Michael J. Kallenberg, blogging on The Prayerful Philosopher
"I applaud this very beneficial survey. Rau did an excellent job of providing fair descriptions of the various views and of including the best evidence in support of each model."
Michael J. Kallenberg
Raymond J. Lewis
Raymond J. Lewis, Associate Professor of Biology, Wheaton College
"It provides a great starting point for further study or discussion, something which I have already used in the context of teaching, by using this book with biology majors at Wheaton College."
Jonathan Merritt Interview
Jonathan Merritt interviewed Gerald Rau in Religion News:
JM: Why does this matter? What's the importance of figuring out the Earth's and humanity's origin?
GR: One of the main reasons it is important to study this issue is that our understanding of the origin of earth and humans is intimately connected to our understanding of the Bible and how God relates to his creation. If our position in all of those areas is not logically consistent and intellectually defensible, how can we expect to convince others that Christ is the truth? We owe it to ourselves and others to do whatever is necessary to know why we hold a particular interpretation, both of the scientific evidence and of the Bible, rather than merely accepting it because it the church we grew up in taught a certain thing. Many young people from the churches go off to college and don't really know what they believe or why, so they are easily led away from the faith. In today's society, with its emphasis on science and technology, it is important that the scientific evidence be considered along with the Bible, both for our sake and to be able to communicate with those around us.
Allen Henderson, NSTA
Allen Henderson, Review for the National Science Teachers Association
"If you are looking for a book that offers a basic overview of the issues in the origin debate, then this book is for you. Rau successfully attempts to present a summary in a way in which mature readers can become more informed in this debate. It would make thoughtful summer reading for teachers or policy makers, to better understand the discussions that occur outside of the classroom."
Chris Talbot
Chris Talbot, Minister of Students at Unity Free Will Baptist Church
"Too often we take for granted our views concerning the universe, life, species, and even ourselves. For those who want to wrestle with the intricacies of evolution and the different viewpoints held there, I would recommend this book."
Timothy H. Heaton, NCSE
Timothy H. Heaton, Professor of Earth Sciences at the University of South Dakota, Review for the National Center for Science Education (NCSE)
"Most books on origins are designed to defend a particular perspective, but occasionally a book comes out that offers a semi-fair analysis of different viewpoints. This book falls into that category."
John Byl
John Byl, Professor Emeritus of Astronomy, Trinity Western University
"This book gives a good overview of the various models of origins. It clearly shows that our philosophical starting point dictates how we do science, and how we explain the scientific evidence. Dr Rau is best when discussing biological issues, his specialty. In cosmology, I find that he minimizes problems with big bang cosmology, and downplays the feasibility of alternative cosmologies."
Melissa Travis, RTB
Melissa Travis, Assistant Professor of Apologetics at Houston Baptist University, posted on Reasons to Believe (RTB)
"Anyone seeking clarity and an improved understanding of how the various origins models approach the evidence would benefit from this book. Specialists who need an objective, succinct resource to recommend to non-specialist friends and family need look no further. Although Rau intends the book for both high school and college students, I think the text is best suited for college students and other adults. It is also a fantastic choice for Christian leaders and parents who need a better understanding of the origins debate (a large majority, in my experience)."
David Smart
David Smart, Christian blogger
"Whether you have an uncompromising young-earth creation view or a neo-Darwinian evolutionary one—or more likely somewhere in between—you will find this book to be an educational benefit and a valuable addition to your library. It provides the reader with a practically objective look at the different models of origins, what their operating presuppositions are, why that is important, and how they each compare to one another when it comes to the relevant data. In my opinion, the first two chapters alone are worth the price of the entire book."