I am a Jesus-loving coral nerd with a passion for helping people learn science accurately, represent Jesus fully, and engage in conversations respectfully. Having previously worked as a coral biologist for the US National Park Service, I have an MS in marine biology and ecology from James Cook University (Australia), a BS in ecology from Seattle Pacific University (USA), and a certification in biblical studies from Bodenseehof Bible School (Germany). When not diving or writing, you can find me reading C.S. Lewis, growing wildflowers, and hosting faith and science conversations on Instagram (@shorelinesoul) or at rachelgjordan.com.
Up until reading this book, nothing had quite put into words the intimate connection I see between creation and Creator as a Christian and professional scientist. But this book demonstrates that, like the Bible, creation itself is a “book” designed for us to read in order to better know God’s character and story.
Written by a community theologian whose fascination with science shines through the pages, God Speaks Science uses vignette-style interviews with professional scientists to explore various aspects of creation from fields like radiology, neurology, and hydrology. This book shares the best traits of both devotionals and science textbooks while simultaneously bringing fresh insights to both ecological discoveries and theological musings.
A joy-filled expedition into experiencing God’s majestic, everywhere presence.
DNA, the Danube River, and deep-sea life. Knees and trees. The Swiss Alps, songbirds, and supernovas. God speaks though His creation. And you don’t have to be naturally gifted at biology, chemistry, or physics to be awakened to His wisdom and majesty. Pastor, teacher, and non-scientist John Van Sloten invites us to know God more deeply as we marvel at the complexities of His amazing creation.
Knowing God through His written Word enables us to know Him more clearly through His creational Words. How does God speak through His creation, and…
My favorite professor once told me that this book is an essential staple of any respectable ecologist’s bookshelf. And after savoring it for myself (and re-reading it many times since), I couldn’t agree more. Since being penned by a conservation writer exploring his home farm, this environmental classic has contributed significantly to the foundation of modern stewardship narratives.
The book brims with short chapters that read less like ecological essays and more like diary entries overflowing with intellectual depth and nature-loving philosophy. Through artistic prose, you’ll accompany the author as he listens to early morning birdsongs, goes fishing for wild trout, studies roadside plants, follows tracks by a river, and chops trees for firewood.
After pondering these humble practices, you’ll see even the most mundane garden weeds with wonder-filled eyes.
First published in 1949 and praised in The New York Times Book Review as "a trenchant book, full of vigor and bite," A Sand County Almanac combines some of the finest nature writing since Thoreau with an outspoken and highly ethical regard for America's relationship to the land.Written with an unparalleled understanding of the ways of nature, the book includes a section on the monthly changes of the Wisconsin countryside; another part that gathers informal pieces written by Leopold over a forty-year period as he traveled through the woodlands of Wisconsin, Iowa, Arizona, Sonora, Oregon, Manitoba, and elsewhere; and a…
I regularly receive messages from aspiring scientist Christians who want to know how to make sense of evolutionary theory and biblical faith. They also want to know how to respectfully and honestly discuss these topics with other people. And so, when this book was released, I jumped for joy.
Written by a deep thinker who is active within the faith and science space, this book offers a personal account of a Christian who systematically digs into the details of evolutionary theory and modern science. While discussing natural selection, human development, and other accompanying topics, this book provides a thoughtful and easy-to-understand way of exploring evolution within the Christian faith.
In the end, the book testifies how belief in evolution might be compatible with Christianity—and even advantageous.
“In this marvelously accessible book, philosopher-Christian Jim Stump provides the reader with new eyes for a journey through time, the origin of the soul, suffering, and morality, and reveals how the latest scientific findings about what it means to be human have led him to a deeper and more authentic faith.”—Francis S. Collins, Director of the Human Genome Project and Founder of BioLogos, author of The Language of God
A thought-provoking and eye-opening work by Jim Stump, Vice President at BioLogos and host of the Language of God podcast, offering a compelling argument about how evolution does not have to…
If you ask a marine biologist for a book recommendation, more likely than not, they will hand you this book about octopuses. But far from a simple book about charismatic underwater aliens, this book delves into a beautiful, philosophic inquiry of the natural world and the role of humans within it.
Using journalism-based storytelling with hands-on experiences, this book emphasizes the profound intelligence, emotional depth, and individual personalities of octopuses. Although the book doesn’t directly address the intersection of faith and science, its key message carries important implications for those who desire to connect spirituality with nature.
This cathartic read will stimulate your fascination with marine life while interweaving philosophical reflections toward the ultimate goal of realizing our connection to these incredible creatures.
'Sy Montgomery's The Soul of an Octopus does for the creature what Helen Macdonald's H Is for Hawk did for raptors' New Statesman 'Charming and moving...with extraordinary scientific research' Guardian 'An engaging work of natural science... There is clearly something about the octopus's weird beauty that fires the imaginations of explorers, scientists, writers' Daily Mail
In 2011 Sy Montgomery wrote a feature for Orion magazine entitled 'Deep Intellect' about her friendship with a sensitive, sweet-natured octopus named Athena and the grief she felt at her death. It went viral, indicating the widespread fascination with these mysterious, almost alien-like creatures. Since…
In my early career, I struggled to connect the scientific pursuits God called me into with my Christian faith. This book shattered that struggle in the best possible way, teaching me that science can help us experience a deeper relationship with the Creator of all things.
This book is considered a classic for good reason. Written by a famed geneticist who has been a leading voice in discourse about faith and science, it does a phenomenal job of explaining genetics, human identity, and modern scientific discovery in light of biblical truth.
If you’re uncertain about how science and Christianity relate (or if they even should), this book will give you permission to explore while dazzling you with how God makes his character known through creation.
Does science necessarily undermine faith in God? Or could it actually support faith? Beyond the flashpoint debates over the teaching of evolution, or stem-cell research, most of us struggle with contradictions concerning life's ultimate question. We know that accidents happen, but we believe we are on earth for a reason. Until now, most scientists have argued that science and faith occupy distinct arenas. Francis Collins, a former atheist as a science student who converted to faith as he became a doctor, is about to change that. Collins's faith in God has been confirmed and enhanced by the revolutionary discoveries in…
As a marine biologist, I believe in both science and Scripture as means of knowing creation and the Creator. In my book, the natural world is considered through a spiritual lens, meshing marine biology stories with biblical truths.
Come lose yourself in the shadows of an underwater labyrinth, hear spiritual wisdom from a great-grandmother coral the size of a Volkswagen Beetle, and fall in love with Porky the porcupinefish at the Windjammer shipwreck. And along the way, you’ll see how the promise of restoration unfolds in both physical and spiritual ways, encouraging us to know the Creator of the sea and everything in it.
