A God of Genes and Viruses? - Prof John Bryant

Café Théologique welcomes John Bryant, emeritus professor of Cell and Molecular Biology at Exeter University.

John is interviewed by Revd Dr Mark Laynesmith about his life and work as a biologist and Christian, his thoughts on reconciling evolution and theology, and his reflections on COVID-19.

John's research was mainly focused on the biochemistry of DNA and genes. He was a Visiting Research Associate at the Brookhaven National Laboratory, USA from 1992-1997 and Visiting Professor of Molecular Biology at West Virginia State University, USA from 1999-2007. He is a Past-President of the Society for Experimental Biology and a former Chair of Christians in Science. In 1995/96 John and (now Dame) Suzi Leather introduced at Exeter the first UK university Bioethics course for Bioscience students. Since 2002 he has been (with Dr Chris Willmott, University of Leicester) the advisor on Bioethics to the Higher Education Academy.
He is well-known as a speaker, writer and broadcaster on science, bioethics and on the science & religion debate. In his spare time John enjoys sport, bird-watching and the ‘great outdoors’.

(approx timecodes)
01:30. Intro & welcome
02:04. Childhood background:
03:50. How did you become attracted to nature?
05:46. Was there a particular part of nature you were drawn to?

Academic Study
06:20. Studied DNA at Cambridge:
08:05. Did you find a conflict with your faith?
09:28. How do you approach scripture?
11:10. How have atheist colleagues responded?

Post Doc Career
12:45. Exeter University
13:53. Two areas of Research
14:22. DNA and cell replication
18:30. Plants and gene switching on/off
17:50. Viruses
20:30. Tobacco Mosaic virus

29:45. What's your prognosis for the current pandemic?

Theology & Science
32:40. Two perspectives
32:57. 1) The violent nature of the world
36:00. 2) The unlikely nature of the world
38:53. Where does this lead you when you start thinking about God?
42:30. What is life for?

Questions from audience:
47:56. Are viruses connected with ageing in humans?
51:02. How does the dark side of the universe fit into God's plan?
55:11. Was there a moment when you saw God in the complexity of science?
58:41. Is there a distinction between being responsible and being at fault?
01:02:46. Is this what Paul meant when he wrote about Creation groaning?
01:04:40. Why do we age if cells can continue to replicate?
01:08:02. Is belief in God a product of evolution, and at what stage did our ancestors begin to recognise God?
01:11:19. Have you any comment on the afterlife from a biological perspective?
01:13:03. Do we have to accept mystery in science?

Resources mentioned:
Christopher Southgate (2008). The Groaning of Creation: God, Evolution and the Problem of Evil. Louisville, KY.

Christopher Southgate (2018). Theology in a Suffering World: Glory and Longing. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press

Denis Alexander (2018) Is There Purpose in Biology? Lion Books, Oxford

Christians in Science Online conference:God and Pandemics: www.cis.org.uk/online-conference-god-and-pandemics/
Videos of the conference talks are now available.
Café Théologique aims to bring theology into the public domain. It is hosted by the University of Reading Chaplaincy.

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