God, Darwin, and an Oxford tutor

In The Selfless Gene: Living with God and Darwin, the author and tutor at the University of Oxford, Charles Foster, tries to explain and reconcile some of the conflicting beliefs held by Darwinian evolutionists and Creationists (often evangelical Christians) while maintaining that neither is the answer to the question of how life began. Although the author claims to unite these polar-opposite worldviews, Foster’s presentation is not neutral; he belittles both young earth creationists and die hard Darwinians. Judging by the reviews The Selfless Gene has received, the author seems to have lived up to his declaration in the preface that “this book will have something in it to frustrate and annoy everyone.” While I am certainly not a content expert, the book is well written and seems sound in fact and logic.

This was a slow read—not “difficult to put down” as the cover proclaims—and not a book in which I was readily absorbed. I do, however, recommend it to those who are interested in the intersection of science and religion, especially with respect to creation. It does strike an interesting balance between, creationism, God, and evolution.

[NB: The title does not clearly convey the subject of the book. The author writes about religion and evolution, but nowhere is there presented the idea that there is a gene in our DNA that causes selflessness, as the title implies.]

Legal mumbo jumbo… I got this book through BookSneeze, a program where Thomas Nelson Publishers gives books away in exchange for honest reviews. When I signed up for BookSneeze, The Selfless Gene was the most appealing book being offered, and it turns out to have been a decent choice. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”