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Dr. Robert, some people have a perception that if you are a scientist you cannot have

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faith in God and vice versa.

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You have an extensive career in science and you have faith in God.

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Can we please have your views on science and religion and how they are in harmony?

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And furthermore, science in fact leads to faith.

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I definitely think that science and Christianity can be integrated and can be found to be in

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harmony.

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I find that the basis for conflict is actually a conflict between two different philosophical

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commitments, one of naturalism and materialism versus that of supernaturalism, which would

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be at the heart of most theistic religions, including Christianity.

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So I believe that God is the author of nature and also the author of scripture.

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And because I believe those two things to be true, then I believe that the things that we

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learn in nature that point us to God will be in harmony or can be harmonized with the things

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that God has revealed about himself in the scriptures as well.

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So if there are areas that seem that they're in conflict, it's because we're either interpreting

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nature incorrectly through our scientific observations or we're interpreting the scriptures incorrectly.

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So I find that the complexities and the beauty and the harmony that I see in science and in nature

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through scientific studies actually lift my mind and my heart in a way that points me to God.

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And I think that this is consistent with the teaching of scriptures where the apostle Paul says that

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ever since people have been making observations and ever since time began, that we can see God's

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handiwork throughout creation, no matter where we look.

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And I think that remains even more true today when we have the capacity to gaze at the stars and

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understand cosmology and where we have the capacity to gaze at the cells and the intracellular

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complexities and see God's handiwork there.

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So whether we're looking at trees or nature with our naked eye or looking at the cosmos with

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a telescope or looking at the cells with a microscope, I think the handiwork of God is evident everywhere.