Creating Life in the Lab: How New Discoveries in Synthetic Biology Make a Case for the Creator - Softcover

Rana, Fazal

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0801072093 ISBN 13: 9780801072093

Publisher: Baker Books, 2011

Synopsis

Each year brings to light new scientific discoveries that have the power to either test our faith or strengthen it--most recently the news that scientists have created artificial life forms in the laboratory. If humans can create life, what does that mean for the creation story found in Scripture?Biochemist and Christian apologist Fazale Rana, for one, isn't worried. In Creating Life in the Lab, he details the fascinating quest for synthetic life and argues convincingly that when scientists succeed in creating life in the lab, they will unwittingly undermine the evolutionary explanation for the origin of life, demonstrating instead that undirected chemical processes cannot produce a living entity.

About this title

About the Author

Biochemist Fazale "Fuz" Rana is president, CEO, and senior scholar of Reasons to Believe (RTB). He is dedicated to communicating to skeptics and believers alike the powerful scientific case for God's existence and the Bible's reliability.
  
Fuz converted to Christianity during graduate school. Though he initially embraced the evolutionary paradigm, Fuz eventually drew the conclusion that only a Creator's involvement could explain the elegance of biochemical systems. After a pastor challenged him to read the Bible, Fuz became convinced of the validity of Christ's claims and of his own need for a Savior. The death of his Muslim father some years later helped Fuz appreciate the importance of evangelism and Christian apologetics, which led to his joining the RTB team in 1999.
  
Today, Fuz writes and speaks extensively about evidence for creation that emerges from biochemistry, genetics, human origins, and synthetic biology. He is the author of several books―including Humans 2.0, The Cell's Design, and Fit for a Purpose―as well as countless articles. He hosts the popular video podcast Stars, Cells, and God and has addressed audiences at over 500 universities, churches, and conferences around the world. Fuz has also made numerous media appearances on television, radio, and in print.
  
Fuz graduated with highest honors from West Virginia State College (now University) with a BS in chemistry and earned a PhD in chemistry with an emphasis in biochemistry from Ohio University, where he was twice awarded the Donald Clippinger Research Award. He pursued postdoctoral studies at the Universities of Virginia and Georgia and later became a senior scientist in research and development at Procter & Gamble.
  
Fuz lives in Southern California with his wife, Amy. They have five adult children.

From the Back Cover

What does the creation of artificial life-forms mean for the Christian faith?

Each year brings to light new scientific discoveries that have the power to either test our faith or strengthen it--most recently the news that scientists have created artificial life-forms in the laboratory.

Biochemist and Christian apologist Fazale Rana, for one, isn't worried. In Creating Life in the Lab, he details the fascinating quest for synthetic life and argues convincingly that when scientists succeeded in creating life in the lab, they unwittingly undermined the evolutionary explanation for the origin of life, demonstrating instead that undirected chemical processes cannot produce a living entity.

"Like it or not, a brave new world replete with synthetic biology is now upon us. Rana's book will equip lovers of the truth to think Christianly in defense of that which corresponds to reality."--Hank Hanegraaff, president, Christian Research Institute; host, Bible Answer Man broadcast

"Beautifully details how intelligent divine planning--rather than unguided naturalistic processes--best explains the emergence of first life."--Paul Copan, professor and Pledger Family Chair of Philosophy and Ethics, Palm Beach Atlantic University; author, Is God a Moral Monster?

"As Fazale Rana puts it in his significant new contribution to the growing literature on synthetic biology, to generate, sustain, and manipulate a living entity requires the intense involvement of highly intelligent beings. Rana's analysis is achieved with clarity and scientific rigor."--Kenneth Boa, president, Reflections Ministries

"An excellent resource for understanding in detail current developments in synthetic biology and origin-of-life research."--Vern S. Poythress, professor of New Testament interpretation, Westminster Theological Seminary

Fazale Rana (PhD, Ohio University) is executive vice president of research and apologetics at Reasons To Believe. He is the author of The Cell's Design and coauthor of Origins of Life and Who Was Adam?

Edition details

• Publisher: Baker Books
• Publication date: 2011
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0801072093
• ISBN 13: 9780801072093
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 235