Ola Hossjer

What is the biblical perspective on the origin and diversity of life? The Bible teaches that God created plants and animals uniquely after their kinds, and humans unique. Since then there has been diversification within the plant and animals kinds, so that species belong to different groups (baramins) with common ancestry within groups but no common ancestry between groups. In this book, several well known scholars, with expertise in biology, genetics, chemistry, bioinformatics, thermodynamics, computer science, and mathematics, showcase that the biblical view on the origin and diversity of life is much more in harmony with science than Darwin’s evolutionary theory. The book is a Proceedings of the First Nordic Creation Conference, held in Malmö, Sweden, in October 2024. Biologists, scientists of all types, and lay people who dissent from the Darwinian single Tree of Life model of biological origins and diversity often ask where they can find a fruitful and robust alternative to the textbook narrative of all organisms descending from a single common ancestor. This new volume provides much of what those dissenters seek: creative, data-rich discussions of how to understand living things and their relationships, without the iron chains of materialism and universal common ancestry. While it is important to understand mainstream evolutionary theory as deeply as possible, given its dominance of modern academic culture, it is even more important to develop alternative approaches to the evidence which treat the natural world with the care and understanding that world deserves — as the product of a supreme Mind who intended for His handiwork to be studied and appreciated. I commend the editors and authors for a first-rate effort. Paul A. Nelson, Senior Fellow Discovery Institute Biology is in crisis. Evolution is a destructive process. Speciation kills. Mutations cause diseases and natural selection is unable to cure them. Harvesting light for life is intelligently designed and thermodynamics prevents the spontaneous appearance of life’s multiple codes. Read and be amazed! Pekka Reinikainen MD

Denna bok är ett försök att beskriva och förstå vad det är som påverkar beslutet att bli kristen. Den tar avstamp i den franske vetenskapsmannen Blaise Pascals beskrivning av att bli kristen som en vadslagning med sanningen. En vadslagning där vår själ står i centrum för ett drama av kosmiska dimensioner. Varje dag fattar vi en mängd olika beslut. En del är mindre viktiga medan andra får större konsekvenser. Vårt viktigaste beslut är om vi väljer att bli kristna eller inte, eftersom det både påverkar resten av jordelivet och hur vi tillbringar evigheten efter döden – tillsammans med Gud eller ej. Men om beslutet att bli kristen är så viktigt, varför blir inte alla människor kristna? Och varför blir vi kristna på olika sätt? En del blir kristna lite mer på intuition, drivna av hoppet att Jesus kan ersätta deras tomhet med ett meningsfullt liv. Andra går mer systematiskt tillväga, genom att först ta reda på om Bibeln och den kristna läran är sann. Även om beslutet är detsamma är alltså vägarna till Jesus olika och unika för varje person. Boken vänder sig både till de som är kristna och de som ännu inte är det, med ett hopp att varje läsare ska känna igen sin egen livssituation. Den kan även med fördel läsas av en grupp som går igenom ett kapitel i taget, vägledda av bokens samtalsfrågor. Ola Hössjer bor i Sollentuna och är med i Stockholm Vineyard. Han arbetar som professor i matematisk statistik. Ola är engagerad i frågor om kristen tro och vetenskap, kristen apologetik och är aktiv i skapelseföreningen Genesis. På fritiden håller han ofta föredrag och bibelstudier, samt predikar i olika församlingar. Att bli kristen är en kortversion av Becoming a Christian, som utgavs 2018.

Unikt samlingsverk på engelska – vad Bibeln säger om skapelsen I boken ger elva olika forskare teologiska, filosofiska och naturvetenskapliga argument för ett skapelseperspektiv – att Bibelns inledning beskriver historiska händelser som faktiskt ägt rum. Ny forskning inom bland annat geologi och genetik har styrkt en bokstavlig tolkning av Bibelns inledning – att alla människor härstammar från ett första par, Adam och Eva, som levde för cirka 6 000 år sedan, och att en världsomfattande syndaflod ägde rum för cirka 4 500 år sedan. Endorsements of “Biblical Creation on Solid Ground – Arguments from Science, Philosophy and Theology” J P Moreland It is so refreshing when Young Earth Creationists produce rigorous, intellectually sophisticated defenses and extensions of their views. This is why I welcome the release of Biblical Creation on Solid Ground, edited by two highly competent thinkers—Ola Hössjer and Samuel Lampa. Whether or not one agrees with their conclusions, intellectual integrity and loving God with our minds require us to read works that are important, well-done, and get to the heart of relevant issues. This high-level book does just that. The editors have assembled a highly qualified team of Christian intellectuals, each writing in his or her area of expertise. I welcome this addition to the debate. JP Moreland, Distinguished Professor of Philosophy, Talbot School of Theology, Biola University and editor of Theistic Evolution: A Scientific, Philosophical, and Theological Critique Pekka Reinikainen Game over Darwin. In the beginning was information, not a warm little pond! There is a revolution brewing in origin science. Genetics confirms the reality of a Y-chromosome Noah and his mitochondrial-DNA daughters-in law, Eve's descendants. Atheists' own weapon, methodological naturalism, annihilates neo-Darwinism. This book shows that biology and Christianity make sense only in the light of a recent creation. Pekka Reinikainen M. D. Paul Nelson The one who states his case first seems right,” Proverbs 18:17 tells us, “until the other comes and examines him.” Since the rise of evolutionary naturalism in the mid-19th century, the possibility that the early chapters of Genesis describe real history has been ruled out of the court of science. Thus, it isn’t so much that evolutionary naturalism speaks first nowadays – rather, naturalism represents the only voice that most people hear about their ultimate origins. This new volume, from a talented and well-informed set of contributors and editors, offers vivid testimony in reply. With chapters on the philosophy of science, the importance of creation for the Christian worldview, evidence for design in biology, cosmology, and Earth history, as well as other topics, Biblical Creation on Solid Ground gives the reader a refreshingly different perspective on key questions considered already answered by the naturalistic mainstream. Highly recommended. Paul A. Nelson, PhD Discovery Institute & Biola University

