About Intelligent & Designed
Our Mission
At Intelligent & Designed, our mission is to make accessible to everyone the most current historical and scientific evidence for God. Here, you will find extensive information on recent developments, publications and resources. All references below are based on personal study and research. I only recommend books and other materials that I have read and found to be helpful and informative.
Key Resources to Learn About Intelligent Design
Learn about Design of the Universe and Planets
There are many exceptional books to start your journey, here are a few key starting points:
The Privileged Planet by Guillermo Gonzalez and Jay Richards
Summary: Learn about how incredible our planet is, and how it was created to allow life to thrive and to explore the cosmos.
Link to Purchase through our Amazon Affiliate Link: https://amzn.to/3IN8Qx6
[The authors are coming out with a new and updated version of this book and I will be reading it ASAP. ]
Hopefully you had a chance to observe the solar eclipse on Monday April 8, 2024. Richards and Gonzalez talk about eclipses in The Privileged Planet. Jay Richards recently posted a short article on Discovery Institute's Evolution News on the recent eclipse. You can read it here: https://evolutionnews.org/2024/04/to-understand-the-meaning-of-a-solar-eclipse/
Learn about Design of the Human Body
More and more books are focusing on the complex systems that make up the human body, how they are connected and dependent upon each other. This work is important in uncovering the vast complexity of our bodies and minds and in understanding its origin.
Your Designed Body by Steve Laufmann and Howard Glicksman
Link to Purchase through our Amazon Affiliate Link: https://amzn.to/43sAed9
Learn about Intuition of Design
Doug Axe's Undeniable: How Biology Confirms Our Intuition That Life is Designed
Summary: This book is fantastic. Axe talks about his journey as a scientist and gets into some of the science that is producing results that are not consistent with scientific dogma. But the book really focuses on human intuition of design. When you see something that is built by a person, you know it. You don't need a scientific test to prove it, you just know it. Axe develops this and other ideas very well.
Link to Purchase through our Amazon Affiliate Link: https://amzn.to/3x4znDi
Learn about Origin of Life
Mystery of Life's Origin by Charles Thaxton, Walter Bradley and others
Summary: An unbelievable and approachable book on the origin of life. This is a charged topic among scholars and scientists. It seems that scientists don't appreciate other scientists challenging the status quo. The authors here do challenge the status quo, but they do so using data, studies and highly skilled analysis. It is a masterpiece and a wonderful starting point to understand the many challenges to understanding formation of life.
Link to Purchase through our Amazon Affiliate Link: https://amzn.to/43qR77W
Stairway to Life: An Origin-of-Life Reality Check by Change Laura Tan and Robert Stadler
Summary: It is thorough on science, as books in this subject must be. Don't let that stop you. While being heavy on science, it is absolutely approachable. The authors walk you through detailed analysis of origin of life research projects and detail all of the steps that would be needed to form life from non-life.
Link to Purchase through our Amazon Affiliate Link: https://amzn.to/3TnKAq9
Science & Human Origins by Ann Gauger, Douglas Axe & Casey Luskin
Summary: At just over 100 pages, this is an exceptional and easy entry into 3 important topics: (1) science of human origins and science of Adam and Eve (Ann Gauger); (2) power of the Darwinian mechanism (Doug Axe); and (3) origin archeology (Casey Luskin). Some overlap of course with other books they have written, but this is a concise and well written book with tons of citations to scholarly work. Luskin's analysis of gaps in the fossil record and the general lack of clarity and consensus from the fossil record is very interesting and eye opening.
Link to Purchase through our Amazon Affiliate Link: https://amzn.to/3VJThxQ
Paperpack is only $13, and Audible version is a bargain at $7.99.
Check out Amazing Gear from Elevated Faith
Elevated Faith
This brand is dedicated not only to providing amazing Christian apparel, jewelry and more, but also to supporting Christian organizations around the world. In 2023, Elevated Faith gave over $110,000 to Christian organizations.
Check out their great products and website using our Affiliate Link: https://bit.ly/43ryjFG
Another Great Place to STart: Michael Behe
I saw Dr. Behe speak in 1996 during his book tour for Darwin's Black Box. It wasn't until many years later that I actually really focused on the book and the arguments. Then I quickly read his other books as soon as they were released. His arguments are very compelling. Since 1996, there has been a great deal of criticism of irreducible complexity, a phrase he coined to describe the complex and interdependent parts to systems in our body. Yet it does not appear that mainstream science has come up with any serious counter argument. Behe makes the point that some of the systems in our bodies, such as the blood clotting cascade, cannot function at all without every part in place. So how could something like this have originated in a step by step Darwinian process? Because it was designed? Dive into Behe's work and you will not regret it.
