Last year I discovered Sue Burke's Semiosis at the library and found it an intriguing read. Human colonists arrive on a new planet and over the course of several generations develop a mutually beneficial relationship with the intelligent creatures native to that world. All of the usual first contact challenges apply. How do you communicate without a shared language? How do you establish trust when your very presence could be seen as invasive and hostile? How do you navigate cultural differences? In Semiosis, all of … [Read more...] about Science Corner: Nectar of the Plant Overlords
Book Review/Discussion
Living in relationships with immigrants, refugees, and other low-income people . . .
Living in relationships with immigrants, refugees, and other low-income people has forced us to grapple with the question of what it means for us, as followers of Christ, to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. It has also awakened us to the ethically complex questions of immigration and refugee policy—who do we let in, what do we do with those who came in even though our government did not allow them in, and what effect will our policies have on those already here and struggling to get by? Of course, our attempts … [Read more...] about Living in relationships with immigrants, refugees, and other low-income people . . .
Restless is our heart . . .
. . . restless is our heart until it comes to rest in thee . . . —Augustine, Confessions.[1] … [Read more...] about Restless is our heart . . .
Science Corner: Christmas Reading
Get any good science-related books or gifts for Christmas? I got a copy of Viruses as Complex Adaptive Systems by Ricard Solé and Santiago F. Elena that I'm looking forward to digging into. I got my son a copy of The Cell: A Visual Tour of the Building Block of Life by Jack Challoner that he seems excited about. He also received copies of Molecules: The Elements and the Architecture of Everything and Reactions: An Illustrated Exploration of Elements, Molecules, and Change in the Universe that he has previously enjoyed … [Read more...] about Science Corner: Christmas Reading
Science Book Review: Can a Scientist Believe in Miracles?
Yes! But you probably want more details. In that case, I recommend reading Ian Hutchinson's new book by that title, Can a Scientist Believe in Miracles? He answers that and over 220 other questions, all of which were posed to him during his years speaking to university audiences on science and theology topics through the Veritas Forum. The result is a wide-ranging exploration of issues both specific to the present science-faith conversation and perennially of interest to skeptics and curious seekers, like how a good & … [Read more...] about Science Book Review: Can a Scientist Believe in Miracles?