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RAYMOND G. BOHLIN, PH.D.Vice President of Vision Outreach |
Raymond G. Bohlin is Vice President of Vision Outreach with Probe Ministries. Dr. Bohlin was born and raised in Chicago, IL and is a graduate of the University of Illinois (B.S., zoology, 1971-1975), the University of North Texas (M.S., population genetics, 1977-1980), and the University of Texas at Dallas (M.S., Ph.D., molecular and cell biology, 1984-1991). He has been with Probe Ministries since 1975 and has lectured and debated on dozens of college and university campuses. He has addressed issues in the creation/evolution debate as well as other science-related issues such as the environment, genetic engineering, medical ethics, and sexually transmitted diseases. Dr. Bohlin was named a Research Fellow of the Discovery Institute’s Center for the Renewal of Science and Culture in 1997, 2000 and 2012. He and his wife Sue, an associate speaker and Webmistress for Probe Ministries as well as a professional calligrapher and Christian speaker, live in Plano, Texas, a suburb of Dallas, and they have two grown sons. He can be reached via e-mail at [email protected].
PUBLICATIONS
- Bohlin, Raymond G. and Beitinger, Thomas L., 1979. Heat exchange in the aquatic salamander, Amphiuma means. J. Thermal Biology 4:63-67.
- Bohlin, Raymond G. 1981. “Sociobiology: Cloned from the Gene Cult.” Christianity Today, January 23, 25(2):16-19.
- Bohlin, Raymond G. 1981. “Evolution Society Digs In Against the Creationists.” Christianity Today, September 18, 25(16):41.
- Bohlin, Raymond G. and Zimmerman, Earl G. 1982. Genic differentiation of two chromosome races of the Geomys bursarius complex. Journal of Mammalogy 63:218-228.
- Anderson, J. Kerby and Bohlin, Raymond G. 1983. Genetic Engineering: the Evolutionary Link. Creation Research Society Quarterly, 19: 217-219.
- Bohlin, Raymond G. and Anderson, J. Kerby. 1983. The Straw God of Stephen Gould. Journal of the American Scientific Affiliation 35(1): 42-44.
- Lester, Lane P. and Bohlin, Raymond G. 1984. The Natural Limits to Biological Change. Probe Books, Richardson, TX 75081.
- Bohlin, Raymond G. 1991. Complementation of a defect in complex I of the electron transport chain by DNA-mediated gene transfer. Ph.D. dissertation, University of Texas at Dallas.
- Bohlin, Raymond G. 1996. Up a River Without a Paddle: A Review of “River Out of Eden: A Darwinian View of Life” by Richard Dawkins. Creation Ex Nihilo: Technical Journal. 10(3): 322-327.
- Bohlin, Raymond G. 1999. The Possibilities and Ethics of Human Cloning. Chapter 17 in Genetic Engineering: A Christian Response, Timothy Demy and Patrick Stewart, editors, Kregel Press, Grand Rapids, MI, pp. 260-277.
- Bohlin, Ray. 2000. Ed., Creation, Evolution, and Modern Science: Probing the Headlines that Impact Your Family, Kregel Publications, Grand Rapids, Mich., 192 pp.
- Bohlin, Ray, book review of The Design Inference: Eliminating Chance through Small Probabilities by William Dembski, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998 in Philosophia Christi Vol. 2 (2), 2000, p. 142-144.
- Linda K. Bevington, Bohlin Ray G., Stewart, Gary P., Kilner, John F., and Hook, C. Christopher. 2004. Basic Questions on Genetics, Stem Cell Research, and Cloning: Are these Technologies Ready to Use? Kregel Publications, Grand Rapids, Mich., 125p.
- Sebastian, Sharon and Bohlin, Raymond G. 2009. Darwin’s Racists: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. Virtual Bookworm.
PROBE RADIO TRANSCRIPTS
- Darwin on Trial
- Christian Environmentalism
- Sociobiology: Evolution, Genes, and Morality
- How to Talk to Your Kids about Creation and Evolution (with Sue Bohlin)
- The Grand Canyon and the Age of the Earth
- The Epidemic of Sexually Transmitted Diseases
- The Five Crises of Evolutionary Theory
- Human Cloning
- Human Fossils: Just So Stories of Apes and Humans
- The Natural Limits to Biological Change
- Why We Believe in Creation
- The Sanctity of Human Life
- The Worldview of Jurassic Park
- Sexual Purity
- Defending the Faith Philosophically (with Don Closson, Rich Milne, and Jerry Solomon)
- Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus (with Sue Bohlin)
- Evolution’s Big Bang: The Cambrian Explosion
- The Battle for Life: Physician-Assisted Suicide
- Up A River without a Paddle: A Darwinian View of Life
- Life on Mars: Are We Alone in the Universe?