Darwin's Black Box
Click here to purchase through our Amazon affiliate link: https://amzn.to/3ISjdQ5
Darwin Devolves
Click here to purchase through our Amazon affiliate link: https://amzn.to/3VzfQ8m
A Mousetrap for Darwin
Click here to purchase through our Amazon affiliate link: https://amzn.to/43wYkU0
The Edge of Evolution: The Search for the Limits of Darwinism
Click here to purchase through our Amazon affiliate link: https://amzn.to/3xkAoHi
Learn a little about many topics
The references above focus entirely on Intelligent Design and trying to put into one place information to start a journey. The Intelligent Design movement is not a religious movement, but rather a scientific effort to identify design in the universe and in nature. It is a religiously-charged issue though, because if the universe is designed, or if the cells in your body are designed, or if DNA is designed, then there must be a designer. So, this section of resources will dive into Christianity and specifically will identify resources that focus on scientific and textual evidence for God and also for Jesus Christ.
Some books do a great job in going over the science, the theology, philosophy, and many other topics. These can be great starting points too, depending on your background and your interest.
I Don't Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist, by Norman Geisler and Frank Turek
Personally, one of my favorite books. The authors are brilliant and tackle so many challenging issues, in a great conversational style. They also address many cultural issues that anyone can relate to.
Link to Purchase through our Amazon Affiliate Link: https://amzn.to/4chHP26
Another one of my favorites is Is Atheism Dead? by Eric Metaxas. Metaxas narrates the book on Audible, and it is currently free for Audible members. You can listen to Metaxas on several additional channels, but one good one is his Socrates in the City forum, where he hosts guests and great conversations/debates. He excels at getting at important and complex issues and weaves in his trademark humor as well.
Link to Purchase through our Amazon Affiliate Link: https://amzn.to/3yfdYrw
Key Resources to Learn About Evidence for Christianity
The references above focus entirely on Intelligent Design and trying to put into one place information to start a journey. The Intelligent Design movement is not a religious movement, but rather a scientific effort to identify design in the universe and in nature. It is a religiously-charged issue though, because if the universe is designed, or if the cells in your body are designed, or if DNA is designed, then there must be a designer. So, this section of resources will dive into Christianity and specifically will identify resources that focus on scientific and textual evidence for God and also for Jesus Christ.
Learn about Historical Jesus
The place to start on this journey is anything by Gary Habermas. Habermas is the world's greatest expert, in our opinion, on the Historical Jesus. When I launched into my own journey on this topic, I wanted to learn what history could teach us about the earthly Jesus - what facts and data have been uncovered to show us who he was, what he said, what he did? And what evidence is there that he rose from the dead? Start with Gary Habermas and then go from there.
The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus, by Gary Habermas and Michael Licona
A remarkable book, it goes through evidence supporting the conclusion that Jesus Christ rose from the dead and discusses also how to share this information with others.
Link to Purchase through our Amazon Affiliate Link: https://amzn.to/493pymr
Evidence for the Historical Jesus: Is the Jesus of History the Christ of Faith, by Gary Habermas
Another great place to start. Additionally, you can listen to great and informative debates between Gary Habermas and many other theologians and intellectuals on youtube, podcasts, etc. Links coming soon.
Link to Purchase through our Amazon Affiliate Link: https://amzn.to/3TJkFul
Other Key Books on Historical Jesus
Who Moved the Stone? by Frank Morison
Summary: An awesome book, and interestingly, Morison was not a believer before this book. Only after his own research did he come to the conclusion that the evidence supports Jesus' ressurection. The forward is written by Lee Strobel, who has many published books, including one on his own research and ultimate conversion. More on that next.
Link to Purchase through our Amazon Affiliate Link: https://amzn.to/3IMnVyF
The Resurrection of Jesus: A New Historiographical Approach, by Michael Licona
Summary: This is another exceptional scholarly work. It is 21+ hours on Audible and if you're an Audible user I would recommend that approach given the length. That's a personal recommendation, I know I got through this book faster on Audible that I would have in a printed copy.
Licona's arguments are compelling, and framed by his own personal approach and experience. He recalls doubting his own faith on the journey of writing this book, in part because he was so avid about recognizing his own horizon (bias) and approaching the study and analysis as objectively as possible. So when you get to the end and can understand how he reaches the conclusions he does, it is extremely persuasive and backed by extensive and solid evidence, logic and reasoning.
Link to Purchase through our Amazon Affiliate Link: https://amzn.to/3yimPsC
Learning through Reading about peoples conversions to ChrisT
I have read many books written by a diverse group of authors, and some of the most compelling are those that were written by people that did not believe in Christianity, Jesus, the resurrection, etc. These books offer a different perspective and are excellent in the way they share the author's personal experience, doubt, then research and discovery of the real facts.
