The US Senate has confirmed Francis Collins to head the National Institutes of Health by a unanimous vote. Among believers and atheists alike, Collins is best known for his book entitled The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief (New York: Free Press, 2006). As Lisa Miller puts it:
His 2006 book, The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief, made him a celebrity in "faith versus reason" circles, and in the wake of its success, he has traveled the country dueling with atheists, explaining how, as he puts it in that book, "there is no conflict in being a rigorous scientist and a person who believes in a God who takes a personal interest in each one of us." In opinion pieces, scientists Sam Harris and Steven Pinker express strong reservations about the ascension of Collins to this office. Pinker fretted about the symbolism of allowing such a vocal believer to represent U.S. science; in The New York Times, Harris worried that a man who believes that human morality is God-given might be disinclined to pursue neuroscientific research into the nature of the human mind.
Harris is an atheist who thinks science is anti-God and proselytizes accordingly. The poster-child of this movement in the blogosphere is PZ Myers, a wildly popular science blogger, who writes of his blog in these terms: “Evolution, development, and random biological ejaculations from a godless liberal.” Myers worked himself into a lather on the Collins nomination. He went out of his way to describe Collins as a man without integrity (go here). That’s because if you are not godless and not liberal, you have no integrity.
If you think I have unfairly represented Myers’ line of argument, read what he wrote and show where I have misunderstood him. Make no mistake about it: Myers is a True Believer in the sense that Eric Hoffer used the word. He is a pasdaran or guardian of the Revolution as he and his fellow-travelers define the Revolution.
You might think that scientists like Myers would welcome the views of scientists like Collins, Miller, and Polkinghorne. If these three are on the right track, it’s possible for people to accept the conclusions of modern science regarding the age of the universe and the origin of the species, and not retreat one inch from a belief in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
If such a stance were ever widely held - it already is, but doesn’t get as much press as it deserves - it would be possible to get on to more important things, such as a critical examination of the ways in which evolutionism, no less than theism, has been used as ideological cover for heinous acts. The theory of evolution hasn't been around very long, historically speaking, but it has managed to be misused and abused by an astounding number of ideologies in a short time, in the worst cases serving as a justification for the elimination of unwanted millions.
True scientists, especially evolutionists, could only welcome a critical analysis of the use of scientific theory for ideological ends, since true science is built on the foundations of self-criticism.
In terms of scientific achievement, Collins is best known as the former Director of the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) – tenure: 1993-2008 – the team of scientists that unraveled the DNA code of the human species. Among bean counters, he is best-known for having done so under budget and ahead of time. Among the politically-minded, it will be remembered that in May 2008, President Bush signed a law that prohibits discrimination based on genetic information. Francis Collins was a primary force behind this humane law and its passing. More recently, Collins helped craft the compromise guidelines of the Obama administration on stem-cell research.
I wish Collins well in his new appointment. For the commonweal, he is now in a remarkable position to exercise the moral and intellectual integrity he is said to have by those who know him best.
What I got from an interview I heard about a year ago on PBS, Collins is rational, critical, rigorous, and very intelligent. But, when it comes to the Bible, he's willing to make special accommodations. But that's what most smart believers do. Nothing new there. I need to read his book. . . .
Posted by: Alan Lenzi | August 30, 2009 at 02:25 AM
Alan,
My guess is that Collins' book is below your pay grade (don't wish that was more than a metaphor?). I've found both Miller and Polkinghorne to be more interesting, the first from a history of science point of view, the second from a theological point of view.
Posted by: JohnFH | August 30, 2009 at 07:44 AM
Nice post. Thanks.
You may find this debate interesting. They also refer to Collins:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Xwe4n-Tb4c
Posted by: cristian | September 02, 2009 at 03:44 AM
That is a fun debate. They speak German with a funny accent though (lame joke alert).
Posted by: JohnFH | September 02, 2009 at 08:52 AM