- Can Humans Be Cloned Like Sheep?
- Darwin’s Black Box
- Campus Christianity
- The Star of Bethlehem
- Contact: A Eulogy to Carl Sagan
- Christian Views of Science and Earth History (with Rich Milne)
- Cloning and Genetics: The Brave New World Closes In
- Why Does the University Fear Philip Johnson?
- Darwinism Takes a Step Back in Kansas
- Mere Creation: Science, Faith, and Intelligent Design
- Genetic Engineering
- The Coming Revolution in Science
- Human Genetic Engineering
- Human Genome Project
- Icons of Evolution
- Global Warming
- The Controversy Over Stem Cell Research
- PBS Evolution Series
- Stem Cells and the Controversy over Therapeutic Cloning
- Where Was God on 9/11?
- The Galapagos Islands: Sacred Ground of Evolution
- Are We Alone in the Universe?
- The Controversy Over Stem Cell Research
- Is the Tender Warrior Wild at Heart?
- Genetic Engineering
- Human Genetic Engineering
- The Controversy of Evolution in Biology Textbooks
- Redesigning Humans: Is It Inevitable?
- The Continuing Controversy Over Stem Cells
- Total Truth
- Was Darwin Wrong?
- The Impotence of Darwinism
- The Case for a Creator
- The Privileged Planet
- Is Intelligent Design Dead?
ORIGINS LECTURE TOPICS
Amoeba to Man: You Can’t Get There From Here
An analysis of the various examples of evolutionary change today and the evidence for the concept of the created kind. Video and Power Point on video projector.
Creation/Evolution: What Can We Know About the Origins of the Universe and Life?
A fast-paced presentation outlining the major tensions in the origins debate and what conclusions we can draw. Summarizes the evidence for the origins of the universe and life, the origin of complex adaptations and the evidence for design and intelligence. Requires 1 hour and 15 minutes. Video and Power Point on video projector.
Christian Views of Science and Earth History
A description of the three most prevalent Christian views of Genesis: Literal or Recent Creation, Progressive or Day Age Creation, and Theistic Evolution. Strengths and weaknesses of each one are analyzed and discussed. Power Point on video projector.
Early Man and Human Fossils
This presentation analyzes the fossil evidence for human evolution from a creationist perspective. The scarcity of fossils, the twists of interpretation, and the fossils that are out of place are discussed. Power Point on video projector.
Evidence of Intelligence
Evidence for an intelligent creator from molecules to the universe. Video and Power Point on video projector.
The Grand Canyon and the Great Flood
This presentation takes you on a hike into the Grand Canyon with the Institute for Creation Research. You’ll see some of the fabulous sites in the Grand Canyon as well as an explanation as to how ICR believes the Canyon may have been formed in conjunction with the flood of Noah. Slide illustrated.
In the Beginning: A Study of Genesis One
This is a verse by verse discussion of the first chapter of Genesis.
The Influence of the Evolutionary Worldview on Society
More and more evolutionists are calling for a new society based on the principles of evolution. What do they want? Power Point on video projector.
Life’s Origins
A critique of the general scheme of chemical evolution and evidence for the hand of God in living cells. Video and Power Point on video projector.
Why We Believe in Creation
A biblical apologetic for a creationist position based primarily on the nature and character of God and the centrality of creation in the Bible.
NON-ORIGINS LECTURE TOPICS
A Christian Environmental Ethic
Christianity provides the only real basis for ecological concern. It should not take a crisis for Christians to be environmentally aware. Video and Power Point on video projector.
Abortion: The Destruction of the Innocents
Abortion is an unjustifiable intrusion on the safety of the womb. What is the logic behind the abortion movement and how should we respond. Power Point on video projector.
A Defense of Christianity: Can Christianity Be Trusted?
This presentation will defend Christian Theism as a worldview and examine historical evidence for the truth of Christianity. Power Point on video projector.
Campus Christianity: How Should We Live?
Four principles (Think Christianly, Cultivate a Teachable Spirit, Pursue Excellence, and Faithfulness) are presented for effective Christian witnessing in the classroom (or any sphere of life) are addressed. Also presented as Being Christian in a Post-Christian Societyfor adult audiences. Video and Power Point on video projector.
Human Nature: Who Are We?
Various views of the nature of man and their consequences are examined and contrasted with the Christian view. Video and Power Point on video projector.
