains to the findings of the Encyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE) project and responds to the claims that its discoveries challenge the theory of evolution, especially regarding so-called "junk DNA".
Sep 26, 2012 
Stephen Mapes, Dennis Venema 
Genetics, Evolution - Evidence, ID Movement
Denisovans, Humans and the Chromosome 2 Fusion

Denisovans, Humans and the Chromosome 2 Fusion

The Denisovans, an extinct hominid group that interbred with modern humans, made the news again lately with the publication of a more detailed study of their genome. One of the many interesting findings was that the Denisovans share the same chromosome 2 fusion that modern humans have.
Sep 06, 2012 
Dennis Venema 
Genetics, Human Origins, Evolution - Evidence
52
The Randomness Project

The Randomness Project

It is not uncommon to hear voices proclaiming that biology and physics have shown us that—at fundamental levels—nature is random, hence meaningless, purposeless, and without a creator. But how might God work providentially through indeterminate processes? The John Templeton Foundation has provided a generous grant of $1.69 million to support a new research initiative on the theme of Randomness and Divine providence.
Aug 31, 2012 
James Bradley 
Divine Action & Purpose, Randomness
6
David Lack: Evolutionary Biologist and Devout Christian

David Lack: Evolutionary Biologist and Devout Christian

Charles Darwin’s personal struggles and ultimate rejection of Christianity are well documented, and people are eager to link his loss of faith to his evolutionary theory. David Lack, on the other hand, began his scientific career as an agnostic, but shortly after publishing his famous book on the evolution of "Darwin's finches", he converted to Christianity.
Aug 07, 2012 
Thomas Burnett 
Lives of Faith, Randomness, Miracles
14
Becoming Human: New Insights from Genome-wide Functional Genomics

Becoming Human: New Insights from Genome-wide Functional Genomics

We live in exciting times for a geneticist: more and more genomes are being sequenced, and more and more novel genome-wide analyses are being performed to shed light on what all those newly-determined sequences mean.
Jul 27, 2012 
Dennis Venema 
Genetics, Evolution - How It Works
29
<strong>Series:</strong> Understanding Evolution: the Evolutionary Origins of Irreducible Complexity

Series: Understanding Evolution: the Evolutionary Origins of Irreducible Complexity

One of the challenges for discussing evolution within evangelical Christian circles is that there is widespread confusion about how evolution actually works. In this installment, we examine evidence that proteins in irreducibly complex (IC) systems can form and refine new interactions through gradual mechanisms.
Jun 28, 2012 
Dennis Venema 
Genetics, ID Movement
Randomness and Evolution: Is There Room for God? (Videocast)

Randomness and Evolution: Is There Room for God? (Videocast)

This BioLogos videocast addresses the idea of randomness as a part of natural selection, and whether it challenges the possibility of God using the evolutionary process as a means of creation.
Jun 15, 2012 
Joy Walters 
Divine Action & Purpose, Randomness
10
<strong>Series:</strong> Randomness and God’s Governance

Series: Randomness and God’s Governance

In this three-part series from Pruim’s chapter in the book Delight in Creation: Scientists Share Their Work with the Church, mathematician Randall Pruim explains what scientists and mathematicians mean when they speak of something being “random”. He also addresses God's use of apparent randomness in creation as a part of his sovereign rule.
May 21, 2012 
Randall Pruim 
Divine Action & Purpose, Randomness
Chance Creation

Chance Creation

It should not be surprising that John Cage asked the stuff he used to make paintings to take part in the process—to contribute its own identity to the intentional, purposeful, and determined work of creating “based on chance.”
May 13, 2012 
Mark Sprinkle 
Divine Action & Purpose, Randomness
0
Theory, Prediction and Converging Lines of Evidence, Part 2

Theory, Prediction and Converging Lines of Evidence, Part 2

We have already discussed hind limb and hair loss in whales, and now we turn to one of the remaining questions: tooth loss in the lineage leading to modern toothless whales.
Mar 22, 2012 
Dennis Venema 
Genetics, Evolution - Evidence
22
Fearful Symmetries

Fearful Symmetries

Perusing the writings of atheistic scientists and philosophers like Daniel Dennett, one could easily get the impression that arriving at a simpler explanation for something equates to a revelation that things are “lower, cruder, and more trivial.”
Mar 15, 2012 
Stephen Barr 
Science & Worldviews, Randomness
58
Possibilities and Second Chances

Possibilities and Second Chances

In today’s video, Dr. Rick Colling states that evolution is not merely the imposition of death and destruction and survival of the fittest. Rather, it is about second chances.
Feb 22, 2012 
Richard Colling 
Genetics, Evolution - How It Works
4
<strong>Series:</strong> Understanding Evolution: Is There “Junk” in Your Genome?

Series: Understanding Evolution: Is There “Junk” in Your Genome?

One of the challenges for discussing evolution within evangelical Christian circles is that there is widespread confusion about how evolution actually works. In this installment on “junk DNA”, we explore how genomics can be employed to test for non-functional sequences by comparing sequences between related organisms.
Feb 17, 2012 
Dennis Venema 
Genetics, Evolution - How It Works, Evolution - Evidence, ID Movement
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