The Case for Christ: A Journalist's Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus, by Lee Strobel
Strobel was a journalist. His outlook was atheism. When his wife became a Christian, he was appalled and determined to research the facts to prove she was wrong in believing. Yet after his investigation, he became a believer. This is an easy read and very enjoyable. I've read all of Strobel's books and recommend them all and will link and discuss them more later.
Link to Purchase through our Amazon Affiliate Link: https://amzn.to/3PrTHos
Other books by Lee Strobel:
Is God Real?: Exploring the Ultimate Question of Life
Strobel meets with experts around the world and shares his interviews with them detailing, mostly scientific, evidence for the existence of God.
Link to Purchase through our Amazon Affiliate Link: https://amzn.to/4amxUGR
The Case for a Creator
Link to Purchase through our Amazon Affiliate Link: https://amzn.to/497gYmF
Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus: A Devout Muslim Encounters Christianity, by Nabeel Qureshi
An inspiring story. Sad though. As I read an updated version of this book, it included a forward by Lee Strobel who was on his way to Qureshi's funeral. Qureshi died in 2017 from stomach cancer. His book goes through his life story, raised as a devout Muslim, but through a trying and difficult journey, found Jesus. His discovery and conversion were personally trying, in his relationship with his family in particular.
Link to Purchase through our Amazon Affiliate Link:https://amzn.to/3x0sVgB
Debates
This section will highlight debates between scientists, theologians, philosophers, and others.
Dr. James Tour v. Professor Dave
Tour is an accomplished scientist. He teaches at Rice University. His professional accomplishments are remarkable. He has waded very deep into the origin of life debate. He has created many videos on this and his own YouTube channel, mostly dedicated to responding to claims from a YouTube user named Professor Dave. This is a very entertaining and insightful back and forth.
Here is a link to YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pxEWXGSIpAI
You can get started there but these two have produced many, many hours on this topic.
Habermas and Flew
From what I can tell, Habermas became close friends with Antony Flew. Flew was one of the world's greatest Atheist thinkers. The link here is to a debate or discussion between Flew and Habermas. Flew is one of many scholars who changed positions at some point in life. Flew ultimately rejected Atheism.
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVb3Xvny8-k
Scholars and Scientists who Changed Positions
This section will explore essentially conversions of scientists from Atheism to belief in God or Christianity or just not-Atheism. There are many and I believe these provide unique research opportunities. Essentially, the question is why would a scientist who is a leader in his or her field, who is a dedicated Atheist, who has access to highly specialized research and scholarly works abandon his or her long-held conviction that God does not exist? It's a rhetorical question in essence, as the reason is their own study of the facts, access to scientific research and developments, etc.
CS Lewis: arguably the greatest writer of al time. All of his works are exceptional.
Here are a couple references:
Mere Christianity: Link to Amazon: https://amzn.to/3VPtJiU. It is free for Audible users.
The Screwtape Letters: Link to Amazon: https://amzn.to/4alcavf. Also free for Audible users.
Another note: Lewis deals significantly with an issue often cited in opposition to God - the problem of pain. His work on this issue is outstanding.
The Problem of Pain: Link to Amazon: https://amzn.to/3TQ2DFo. Also free for Audible users.
On Darwinism
Darwinism - is what you learned in High School or College Supported by the Evidence?
So many think they have the answers, but it's probably most accurate to say no one really knows. It does seem like the most reasonable answer to this question though, is No. The debate will rage on for a long time probably, but much of what was and continues to be taught in college really is not supported by evidence. At a minimum, what is taught is not as clear cut as it is presented. This charged topic is very interesting and full of developments and cutting edge science, philosophy and more. Here are some great starting points.
Icons of Evolution: Science or Myth? Why Much of What We Teach About Evolution is Wrong, by Jonathan Wells.
This is really the best starting point on the topic of Darwinism. Why? Because Wells goes through the scientific studies you probably will recognize - the Miller/Urey experiment, the Peppered Moth study, Hecke's embryo drawings, and others. These continue to form the bases for much of college instruction on evolution. And yet these studies have been widely recognized as wrong, fraudulent, misleading or all of the above.
Link to Amazon: https://amzn.to/4biDyL2
Mind and Cosmos: Why the Materialist Neo-Darwinian Conception of Nature Is Almost Certainly False, by Thomas Nagel. https://amzn.to/4aKQFnI
Nagel is an Atheist. This book is so interesting, not just becuase of that, but it does add to the presentation. An Atheist concludes that Darwinism cannot be responsible for teh variety of life on Earth. That is news for sure. The book is a great read, heavy on philosophy and intriguing.
Uncommon Dissent: Intellectuals Who Find Darwinism Unconvincing, by William Dembski
Link to Amazon: https://amzn.to/3VOmxDw