David Byers

David M. Byers (Ph.D., University of Minnesota, 1973) has served the Catholic Church in the areas of missions, evangelization, religion and science, and ministry with handicapped people for over twenty years.  He was at the Research Center of the Glenmary Home Missioners from 1973-78, before moving to the National Conference of Catholic Bishops (NCCB) in Washington, D.C.

A Catholic Perspective on Cloning and Stem Cell Research

With respect to science and religion, Dr. Byers serves as Executive Director of the bishops* Committee on Science and Human Values, which conducts regular dialogues with members of the U.S. scientific community. The committee has produced a series of popular-level pamphlets, including Science and the Catholic Church. Dr. Byers is a member of the Executive Committee of the Advisory Committee to the Program of Dialogue of Science, Ethics and Religion of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).  Dr. Byers’ Religion, Science, and the Search for Wisdom appeared in 1987. He has also contributed many book chapters and articles on religion/science dialogue or topics in religion and science. Recent publications include Religion and Science: The Emerging Dialogue, America, April 1996; “An Absence of Love” in Human Cloning: Religious Responses (Westminster/John Knox Press, 1997); and “All on the Same Side: Reflections on Dialogue between Science and Religion” in Perspectives on Genetic Patenting: Religion, Science and Industry in Dialogue (AAAS, 1999). A revised version of the last-named article will appear in an upcoming issue of Zygon: Journal of Religion and Science.