The challenges of defining BioLogos in the space of an elevator ride.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://biologos.org/blogs/deborah-haarsma-the-presidents-notebook/biologos-in-60-seconds
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This is the author’s 125 word description of BioLogos… we are invited to propose our OWN versions! Awesome…
You may have heard of Francis Collins. He is one of the world’s leading biologists - he led the Human Genome Project and currently directs the National Institutes of Health. He wrote a best-selling book called The Language of God in which he tells his story of becoming a Christian through reading the works of C.S. Lewis. Collins’ book generated a lot of questions! Many secular scientists said “We know he’s a great scientist, but why is he talking about religion?” And many Christians said “It’s great he became a Christian, but why is he talking about evolution?” Francis Collins founded BioLogos.org to be a place to talk about these questions, a place to celebrate the harmony between great science and biblical faith.
If you like to think scientifically and you have questions or ideas on how to relate that to faith and spirituality –especially from some of the Christian perspectives, you may want to check Biologos.org out. It has a treasure-trove of essays to read and an active forum in which to kick around these topics with a lot of other intelligent folks.
61 words … about 15 seconds. This would be a more general opener — fails to drop the Collins name or some of the specific issues (evolution) that come up a lot. But it does allow your conversation partner to interject, then, with anything specific that may interest them within that wide range.
114 Words!
What is BioLogos?
“It is an educational group founded by some of the world’s leading scientists who believe God is real. They also believe that God, instead of creating humans out of dust, and the world in 6 days, used the natural laws he established to create the universe, earth and all life. BioLogos believes God guided Evolution to create humanity. But since mortal life is far from divine perfection, God is also necessary to resolve our sin and imperfections suitable for eternal communion with God, BioLogos teaches scientists who are atheists, Evangelicals who are not scientific, and people of all ages and backgrounds, that ultimately there is no conflict between Science and Faith.”
Deborah,
While it is a great idea to have an elevator talk on BioLogos, the above is not very good. It is relies too much on Francis Collins. Don’t get me wrong, Francis Collins is a great scientist but right now is a US Government employee as NIH director. Millennials are not really interested in what government bureaucrats wrote in a book a decade ago. Collins book was a best selling book but it didn’t generate anywhere near the reaction of Dawkins’ “The God Delusion”. The real elevator pitch should be geared toward YEC as there really isn’t much of a controversy between Science and Christianity only between Science and YEC. Evolution and the Big Bang science are not atheistic as Biologos knows fully well. And why the Ken Ham “secular scientist” slight to Catholic and Mainline protestant scientists who see no conflict at all? The only sentence worth saving is the last sentence. I suggest using the last sentence as the topic sentence and start the elevator pitch from there.
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I agree completely. The Elevator Pitch is a teaching moment … teaching the logic of BioLogos … rather than the founders.
George
Not really accurate. Funding mainly Templeton.
Oh man… what a QUIBBLER you can be … would you say BioLogos is RUN by Templeton? Or by scientists?
George
Neither. Who are these scientists (other than Deborah, Kathryn, and Dennis) who run Biologos? Templeton Foundation grants make Biologos able to operate but Templeton doesn’t run as he is deceased and be-quested the grant money.
Neither? Ha…
Hey, Patrick… why don’t YOU put down 125 words … THEN we can compare.
I’m not going to fall on my sword about how many scientists are involved… but I’m certainly not going to agree that “The Money” is running BioLogos.
George
Here’s my 125-word version:
Biologos is an organization that operates at the intersection of Christian faith and mainstream science. Many people believe that these are in conflict, especially regarding the age of the universe and the evolution of life. Biologos is made up of Christians who believe that harmony between faith and established science is possible and important. Its mission is to help others see this harmony also.
This is only 64 words but I would want to give the listener a chance to ask a question and this would allow me 61 words in response… perhaps then I could bring up Francis Collins 
.
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But you can’t be certain. 
Like it. As I don’t do names they don’t help me anyhow, but it might help to introduce the scientific disciplines of the founders, e.g. made up of Christians from a variety of denominations that are recognized scientists in their fields of … to give a feel fro the breadth of the science debated.
if he is waiting, e.g. not moving you should be certain.
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