Language of God

What happens when one of the world’s most prominent former atheists becomes a Christian—and claims that faith actually strengthens reason and science?

In this episode, Jim Stump sits down with author and public intellectual Ayaan Hirsi Ali to explore her unexpected journey from Islam to atheism, and ultimately to Christianity. Once known for her sharp critiques of religion, Ayaan now describes her Christian faith as something that sharpens her reason and makes her more committed to science.

Their conversation focuses on this personal transformation: what she found lacking in her years as an atheist, how she came to see herself as “spiritually bankrupt,” and why she ultimately turned to Christianity in search of meaning, hope, and peace. Along the way, they discuss the relationship between faith and reason, the role of science in a Christian worldview, and whether curiosity itself might be a form of worship.

Whatever you make of her broader public voice, this episode offers a chance to hear Ayaan Hirsi Ali tell, in her own words, the story of a life shaped by big questions about truth, morality, and what it means to live well.

Theme song and credits music by Breakmaster Cylinder. Other music in this episode by Vesper Tapes, courtesy of Shutterstock, Inc.

In this episode, infectious disease epidemiologist and science communicator Jessica Malaty Rivera reflects on what it means to help people make sense of science in the midst of uncertainty. Drawing on her experience during the COVID-19 pandemic, she explores the gap between data and decision-making, and why clear, empathetic communication is essential for public health.

Jessica shares how her work has focused not just on understanding disease, but on translating complex information into something people can actually use. From social media to national data efforts, she considers what builds trust—and what breaks it—when the stakes are high and the science is still evolving.

The conversation also turns to her faith, and how her background in the church shaped her understanding of community, responsibility, and care for others. Together, they explore the tension between individual choice and the common good, and what it might look like to approach both science and faith with humility in a world that resists nuance.

Theme song and credits music by Breakmaster Cylinder. Other music in this episode by Ricky Bombino, courtesy of Shutterstock, Inc.

What if one of our closest relatives had taken a completely different evolutionary path?

In this episode of Language of God, we continue our Cool Creatures series with a journey to Madagascar and also to the Duke Lemur Center, to explore the strange, beautiful, and deeply revealing world of lemurs. These primates split from our own lineage tens of millions of years ago, evolving in isolation into an astonishing diversity of forms. 

Along the way, we meet scientists who study lemurs in the wild and in conservation settings, uncovering what makes them so unique: female-led societies, rich social bonds expressed through grooming, and a reliance on smell rather than sight to understand their world. 

But this episode isn’t just about lemurs—it’s about what they reveal. Lemurs help us ask deeper questions about what it means to be human, how evolution unfolds in different directions, and what responsibility we carry for other species. With nearly all lemurs now threatened by habitat loss and human activity, their story is also one of urgency and conservation.

From evolutionary history to field research to theology, this episode invites you to see lemurs not just as fascinating creatures, but as mirrors—reflecting both our past and our present.

Theme song and credits music by Breakmaster Cylinder. Other music in this episode by Pink Marble, Nick Petrov, Animated Music, Vesper Tapes, Rick Bombino, Zeonium & MS Elyascourtesy of Shutterstock, Inc.

Genesis has long been a flashpoint in conversations about science and faith. Is it history? Poetry? Theology? Some combination of all three? For decades, BioLogos has returned to this ancient text as we wrestle with questions about creation, humanity, and God’s action in the world. In this episode, Jim Stump sits down with Pulitzer Prize–winning novelist and essayist Marilynne Robinson to talk about her recent book Reading Genesis. Robinson approaches Genesis not as a scientific puzzle to solve or a battleground to defend, but as a work of profound literary and theological depth. 

Together, they explore the genre of Genesis, the meaning of the creation narratives, the flood story, divine restraint, human freedom, and what it means to be human in light of both Scripture and science. Robinson also shares insights from her broader work, including her reflections on consciousness, the inner life, and the limits—and wonders—of modern scientific thought.

Rather than flattening Genesis into either literalism or metaphor, this conversation invites us to read it with patience, imagination, and intellectual humility.

Theme song and credits music by Breakmaster Cylinder. Other music in this episode by Kyle Booth, courtesy of Shutterstock, Inc.

Elite ultra-runner Sabrina Little has logged national titles and set the American record for the greatest distance run in 24 hours. But for her, the real significance of running isn’t found in podium finishes or record books. It’s found in character. In this conversation, Sabrina reflects on how Christian faith deepens and reshapes the classical tradition of virtue and describes how faith, hope, and love transform the moral life from the inside out.

Theme song and credits music by Breakmaster Cylinder. Other music in this episode by Titan Sound, courtesy of Shutterstock, Inc.