About Us
Redwood Christian Research Laboratory is a nonprofit organization dedicated to rigorous academic exploration grounded in biblical truth and intellectual integrity. We believe that truth is unified, and therefore scientific discovery and theological reflection must engage in ongoing, respectful dialogue. Our team comprises scholars, educators, and writers from diverse disciplines—including biology, philosophy, theology, history, and ethics—who share a commitment to clarity, charity, and critical thinking.
We do not conduct clinical trials or laboratory experiments. Instead, our methodology centers on literature-based analysis, historical investigation, conceptual modeling, and the synthesis of peer-reviewed research across disciplines. This non-experimental approach allows us to address foundational questions that empirical science alone cannot resolve—questions about meaning, moral responsibility, human dignity, and the telos of biotechnological development.
Our work is intentionally public-facing: we aim to equip churches, educators, policymakers, and laypersons with accessible yet deeply reasoned resources. We prioritize humility in inquiry, recognizing that all knowledge is partial and all scholars stand within traditions of interpretation. We affirm the Nicene Creed and hold to historic Christian orthodoxy, while welcoming respectful engagement from diverse viewpoints.
We reject scientism—the belief that only scientific knowledge is valid—as well as biblicism—the idea that Scripture bypasses historical, literary, and theological context. Instead, we advocate for a posture of faithful realism: confident in divine revelation, yet open to correction through reason, evidence, and communal discernment.
Founded in 2022 in the San Francisco Bay Area, Redwood Christian Research operates independently, funded solely by individual donors and grants that preserve our intellectual autonomy. We publish white papers, host seminars, develop curricula, and contribute to public discourse through op-eds, podcasts, and collaborative projects with academic institutions.
Our name draws from the coastal redwoods—ancient, resilient, deeply rooted, yet reaching toward light. Like these trees, we seek deep grounding in truth, structural integrity across branches of knowledge, and steady growth in wisdom. The laboratory metaphor reflects our commitment to disciplined methodology, hypothesis-testing, and reproducibility—even in conceptual domains.
We distinguish ourselves from advocacy groups by prioritizing understanding over persuasion. While we articulate normative ethical positions (e.g., on human embryo research or gene editing), these emerge from sustained analysis—not political expediency or ideological convenience. We acknowledge complexity: for example, while affirming human life’s sanctity, we engage seriously with arguments concerning embryo status, twinning, and developmental potential.
Our governance includes a board of directors and an independent ethics advisory panel with representation from STEM fields, pastoral ministry, and bioethics. Annual reports and financial statements are publicly available, ensuring transparency. We comply with IRS 501(c)(3) requirements and maintain no financial ties to biotech firms or political action committees.
We welcome critique. Errors in reasoning, factual inaccuracies, or oversights in framing are corrected promptly and publicly. We view intellectual humility not as weakness, but as the necessary condition for truth-seeking. As Augustine wrote, “Seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand.” We invert this: Seek to understand, that your belief may deepen in fidelity to reality.
Our long-term vision includes a physical research hub in Redwood City, CA, hosting visiting fellows, archival collections on science-and-faith dialogue, and a summer institute for graduate students. Until then, we operate virtually—with intentionality, excellence, and grace.
We define “Christian” not as a cultural marker, but as a commitment to the Lordship of Jesus Christ in all of life—including the laboratory, the journal article, and the policy brief. This does not mean predetermined conclusions, but a framework of creation, fall, redemption, and restoration that shapes how we ask questions, weigh evidence, and envision flourishing.
“Research” for us includes conceptual analysis (e.g., defining “personhood” in light of neuroscience), historical reconstruction (e.g., tracing the theological roots of medical ethics), and normative evaluation (e.g., assessing CRISPR applications against criteria of justice, solidarity, and stewardship). We use tools from analytic philosophy, hermeneutics, systems theory, and risk assessment—but always in service of wisdom, not just knowledge.
