Good Faith Francis Collins & Kristine Torjesen on The Fight for Public Health: Science, Faith, and What's at Stake?
Mar 19, 2026
Francis Collins, physician-geneticist who led the Human Genome Project and founded BioLogos, and Kristine Torjesen, scientist and BioLogos CEO bridging Christian faith with public health, discuss political attacks on science. They talk about shutdowns of HIV programs, vaccine distrust, cuts to research and pandemic preparedness, and how to engage Christians who are skeptical of science.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
USAID HIV Prevention Program Shut Down Overnight
- Kristine Torjesen describes receiving a sudden stop work order that shut down Mosaic, a $150M USAID HIV prevention program across 10 African countries.
- Clinics were told to close overnight, staff were laid off, and research was halted with little notice.
Vaccine Research Cuts Undermine Pandemic Preparedness
- Cancelling nearly $500M in mRNA influenza research was a non-scientific decision driven by vaccine distrust and politics.
- Collins emphasizes this undermines preparedness for likely future pandemics like influenza.
Use Relationships Not Lectures To Rebuild Trust
- Keep relationships and conversations open with people who distrust science; persuasion is a long game.
- Kristine Torjesen suggests sharing personal stories, staying loving, and avoiding escalations to build trust over time.
