Creationism and intelligent design are widely understood as the province of American Protestants. Today’s episode explores how people in some of the world’s other religious traditions – particularly Jews, Catholics, and Muslims – have positioned themselves in the evolution-intelligent design debate.
First guest essay – Emily Jenkins, “Why Genesis Doesn’t Mean Creationism for (Most) Jews”
- Emily Jenkins is a sophomore studying history and French at Southwestern University.
Second guest essay – David Squires, “The Jesuits: Between Science and Faith”
- This segment includes an interview with Father George Coyne, an astrophysicist and former director of the Vatican Observatory.
- David Squires is a junior majoring in history and philosophy at Southwestern University. After graduation, he plans to attend law school.
For further reading
- Geoffrey Cantor and Marc Swetlitz, eds., Jewish Tradition and the Challenge of Darwinism (University of Chicago Press, 2006).
- Counterbalance Foundation, interview with George Coyne.
- George V. Coyne, “God’s Chance Creation,” The Tablet (6 Aug 2005).
- —–, “Infinite Wonder of the Divine,” The Tablet (10 Dec 2005).
- —– and Alessandro Omizzolo, Wayfarers in the Cosmos: The Human Quest for Meaning (Crossroad General Interest, 2002).
- Dalai Lama, The Universe in a Single Atom: The Convergence of Science and Spirituality (Broadway, 2006).
- Taner Edis, “Islamic Creationism: A Short History,” History of Science Society Newsletter 37 (2008).
- —–, An Illusion of Harmony: Science and Religion in Islam (Prometheus Books, 2007).
- Noah J. Efron, Judaism and Science: A Historical Introduction (Greenwood Press, 2006).
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Mordechai Feingold, ed., Jesuit Science and the Republic of Letters (MIT Press, 2002).
- John F. Haught, God after Darwin: A Theology of Evolution (Westview, 2007).
- B. Alan Wallace, ed., Buddhism and Science: Breaking New Ground (Columbia UP, 2003).
On the shelf:
Audio credits:
All music on this program courtesy of the Podsafe Music Network, except where noted.
- Sunburn in Cyprus, History (intro & outro)
- Happy Gemini 3, Pondering the 10th Planet (transitions)
- during first segment:
- “Conservative Christian Takes the Helm of the Texas School Board,” 29 August 2007 (courtesy of Evolution Minute Archives).
- “For Our Science Lesson” (excerpt from Inherit the Wind), courtesy of soundboard.com.
- Joel Osteen, “Be Comfortable With Who You Are,” from Joel Osteen Ministries.
- Tim Rayborn, Ashek, Rhila, and Qadim (all courtesy of magnatune.com).
- after first segment: Ya Elah, “Mayan Ginim” (courtesy of magnatune.com)
- during second segment:
- Benedictine Monks of the Abbey of St. Maurice & St. Maur, Gregorian Chant: Salve Regina, Antiphona (tonus monasticus) In Honorem Beatae Mariae Virginis
- Quire of Voyces, excerpt from Mass: Kyrie
- Sound effects courtesy of the FreeSound Project:
The Missing Link 