Our educational materials avoid false dichotomies (e.g., “science vs. faith”) and instead model integrative thinking. A high-school module on genetics, for instance, covers Mendelian inheritance, genome editing ethics, and theological anthropology—in that order—so students see how technical knowledge informs moral deliberation.
We collaborate with secular universities, Christian colleges, churches, and civic organizations—because truth is not sectarian. Yet we remain distinct in our grounding: we do not bracket theological commitments for the sake of neutrality, but articulate them transparently and invite scrutiny.
We track emerging technologies closely: AI in diagnostics, synthetic biology, neuroenhancement, longevity science. For each, we ask: What vision of humanity does this presuppose? Whose interests does it serve? What virtues does it cultivate—or erode? These are not “add-ons” to science; they are constitutive of responsible innovation.
Research Focus Areas
1. Biotechnology & Human Dignity
We analyze emerging biotechnologies—including germline editing, mitochondrial replacement, chimeric research, and human enhancement—through lenses of theological anthropology, natural law, and virtue ethics. Our work asks: What does it mean to be human in an age of radical biological malleability? How do concepts like imago Dei, embodiment, finitude, and relationality inform ethical boundaries?
We produce annotated bibliographies, comparative policy analyses (e.g., U.S. vs. U.K. vs. Germany on embryo research), and conceptual frameworks for evaluating “therapeutic” vs. “enhancement” interventions—not as binary categories, but as spectra requiring case-by-case discernment.
Our white paper “The Embryo in Moral Theory” (2024) examines over 40 philosophical and theological positions on moral status, mapping their implications for IVF, stem cell sourcing, and prenatal screening. It avoids dogmatism, instead highlighting internal coherence, empirical adequacy, and pastoral viability of each view.
We track the rhetoric of biotech discourse—e.g., “designer babies,” “playing God,” “medical progress”—and analyze how metaphors shape public perception and policy. Language matters; precision fosters responsibility.
We collaborate with genetic counselors to develop decision-support tools that integrate medical facts, ethical values, and spiritual resources—without coercing outcomes.
2. Science & Theological Epistemology
How do scientific and theological ways of knowing relate? Are they in conflict, compartmentalized, or integrable? We reject both the “warfare model” and facile harmonization, proposing instead a model of critical consonance—where disciplines retain integrity while engaging in mutual critique and enrichment.
Our project “Models of Integration” surveys 12 historical and contemporary approaches (e.g., Barthian separation, Polkinghorne’s critical realism, Plantinga’s warrant), evaluating each for explanatory power, theological fidelity, and scientific engagement.
We examine case studies: the Galileo affair, evolutionary creationism, neuroscience and free will, cosmology and divine action—always asking: What assumptions about Scripture, nature, and reason underlie each position?
We host an annual “Epistemology Colloquium” bringing together philosophers of science, theologians, and working scientists to debate methodological naturalism, divine action, and the limits of empirical inquiry.
We affirm that all truth is God’s truth—but access to it is mediated, fallible, and communal. Thus, peer review, tradition, and spiritual discernment all play roles in knowledge validation.
3. Public Understanding of Science
Misinformation, polarization, and distrust plague science communication today. We research how religious communities receive and interpret scientific claims—and how scientists perceive religious concerns.
Our national survey (2025, n=2,400) found that evangelical Christians trust medical science highly, but express concern about motivations behind certain research agendas (e.g., transhumanism, de-extinction). We use such data to design trust-building communication strategies.
We train scientists in theological literacy and pastors in scientific literacy, fostering mutual respect. A 6-week “Science for Shepherds” course has been adopted by 17 seminaries.
We critique both scientism (“Science will solve all problems”) and biblicist literalism (“Genesis 1 settles cosmology”), advocating for disciplined openness—confident in revelation, yet responsive to evidence.
Our podcast “Faithful Inquiry” features dialogues between a molecular biologist and a systematic theologian discussing topics like AI consciousness, climate migration ethics, and the theology of pain.
Educational Initiatives
Education is central to our mission. We develop resources for multiple audiences: secondary students, undergraduates, seminarians, pastors, healthcare professionals, and lay Christians seeking thoughtful engagement with science.
