Name: Faith, COVID, and Polarized Times - Resource - BioLogos
Uploaded: 2022-02-09T17:54:15.000Z
Description: Francis Collins and Deb Haarsma reflect on how a sharp decline in trust impacts science, our response to COVID, faith, our engagement in institutions, and the request for harmony between faith and science.

deb-haarsma

deborah-haarsma

Deborah Haarsma is President of BioLogos. She is an astronomer and frequent speaker on modern science and Christian faith at research universities, churches, and public venues like the National Press Club. Her work appears in several recent books, including <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Creation-Evolution-Intelligent-Design-Counterpoints-ebook/dp/B06XFN3TW6/ref=sr_1_5" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.com/Creation-Evolution-Intelligent-Design-Counterpoints-ebook/dp/B06XFN3TW6/ref%3Dsr_1_5&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1547561515803000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHiLRhboyYIpvHL1dswTaThwutQ7g">Four Views on Creation, Evolution, and Design</a> and <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Christ-Created-Order-Perspectives-Philosophy-ebook/dp/B072TLQ1NX/ref=pd_sim_351_3/145-1145379-1292039" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amazon.com/Christ-Created-Order-Perspectives-Philosophy-ebook/dp/B072TLQ1NX/ref%3Dpd_sim_351_3/145-1145379-1292039&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1547561515803000&amp;usg=AFQjCNFGfW2uchYcRzCbsvuuMXj25k6hgA">Christ and the Created Order</a>.  She wrote the book <a href="http://www.faithaliveonline.org/origins/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.faithaliveonline.org/origins/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1547561515803000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHrmogLeDSXX0_fZ8D6zAc2G7tJ4g">Origins</a> with her husband and fellow physicist, Loren Haarsma, presenting the agreements and disagreements among Christians regarding the history of life and the universe.  She edited the anthology <a href="http://store.calvin.edu/shop_product_detail.asp?catalog_group_id=LTQ&amp;catalog_group_name=U2VhcmNoIFJlc3VsdHM&amp;catalog_id=0&amp;catalog_name=U2VhcmNoIFJlc3VsdHM&amp;pf_id=30286&amp;product_name=RGVsaWdodCBJbiBDcmVhdGlvbg&amp;type=3&amp;search_text=delight+in+creation&amp;f=" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://store.calvin.edu/shop_product_detail.asp?catalog_group_id%3DLTQ%26catalog_group_name%3DU2VhcmNoIFJlc3VsdHM%26catalog_id%3D0%26catalog_name%3DU2VhcmNoIFJlc3VsdHM%26pf_id%3D30286%26product_name%3DRGVsaWdodCBJbiBDcmVhdGlvbg%26type%3D3%26search_text%3Ddelight%2Bin%2Bcreation%26f%3D&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1547561515803000&amp;usg=AFQjCNGU8ygTu9wHyLuzR0LQR1SJ91uiBA">Delight in Creation: Scientists Share Their Work with the Church</a> with Rev. Scott Hoezee. Previously, Haarsma served as professor and chair of the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Calvin University.

She is an experienced research scientist, with several publications in the Astrophysical Journal and the Astronomical Journal on extragalactic astronomy and cosmology. She has studied large galaxies, galaxy clusters, the curvature of space, and the expansion of the universe using telescopes around the world and in orbit.  Haarsma completed her doctoral work in astrophysics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and her undergraduate work in physics and music at Bethel University in St. Paul, Minnesota. She and Loren enjoy science fiction and classical music, and live in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

President

Author

BioLogos Voices

Staff

Astronomy

Physical Sciences

Deborah Haarsma

about_history_fc

BioLogos - Francis Collins

francis-collins

<a href="https://biologos.org/francis-collins-founder-of-biologos/">Francis Collins</a> is one of the world’s leading scientists and geneticists, and the founder of BioLogos, where he is now a Senior Fellow. In his early scientific career, he discovered the gene for cystic fibrosis. Then he led an international collaboration that first mapped the entire human genome. For that work he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the National Medal of Science. In 2009 he was appointed as Director of the National Institutes of Health, where he served three presidents until 2021, including oversight of the country’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2022 he was asked to serve for 8 months as Acting Science Advisor to the President, and he continues service today in the White House as a Special Projects Advisor.

In 2006, Collins wrote the best-selling book The Language of God. It tells the story of his journey from atheism to Christian belief, showing that science actually enhances faith. The tremendous response to the book prompted Collins to found BioLogos. He envisioned it as a forum to discuss issues at the intersection of faith and science and to celebrate the harmony found there. His reputation quickly attracted a large network of faith leaders, including Tim Keller, Philip Yancey, and NT Wright. These and others joined the BioLogos conversation and affirmed the value of engaging science as believers. BioLogos is now an organization that reaches millions around the world.

In celebration of his world-class scientific accomplishments and deep Christian faith, Collins was awarded the Templeton Prize in 2020. It honors individuals who are “harnessing the power of the sciences to explore the deepest questions of the universe and humankind’s place and purpose within it.” He joined a prestigious group of previous winners, including Mother Teresa, Francis Ayala, Charles Townes, Desmond Tutu, and Billy Graham.

Founder

Senior Fellow

Genetics

Francis Collins

intro

Francis Collins and Deb Haarsma reflect on how a sharp decline in trust impacts science, our response to COVID, faith, our engagement in institutions, and the request for harmony between faith and science.

Faith, COVID, and Polarized Times

About Us

Get Involved

What We Do

Faith, COVID, and Polarized Times

Related resources

Related articles

About Us

Get Involved

What We Do