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The Language of Genetics – An Introduction

Reviewed by Colin Selby.

Bible teachers will wish to bring a biblical perspective to topics in the news such as stem cell technology and evolution. They may say “I never did much science at school.” Much has been said about genetics in recent years and here is a book to help you. It is written by David Alexander who has been a research biologist for forty years and helped to set up the National Unit of Human Genetics in Lebanon. Dr Alexander is a Fellow of St Edmunds College Cambridge, and Director of its Faraday Institute.

The book gives a clear introduction to genetics; what it is and how it works. It is a layperson’s guide. Topics covered include the genetic basis of disease, human evolution and genetic engineering. It is a pity that many of the text figures are so small

The final chapter is devoted to a discussion of “genetics and the big questions of life”. These questions include the place of theology in our discussions of science, the nature of suffering and the purpose of life. This chapter could usefully be expanded into a book in its own right.

The book includes many notes on each chapter which can be used to inform further reading. There is a useful index. The authors hope is “that the book will make people more sceptical of results that seem too good to be true, ready to discern the difference between science and ideology”. This is a useful addition to your book shelf.