Our flagship curriculum, Bioethics & Belief, is a semester-long high school course aligned with NGSS standards. It covers genetics, reproduction, death/dying, and AI—each unit pairing technical content with case studies, primary source readings (e.g., Aquinas, Jonas, Meilaender), and reflection prompts on vocation and stewardship.
For churches, we offer “Science & Faith Small Groups”—6-session modules with video lectures, discussion guides, and action steps. Topics include: “Is Evolution Compatible with Scripture?”, “What Does the Bible Say About the Body?”, and “Technology and the Good Life.”
We host an annual Redwood Summer Institute for graduate students in STEM or theology, featuring seminars, mentoring, and collaborative research projects. Fellows receive stipends and present at our symposium.
All materials are openly licensed (CC BY-NC) and available in print and digital formats—because access should not be a barrier to wisdom.
We emphasize formation over information. Thus, assignments include journaling, interviewing elders about medical decisions, and drafting pastoral letters on emerging tech—not just exams.
Our “Christian Scientists Spotlight” series profiles faithful practitioners—from a CRISPR researcher at Stanford to a palliative care physician in Nairobi—showing how conviction and competence coexist.
We advise seminaries on integrating science into theological education. Too often, future pastors graduate unable to discuss genomics or climate science with congregants. We help fix that.
Our educator network (300+ members) shares lesson plans, troubleshooting tips, and local event ideas. Annual retreats foster community and renewal.
We assess impact not by downloads, but by changed perspectives: pre/post surveys show 78% of teachers report greater confidence in addressing science-faith questions after using our materials.
We partner with organizations like BioLogos, The Center for Bioethics & Human Dignity, and ASA (American Scientific Affiliation)—not uncritically, but in shared commitment to truth and grace.
Our resources avoid culture-war framing. Instead of “defending the faith against science,” we ask: How can science serve shalom?
We translate key documents into Spanish and Korean, recognizing the global church’s need for contextually wise engagement.
For medical professionals, we offer CME-accredited webinars on topics like: “Spiritual Dimensions of Genetic Counseling,” “Hope and Realism in Terminal Illness,” and “Ethical Boundaries in Fertility Care.”
Students often ask: “Can I be a scientist and a Christian?” Our answer is a resounding yes—and here is how, with integrity, joy, and rigor.
News & Updates
2025 Q4 Highlights
• Released white paper: “Gene Editing and the Common Good: A Framework for Democratic Deliberation”—endorsed by 12 bioethics centers.
• Hosted inaugural “Faith & AI” symposium with MIT and Fuller Seminary; proceedings to be published in 2026.
• Awarded $250,000 grant from the John Templeton Foundation for project on Humility in Scientific Practice.
• Launched Spanish translation of Bioethics & Belief curriculum; pilot in 5 diocesan schools.
• Dr. Elena Ruiz (Board Member) appointed to California’s Stem Cell Research Oversight Committee.
Upcoming Events
• January 15, 2026: Webinar — “CRISPR Babies: Five Years Later” with Dr. He Jiankui’s critics and whistleblowers.
• March 8–10, 2026: Redwood Summer Institute Info Session (virtual).
• April 22, 2026: Earth Day Lecture — “Creation Care as Scientific Vocation” at Biola University.
• June 2026: Publication of The Redwood Reader: Science, Ethics, and Christian Hope (IVP Academic).
Media Features
• Interview on The BioLogos Podcast: “How Should Christians Think About Human Enhancement?” (Oct 2025)
• Op-ed in Christianity Today: “The Ethics of Longevity: Living Longer, But For What?” (Sept 2025)
• Profile in Science & Theology News: “The Quiet Rise of Redwood: A New Model for Faithful Scholarship” (Aug 2025)
We do not chase headlines. Our goal is enduring influence—shaping minds, forming consciences, and nurturing communities where truth and love flourish together.
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Last Updated: November 26, 2025
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