Can Genesis and Science Agree? A Classic Conversation with John Lennox

Intelligent Design the Future

Discovery Institute's Center for Science and Culture

Science, Philosophy, Astronomy, Society & Culture, Life Sciences

4 • 993 Ratings

🗓️ 18 October 2025

⏱️ 18 minutes

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Summary

What happens when a world-class mathematician and Christian thinker takes on one of the most hotly debated questions of our time—can the book of Genesis be reconciled with modern science? In this episode of ID the Future out of our vault, host Jay Richards welcomes Oxford University’s Dr. John Lennox to discuss his book Seven Days That Divide the World. Lennox argues that science and faith are not enemies but allies in our quest for truth. He offers a careful reading of the Genesis creation account, showing that it need not be in conflict with what we learn from physics, cosmology, and biology. With wit, humility, and clarity, Lennox challenges both materialist skepticism and overly rigid interpretations of Scripture, urging listeners toward a view of reality that can honor Scripture as well as the findings of science. Source

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to ID the Future, a podcast about intelligent design and evolution.
0:13.8	Welcome to ID the Future. I'm Jay Richards with Discovery Institute here in Seattle.
0:18.7	Joining me today is Professor John Lennox. Professor Lennox is Professor of Mathematics at the University of Oxford and fellow in mathematics
0:25.3	and the philosophy of science at Green Templeton College.
0:28.2	You may have heard Professor Lennox.
0:29.8	You may have seen him on YouTube.
0:30.9	You may have even read some of his books.
0:32.4	He's debated quite visible and famous atheists such as Richard Dawkins and Christopher
0:37.2	Hitchens,
0:38.1	and he's lectured on science, religion, and related themes around the world.
0:42.6	Professor Lennox, thanks for joining me.
0:44.2	My pleasure.
0:45.7	We have this brand new book out called Seven Days That Divid the World,
0:49.6	The Beginning According to Genesis and Science, published by Zondervin here in the United States. I just
0:54.8	finished the book. I have to say, I love this book. I'm going to be recommending it very
0:59.0	widely. But you're taking on a very controversial subject for Christians, this question about
1:03.8	the age of the universe, how to interpret Genesis 1. Why did you decide to write this book?
1:07.9	Well, because I visited the United States many times, and very often this question comes up,
1:16.1	and I find many young people, intelligent young people, facing attention, because it seems
1:22.7	to me sometimes they're told that there are only two alternatives when it comes to scripture.
1:28.1	Either you take a young earth view of Genesis and then you're faithful to Scripture, or
1:34.6	you are an extreme evolutionist of some kind and there's no position in between.
	...

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