Creating Life in the Lab: How New Discoveries in Synthetic Biology Make a Case for the Creator (Reasons to Believe)
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. InCreating 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 Manbroadcast"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 SeminaryFazale Rana(PhD, Ohio University) is executive vice president of research and apologetics at Reasons To Believe. He is the author ofThe Cell's Designand coauthor ofOrigins of LifeandWho Was Adam?