Hur uppkom livet? Med Signaturen i Cellen presenterar Stephen C. Meyer ett litet mästerverk: Från den mystiska élan vital (livskraften) via ursoppan och DNA-molekylens upptäckt fram till kemisk evolution, slumphypotesen, intelligent design med mera, guidar Stephen C. Meyer oss genom forskningen samtidigt som han berättar om sin egen resa från oljeindustrin i Texas till doktorandstudier i Tyskland och forskning kring ”livets uppkomst”. Vetenskapens talrika försök att lösa detta mysterium blir levande för oss när de förklaras med pedagogisk finess och analyseras med vetenskaplig noggrannhet. Vad är upphovet till DNA-molekylens information? Meyer visar övertygande att argumenten för intelligent design inte bygger på okunskap eller på ”ovetenskap”, utan tvärt om på gedigen vetenskaplig grund. Dr Stephen C. Meyer doktorerade i vetenskapsfilosofi vid universitetet i Cambridge. Som tidigare geofysiker och collegeprofessor är han nu direktor för Centrum för Vetenskap och Kultur på Discoveryinstitutet i Seattle. Han har framträtt i olika TV-sammanhang och tidningar i USA, samt vid två tillfällen varit förstasidesstoff i New York Times. Signaturen i Cellen valdes till en av årets böcker av den ansedda litteraturtidskriften The Times Literary Supplement. Med förord av prof Ola Hössjer, Stockholms universitet

What influences the decision to become a Christian? In the seventeenth century the famous scientist Blaise Pascal viewed this as a game, with truth our adversary. Pascal argued that we are in the game whether we like it or not. Christianity is either true or not, and we have to weigh the two alternatives. According to Pascal's Wager we have everything to win and nothing to lose by taking a leap of faith and becoming a Christian. In this book Ola Hossjer extends Pascal's Wager and argues that we respond to the Christian message very differently. There are three main attitudes among people: the first group follows Pascal's advice, even if evidence before the decision is incomplete; the second group requires convincing evidence at first; and members of the third group will not become Christians regardless of evidence. Hossjer contends that the decision consists of three components: a religious disposition from birth, evidence, and a willingness to act. Although we weigh evidence and will differently, our priorities may change after a life crisis so that we either reevaluate evidence or become more positive toward Christianity. This is illustrated by a number of people who became Christians. ""In the book Becoming a Christian, Ola Hossjer skillfully brings together very powerful apologetic arguments to show the overwhelming logic of the Christian faith. Using careful mathematical analysis Ola lays open the issues in the first part and, in my view, excels in the central part of the book, in showing evidence for the Christian position philosophically, scientifically, and theologically. Like a diamond, he shows that whatever test you make of the Christian faith, it shines with the deep and brilliant hues of truth."" --Andy McIntosh, Professor, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom Ola Hossjer is Professor of Mathematical Statistics at Stockholm University, Sweden, since 2002. He has done research in statistics and probability theory, with applications in population genetics, epidemiology, and insurance mathematics. He is the author of eighty-five peer-reviewed papers and has supervised thirteen PhD students. In 2009, he received the Gustafsson Prize in mathematics. He is a member of a Pentecostal church in Sollentuna, and has published several articles and book chapters on Christian apologetics.

What influences the decision to become a Christian? In the seventeenth century the famous scientist Blaise Pascal viewed this as a game, with truth our adversary. Pascal argued that we are in the game whether we like it or not. Christianity is either true or not, and we have to weigh the two alternatives. According to Pascal's Wager we have everything to win and nothing to lose by taking a leap of faith and becoming a Christian. In this book Ola Hossjer extends Pascal's Wager and argues that we respond to the Christian message very differently. There are three main attitudes among people: the first group follows Pascal's advice, even if evidence before the decision is incomplete; the second group requires convincing evidence at first; and members of the third group will not become Christians regardless of evidence. Hossjer contends that the decision consists of three components: a religious disposition from birth, evidence, and a willingness to act. Although we weigh evidence and will differently, our priorities may change after a life crisis so that we either reevaluate evidence or become more positive toward Christianity. This is illustrated by a number of people who became Christians. ""In the book Becoming a Christian, Ola Hossjer skillfully brings together very powerful apologetic arguments to show the overwhelming logic of the Christian faith. Using careful mathematical analysis Ola lays open the issues in the first part and, in my view, excels in the central part of the book, in showing evidence for the Christian position philosophically, scientifically, and theologically. Like a diamond, he shows that whatever test you make of the Christian faith, it shines with the deep and brilliant hues of truth."" --Andy McIntosh, Professor, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom Ola Hossjer is Professor of Mathematical Statistics at Stockholm University, Sweden, since 2002. He has done research in statistics and probability theory, with applications in population genetics, epidemiology, and insurance mathematics. He is the author of eighty-five peer-reviewed papers and has supervised thirteen PhD students. In 2009, he received the Gustafsson Prize in mathematics. He is a member of a Pentecostal church in Sollentuna, and has published several articles and book chapters on Christian apologetics.