Question:

I am interested of what do You think about "theistic evolution" aka BioLogos? (including http://www.asa3.org/) I read a book of Collins "The language of God": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Language_of_God:_A_Scientist_Presents_Evidence_for_Belief and found it very interesting. As a PhD student, I am attending one course called "History and Philosophy of Science and Technology" and I have to write some course papers. Could You please suggest for me some materials/free books etc about the topic "BioLogos?" 

Answer: 

I have read "The Language of God." I really like this book. I have met Francis Collins and find his perspective refreshing and helpful, although I do not totally agree with him.  You can find a review of a talk he gave at Point Loma Nazarene University at my web site.  I am attaching the article here.  Francis Collins Review   I agree with most of not of all that Collins has to say.  In any case he is a really good guy.

I am also a good friend of Darrel Falk, who is the head of BioLogos. He lives just a few miles from me and we share breakfast together occasionally.    You might want to get a copy of his book, "Coming to Peace with Science."

I believe in a theistic evolution. In other words, evolution happened. God used evolution. However, I believe that God has directed the course of evolution and has intervened at various times. My belief in God directing the course of evolution and even in his miraculous intervention is, by definition, not a scientific one. Scientific theories can only deal with non-supernatural/non-interventional processes. However, science is not in a position to exclude such explanations. They are outside the realm of science by definition.

I organized and took part in a debate over evolution titled "Four Christian Views of Evolution." I am attaching an article I wrote on the topic in which I describe the four "Christian" views and list their strengths and weaknesses.  Four Christian Views of Evolution

I would encourage you to get a copy of the debate. It will be very enlightening. It is available at www.ipibooks.com The four views are: young earth creationism, intelligent design, theistic/progressive evolution and evolutionary creationism. I believe that the first view is not tenable scientifically, but the other three are tenable, both scientifically and biblically. BioLogos tends rather strongly toward the random creation/evolutionary creationism. They tend to deny that God has intervened in the process of evolution–claiming that it is a fully random process which was conceived by God but not controlled by God. I do not agree with this position, but this is not a major theological or scientific point of distinction in my opinion.

As for materials, I suggest my book "Is There a God?" It is also available at www.ipibooks.com. I sold a few copies while there in Tallinn this summer, so there may be one around you can find. There are a number of other articles at my web site on the subject. I would suggest one by William Golightly at the site. He takes a more "random creator" view than I do. You may find his article helpful. Another good resource is www.doesgodexist.org This is the web site of John Clayton. He was one of my "opponents" in the debate, and is in fact a good friend. The two of us are in essential agreement on most of the questions.

John Oakes