April 27, 2007 7:30 PM
God and the Genome
A long, threadlike molecule carries within its coil the map of all human existence. DNA, the human blueprint, is the complete set of instructions for our growth, operation and maintenance. For renowned scientist and director of the Human Genome Project Francis Collins, this intricate ribbon of life is also a window into God’s miraculous design.
Until he was 27, Collins was a non-believer, a typical scientist who saw reason and religion as incompatible. When in medical school he first witnessed the power of his patients’ faith, he began to contemplate God. Now, Collins is both a rigorous and intellectually honest scientist, and a devout Christian seeking proof for the awesome mysteries of God’s Creation.
“The God of the Bible,” says Collins, “is also the God of the genome. He can be worshipped in the cathedral or in the laboratory.”
With each discovery under the microscope, Collins appreciates more God the creator. In his thoughtful analysis of evolution and faith, Collins contends that God is the source of all life and that life expresses the will of God. Collins spoke about his belief in a perfect synthesis of science and faith, an enriching perspective in which both God and the gene can coexist.