Robert James "Sam" Berry (26 October 1934 – 29 March 2018) was a British

geneticist A geneticist is a biologist or physician who studies genetics, the science of genes, heredity, and variation of organisms. A geneticist can be employed as a scientist or a lecturer. Geneticists may perform general research on genetic process ...

naturalist Natural history is a domain of inquiry involving organisms, including animals, fungi, and plants, in their natural environment, leaning more towards observational than experimental methods of study. A person who studies natural history is cal ...

and

Christian A Christian () is a person who follows or adheres to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. Christians form the largest religious community in the wo ...

theorist. He was professor of

genetics Genetics is the study of genes, genetic variation, and heredity in organisms.Hartl D, Jones E (2005) It is an important branch in biology because heredity is vital to organisms' evolution. Gregor Mendel, a Moravian Augustinians, Augustinian ...

University College London University College London (Trade name, branded as UCL) is a Public university, public research university in London, England. It is a Member institutions of the University of London, member institution of the Federal university, federal Uni ...

between 1974 and 2000. Before that he was a lecturer in genetics at The

Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine The London School of Medicine for Women (LSMW) established in 1874 was the first medical school in Britain to train women as doctors. The patrons, vice-presidents, and members of the committee that supported and helped found the London School of M ...

in London. He was president from 1983 to 1986 of the

Linnean Society The Linnean Society of London is a learned society dedicated to the study and dissemination of information concerning natural history, evolution, and taxonomy. It possesses several important biological specimen, manuscript and literature collec ...

, the

British Ecological Society The British Ecological Society is a learned society in the field of ecology that was founded in 1913. It is the oldest ecological society in the world. The Society's original objective was "to promote and foster the study of Ecology in its widest ...

and the

European Ecological Federation The European Ecological Federation (EEF) is the Umbrella organization, umbrella organisation of specialist Ecology, ecological learned societies in Europe. Tasks The EEF aims to be a forum for ecological science in Europe and at the same time a ...

. He was one of the founding trustees on the creation of National Museums Liverpool in 1986. As a Christian, Berry spoke out in favour of

theistic evolution Theistic evolution (also known as theistic evolutionism or God-guided evolution), alternatively called evolutionary creationism, is a view that God acts and creates through laws of nature. Here, God is taken as the primary cause while natural cau ...

, served as a lay member of the

Church of England The Church of England (C of E) is the State religion#State churches, established List of Christian denominations, Christian church in England and the Crown Dependencies. It is the mother church of the Anglicanism, Anglican Christian tradition, ...

General Synod The General Synod is the title of the governing body of some church organizations. Anglican Communion The General Synod of the Church of England, which was established in 1970 replacing the Church Assembly, is the legislative body of the Church ...

and as president of Christians in Science. He was a member of the Board of Governors of

Monkton Combe School Monkton Combe School is a public school ( fee-charging boarding and day school), in the village of Monkton Combe near Bath in Somerset, England. History Monkton Combe School was founded in 1868 by the Revd. Francis Pocock, a former curate ...

from 1979 to 1991. He gave the 1997–98 Glasgow

Gifford Lectures The Gifford Lectures () are an annual series of lectures which were established in 1887 by the will of Adam Gifford, Lord Gifford at the four ancient universities of Scotland: St Andrews, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh. Their purpose is to "pro ...

entitled ''Gods, Genes, Greens and Everything''. His father, A. J. Berry, died in 1947.

Early life and education

He was educated at

Kirkham Grammar School Kirkham Grammar School is a selective, co-educational private day and boarding school in Kirkham, Lancashire, England. It was founded in 1549. Its roots can be traced back to the chantry school attached to St Michael's Church in the 13th c ...

and

Shrewsbury School Shrewsbury School is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school in Shrewsbury. Founded in 1552 by Edward VI by royal charter, to replace the town's Saxon collegiate foundations which were disestablished in the sixteenth century, Shrewsb ...

. One of his first published works in 1961 was in the "Teach yourself books" series

Genetics Genetics is the study of genes, genetic variation, and heredity in organisms.Hartl D, Jones E (2005) It is an important branch in biology because heredity is vital to organisms' evolution. Gregor Mendel, a Moravian Augustinians, Augustinian ...

. The paperback version was released in 1972.

Bibliography

Biological works

* ''Teach yourself books Genetics''. (1965) * ''Inheritance and Natural History''.

New Naturalist The New Naturalist Library (also known as ''The New Naturalists'') is a series of books published by Collins in the United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Br ...

series no. 61 (1977) * ''The Natural History of

Shetland Shetland (until 1975 spelled Zetland), also called the Shetland Islands, is an archipelago in Scotland lying between Orkney, the Faroe Islands, and Norway, marking the northernmost region of the United Kingdom. The islands lie about to the ...

''. New Naturalist series no. 64 (1980) * ''The Natural History of

Orkney Orkney (), also known as the Orkney Islands, is an archipelago off the north coast of mainland Scotland. The plural name the Orkneys is also sometimes used, but locals now consider it outdated. Part of the Northern Isles along with Shetland, ...

''. New Naturalist series no. 70 (1985) * ''Genes in Ecology'' (ed. R. J. Berry, T. J. Crawford, G. M. Hewitt, N. R. Webb) (1992) * ''Islands''. New Naturalist series no. 109 (2009)

Religious works

* ''Adam and the Ape: a Christian Approach to the Theory of Evolution'' / yR. J. Berry · London : Church Pastoral-Aid Society, 1975 · 80 p. * ''God and the Biologist: Personal Exploration of Science and Faith'' (Apollos 1996) * ''Science, Life and Christian Belief:A Survey of Contemporary Issues'' (IVP 1998) (preface by Berry) * ''The Care of Creation: Focusing Concern and Action'' (IVP 2000) (edited by Berry)
''God's Book of Works:The Nature and Theology of Nature''
(T & T Clark International 2003) (

1997–98) *
Did Darwin Kill God?
in ''God for the 21st Century'',

Russell Stannard Russell Stannard, (24.5 December 1931 – 4 July 2022) was a British high-energy particle physicist. Stannard was born in London, England. He was a professor of physics at the Open University (later Professor Emeritus). In 1986, he was awarde ...

ed., Templeton Foundation Press, 2000, * ''God and Evolution: Creation, Evolution, and the Bible'' (Regent College Publishing 2001) * ''Creation and Evolution, Not Creation or Evolution'' (2007, Faraday Institute Paper no. 12)

References

External links

Gifford Lecture Book summary
1934 births 2018 deaths English biologists English Anglicans Fellows of the Linnean Society of London English geneticists Members of the International Society for Science and Religion Presidents of the Linnean Society of London Fellows of the Royal Society of Edinburgh Theistic evolutionists Academics of University College London New Naturalist writers Governors of Monkton Combe School Writers about religion and science Presidents of the British Ecological Society {{Anglican-stub