Evolution and the Meaning of Everything | Dr. Daniel Kuebler

But there is, you know, I do think there is an underlying in the scientific... institutes or professional societies that just assumed embryonic stem cell research is fine, that the type of ethical moral framework of a Catholic is just foreign to them.

And I don't think they're necessarily hostile to that.

They just don't understand that.

And there's not enough people advocating in those societies for them to change anything.

Right, so you do

run into it in the societies.

It's interesting, you know, I think that's similar, well, even in biblical studies, like the societies are more hostile to faith than, you know, individual academic institutions.

So, you know, it's like this strong kind of unwritten code of behavior, like you don't make any faith claims when you go to a biblical studies conference, you know, and everything has to be, you know, kind of a secular way.

point of view.

But that's really interesting.

So it doesn't sound like you were under duress, like you were desperate to keep your faith alive during your formative years.

Catholic U was a kind of, at least a neutral environment, a positive environment.

When you got to Berkeley, it wasn't really hostility, but it was actually prompting you to go deeper into your faith.

And were there any...

You know, writers, theologians, authors, thinkers, et cetera, that you found like, oh, I really gravitate, or was really impacted by anybody in particular?

No, for me, it was John Paul II.

His writings, and that was through my wife, in fact.

She loved John Paul II, and had written...

I think everything he wrote, and I still remember making my way through George Weigel's biography.

Oh, sure.

And then starting to read all of his encyclicals.

And the thing about John Paul II that really impressed me as a scientist is that he had a deep love and appreciation for science.

Sure.

And saw how science could properly understood in the way that we understand modern science, using that term in the modern sense, if it was properly understood how it could help enlighten theology and how theology can help guide scientific discovery and understanding so that it is harnessed for the good of humanity, right? So I really loved his stuff.

But when I started to get into evolution, It was Benedict.

But there is, you know, I do think there is an underlying in the scientific... institutes or professional societies that just assumed embryonic stem cell research is fine, that the type of ethical moral framework of a Catholic is just foreign to them.

And I don't think they're necessarily hostile to that.

They just don't understand that.

And there's not enough people advocating in those societies for them to change anything.

Right, so you do

run into it in the societies.

It's interesting, you know, I think that's similar, well, even in biblical studies, like the societies are more hostile to faith than, you know, individual academic institutions.

So, you know, it's like this strong kind of unwritten code of behavior, like you don't make any faith claims when you go to a biblical studies conference, you know, and everything has to be, you know, kind of a secular way.

point of view.

But that's really interesting.

So it doesn't sound like you were under duress, like you were desperate to keep your faith alive during your formative years.

Catholic U was a kind of, at least a neutral environment, a positive environment.

When you got to Berkeley, it wasn't really hostility, but it was actually prompting you to go deeper into your faith.

And were there any...

You know, writers, theologians, authors, thinkers, et cetera, that you found like, oh, I really gravitate, or was really impacted by anybody in particular?

No, for me, it was John Paul II.

His writings, and that was through my wife, in fact.

She loved John Paul II, and had written...

I think everything he wrote, and I still remember making my way through George Weigel's biography.

Oh, sure.

And then starting to read all of his encyclicals.

And the thing about John Paul II that really impressed me as a scientist is that he had a deep love and appreciation for science.

Sure.

And saw how science could properly understood in the way that we understand modern science, using that term in the modern sense, if it was properly understood how it could help enlighten theology and how theology can help guide scientific discovery and understanding so that it is harnessed for the good of humanity, right? So I really loved his stuff.

But when I started to get into evolution, It was Benedict.