Since the original publication of Playing God? in 1996, three developments in genetic technology have moved to the center of public discussion about the ethics of bioengineering. Cloning, the completion of the human genome project, and the controversy over stem cell research have all sparked lively debates among religious thinkers and the makers of public policy. In this updated edition, Ted Peters illuminates key issues in these debates and makes deft connections between our questions about God and our efforts to manage technological innovations.

A scientific and medical revolution has crept up on us. Twenty-one million Americans are affected by 6,000 so-called rare and orphan diseases, many of which are primarily attributable to misspelled genes. And virtually all diseases have a significant hereditary component. Diabetes, heart disease, the common cancers, mental illness, asthma, arthritis, Alzheimer's disease, and more are having their secrets unlocked through DNA. Families that faced common problems, without hope, are now discovering a new world of understanding, treatment, and prevention. You owe it to yourself to learn about your DNA: how it works, what it reveals, and the benefits and limits of this new knowledge.

Christians affirm that everything exists because of God--from subatomic quarks to black holes. Science often claims to explain nature without including God at all. And thinking Christians often feel forced to choose between the two.But the good news is that we don't have to make a choice. Science does not overthrow the Bible. Faith does not require rejecting science. World-renowned scientist Francis Collins, author of The Language of God, along with fellow scientist Karl Giberson show how we can embrace both. Their fascinating treatment explains how God cares for and interacts with his creation while science offers a reliable way to understand the world he made.Together they clearly answer dozens of the most common questions people ask about Darwin, evolution, the age of the earth, the Bible, the existence of God and our finely tuned universe. They also consider how their views stack up against the new atheists as well as against creationists and adherents of intelligent design.The authors disentangle the false conclusions of Christians and atheists alike about science and evolution from the actual results of research in astronomy, physics, geology and genetics. In its place they find a story of the grandeur and beauty of a world made by a supremely creative God.

"Fifteen years ago, many questioned the wisdom of sequencing the human genome. There were concerns not only about the technical feasibility of such an effort, but also that its scientific worth would prove too modest to warrant the investment of human and financial capital that the project would require. This collection of essays stands as eloquent testimony to those who overcame such doubts to create, nurture, and finish the sequencing of the human genome in April 2003, a date that will forever stand out in human history. The wide and public availability of the human genome sequence and the other tools spawned by the Human Genome Project have helped to create an unparalleled era of biomedical discovery. It has opened up new avenues for the understanding of the biology of human health and disease. Many of these avenues remain to be fully explored, but this volume already demonstrates that information about genetics and genomics is increasingly permeating our clinical approach to patients."--from the Foreword by Dr. Elias Zerhouni

For more than a century, knowledge about the role of genes has been gradually reshaping perceptions of our health and of ourselves. From Mendel's work with plants and Watson and Crick's model of DNA's double-helix structure to the recent decoding of the human genome, the tremendous advances in our ability to analyze and interpret gene sequences are revolutionizing many aspects of medicine. Genomic Medicine collects and updates an acclaimed series of articles published in the pages of the New England Journal of Medicine since November 2002 that together provide an authoritative and comprehensive overview of the latest developments in the field of medical genetics and an exploration of where these advances might take medicine over the next decade.

Beginning with a fundamental primer and a useful glossary of terms, the book offers the latest information on the use of genetics to screen, diagnose, and treat a wide variety of diseases, including breast and ovarian cancer and cardiovascular, Alzheimer, and Parkinson disease. Also included are discussions of population screening, pharmacogenetics, and the ethical, legal, and social dimensions of genomic medicine. Edited by leaders in the field, written by experts from around the globe, and brimming with full-color illustrations, Genomic Medicine is an indispensable guide to the full potential of the DNA-based transformation of medicine.

Is a thoroughly Christian and biblically informed doctrine of creation compatible with widely held conclusions of modern science, especially biology? For Darrel R. Falk, this is not just an abstract question but one with which he has personally wrestled. A professor of biology, Falk brings together his biblically based understanding of creation and the most current research in biology. The result of his efforts to acknowledge the validity of science and the authority of Scripture is a new paradigm for relating the claims of science to the truths of Christianity. Written with the undergraduate student in mind, this book nonetheless will help anyone who is looking for a place to stand in the creation-evolution debate, fearful that they'll have to choose between intellectual integrity and the faith of the church. Calling for charitable discussions within the church, Falk shows how an original and ongoing interaction of God with creation is fully reconcilable with the kinds of development identified by current biological science.