Discussions
This latest attempt to garner 10,000 signatures of Christian clergy supports the idea that it is possible to believe in evolution while being a good Christian. The letter began circulating in Wisconsin (where it gained 192 signatures in a very short period) in response to an attack on evolution in the small town of Grantsburg.
Many are attempting to play off science against religion and scientists against religious leaders in their efforts to stop the teaching of evolution. The letter's authors believe that thousands of signatures will help convince the general public and the news media that religion and science are not adversaries.
Restrictions on Stem Cell Research
According to the National Institutes of Health, "Stem cells show potential for many different areas of health and medical research, and studying them can help us understand how they transform into the dazzling array of specialized cells that make us what we are. Some of the most serious medical conditions, such as cancer and birth defects, are caused by problems that occur somewhere in this process. A better understanding of normal cell development will allow us to understand and perhaps correct the errors that cause these medical conditions."
However, many ethical considerations still remain surrounding research on stem cells. These questions range from research practices to sheer principle. They encompass both Christian ethics and strictly secular arguments.
The Bush Administration has taken steps to restrict research on stem cells in the United States. However, many feel that this has created a "brain drain" of intelligent scientists leaving the United States to continue this research elsewhere.
Life on Mars
NASA's Web site flags an article published in August 2004 in Science magazine. The article, written by a group of scientists led by David McKay of NASA's Johnson Space Center announces the discovery of evidence for primitive bacterial life on Mars.
While scientists are still a long way from confirming this new finding, the possibility of life on Mars opens up a host of theological questions regarding creation.