by Kenneth R. Miller, 1999, Harper Perennial, New York

Ken is a professor of cell biology at Brown University who is known for his defense of the science of evolution against the attempts to teach creationism and/or intelligent design in the schools’ science curriculum.  He is also a practicing Roman Catholic.

In this book, he articulates both the flaws of alternate evolution theories as well as his faith in God as a scientist.  Ken’s prose is vigorous and to the point.

In describing the basis of his faith he indicates that there are certain things that occur randomly and hence the outcome is unknowable and unpredictable.  He cites quantum physics as the basis of this evidence. Because of the randomness of individual events, there are certain things that science can never tell us, such as the how the matter in the universe came to be.  To Miller, this is a key element of his faith.

What is interesting is that, after taking apart all arguments in favor of intelligent design (a theory that states that there must be a designer who designed complex organisms – or at least directed the development of those organisms), Miller suggests that there may be an intelligent presence who created the scientific laws of the universe.  This seems to me to be like some sort of intelligent design, but when questioned about it, he says he is okay with it because it can never be proven or disproven, unlike the concept of an intelligent designer who is supposedly responsible for designing the end product.  In the latter case, the science of evolution again and again disproves it.

Miller also attributes some of the attacks that evolution receives from various sources on some of the scientific community itself.  His religious beliefs are totally compatible with science and he feels that those who point to scientific discoveries as proof that God does not exist are actually doing harm to the study of evolution.  As in the title of the book, he feels that there is much common ground between God and Evolution.

The book is extremely well written in the conversational style that Miller probably employs in his lectures.  He is an extremely popular professor and his style is engaging while, at the same time, challenging.  The concepts discussed are not simple, but the author makes the reading interesting and, in some cases, entertaining.