Infanticide and Euthanasia: Gateway to the Death Camps of the 21st Century
The legacy of abortion is an ever decreasing value of human life in our society. The slippery slope is becoming steeper. Video projector.
Genes, Cloning, and Genetic Engineering: A Christian Perspective
How will these new technologies be used? Is it a Pandora’s Box or a miracle cure? Power Point on video projector.
The Worldview of Jurassic Park
Scenes from the movie Jurassic Park are viewed with the intent of discovering the some of the obvious and also some of the subtle messages contained within this incredible piece of entertainment. TV/VCR and Video projector
Guys are from Mars, Girls are from Venus
This presentation looks at the astonishing agreement between the newfound discoveries in the secular world concerning the uniqueness of men and women and their agreement with millennia old statements from the Bible. Power Point on video projector.
A Christian Response to Homosexuality
This presentation investigates the problem of homosexuality in our culture today, bringing together relevant Biblical passages and scientific studies from the fields of psychology, neurology, and genetics. The goal is to understand what God says, what science knows, and how we are to respond. How can we “hate the sin, yet love the sinner”? Power Point on video projector.
Safe Sex and the Facts
This presentation documents the unprecedented epidemic of sexually transmitted diseases. Primary to the discussion is the clear medical evidence that abstinence followed by monogamy is the only way to stay reproductively healthy throughout one’s adult life.
Science and Worldview
This presentation explores the roots of modern science from a Christian world view and why other worldviews failed to produce science as we know it. Power Point on video projector.
Worldviews: What Is True?
The major “isms” (theism, naturalism, and pantheism) in our culture and their influence are discussed. Power Point on video projector.
POSITION STATEMENT ON CREATION/EVOLUTION
1. That God is Creator is clearly taught in Scripture: Genesis 1 and 2, Job 38-41, Psalm 104, Romans 1:18-20, and Col. 1:16,17. The suggestion that life and man are the result of chance is incompatible with the biblical concept of intelligent creative activity. Theistic evolution is not a viable option in my opinion.
2. The data from astrophysics, astronomy, and mathematics do not support the concept of an eternal universe with no beginning. Something, indeed, has always existed, but it is not matter and energy. There is a definite requirement for a transcendent energizing existence which is outside the material universe.
3. The data from geology, chemistry, biochemistry, and molecular biology do not support the theory that life arose from non-life by some process of chemical evolution. There is a definite requirement for intelligence in organizing and ordering living systems.
4. The data from paleontology, genetics, ecology, and molecular biology do not support the theory of descent with modification from single-celled organisms to man. The elements of intelligent design in nature point to a Supreme Designer that possesses a sense of beauty, form, function, and even humor. Though organisms do change over time, there appears to be genetically built-in limits to the amount and type of biological change that is possible.
5. The plain language of Genesis 1 seems to teach a recent literal six-day creation. There is much data from science, however, that indicates the universe and earth are billions of years old. I do not believe that certainty regarding the age of the earth is either necessary or possible at this time. Tension in areas of conflict between science and biblical interpretation should not necessarily be viewed as either questioning the inerrancy of scripture or a lack of faith. This issue should not be the focus of the creation/evolution debate at this time.
6. The plain language of Genesis 6-8 teaches a violent universal flood which would be expected to leave discernible scars on the earth. However, it is difficult to assimilate all geological formations into a model of a single worldwide flood only 5,000 years ago. There is also a significant amount of geological data that is not easily explained by uniformitarian principles. Research of a water canopy/universal flood model should be vigorously pursued, but belief in such should not be made a litmus test of true Christian belief.
PHILOSOPHY OF MINISTRY
The creation/evolution debate is not only a divisive issue between the conservative Christian community and the scientific establishment, but it also divides Christians as well. The tension between both sets of groups often arises because people are talking with no one listening, and hearing without understanding. Strict adherence to a position is more important than understanding another’s point of view. This lack of communication only intensifies the confrontation due to internal biases.
I believe that a reasonable and calm presentation of the evidence can defuse the emotional bullets, especially if questions are answered straightforwardly and with integrity. As a result, the level of learning on both sides is drastically increased. While there are some points in which I believe strongly and will defend them rigorously, there are other issues which still require much study and discussion between all parties before a firm commitment can be taken. Part of my overall purpose is to increase the level and depth of communication between differing camps of the creation/evolution debate while reducing the level of suspicion, contempt, and confrontation. This approach is aimed first of all at bringing Christians together and secondly towards increasing the level of communication between creationists and evolutionists outside the church.
We must take up the Lord’s invitation to the nation of Israel through the prophet Isaiah when He said, “Come now, and let us reason together” (Is. 1:18).