Janet Ray

Have you seen (or heard about) the film "The Story of Everything"? Read my review: /2026/05/14/my-review-the-story-of-everything/

Preview of a 2 Part Series on Science and Christianity. Pt 1: Dr. Janet Kellogg Ray: @janetkelloggray *PhD *in her 21st year of teaching Science at the University of North Texas *Christian *Raised a creationist *Author of upcoming book: Fish With Feet: Human Evolution and the Image of God /author/janet-kellogg-ray/ from @eerdmans Let's talk about Young Earth Creationism. Time to unlearn and relearn. FOLLOW @thesacredslope to be the first to know when the episode is here #christian #evolution #creationism #deconstruction #science

GROUP PROJECTS You can always count on family for embarrassing childhood stories. This was one of my mom’s favorites: I frequently came home from kindergarten in tears, saying “the other kids don’t like me.” My mom scheduled a parent conference, expecting a comforting alternative story from my teacher. Instead, my teacher responded: “she’s right.” Womp-womp-womp….. Apparently, I was a bit too bossy during group activities. And to this day, I’m not a fan of group projects. But writing a book is a different story. Writing is hard work, and it takes a team for an idea to travel from brain to book. I’m beyond grateful for mine. My husband, my family, my friends. The awesome team of editors and publicists at Eerdmans Publishing. Teachers, past and present. Some group projects aren’t so bad. (Photo: a five year old Bossy Pants)

A true statesman and a leader of whom we can actually be proud. #TalaricoforTexas

NEANDERTHALS AND RODEO COWBOYS Neanderthals, an extinct human species and our closest cousins, disappeared about 40 thousand years ago. But before they did, they met and had children with modern humans. The DNA of all modern humans with ancestry outside Africa is about 2% Neanderthal. In fact, 50-60% of the Neanderthal genome is found scattered throughout the modern human population. I’ve spit in a test tube, and it’s true: about 2% of my DNA is Neanderthal! Interestingly, modern Africans with only African ancestry have zero-to-almost zero Neanderthal DNA. (Raise your hand if you know why!) Here’s a fun fact: Neanderthal bones exhibit the same injuries seen in modern rodeo cowboys. Rodeo cowboys share a dangerous vocation with our extinct cousins – wrangling large animals in close quarters. Neanderthals weren’t throwing spears or shooting arrows or hunting with projectiles. Do you wish you knew more about our evolutionary past? Have I got a book for you! Coming in August: FISH WITH FEET: HUMAN EVOLUTION AND THE IMAGE OF GOD. (available now for preorder at your favorite bookseller!)

Marching for love of country. Marching for love of neighbor. Marching in support of American science.

We. Have. Launch!!! FISH WITH FEET: HUMAN EVOLUTION AND THE IMAGE OF GOD officially releases August 13!!!! Humans have both an evolutionary past and a sacred purpose. For those who’ve been told they must choose between evolution and faith, this book offers a third way: understanding our complete biological story while honoring our spiritual identity. Available now for pre-order from all your favorite booksellers!!!!

Here we go, year 21 at the University of North Texas! Go Mean Green!! My course this semester is Contemporary Biology. I start every semester, regardless of course, with “science thinking”. Today we’ll talk about how scientists work and what makes good science. We’ll talk about specific examples of bad science - and boy, are there tons to choose from. American science is under attack. My students this semester aren’t biology majors, but they will be our policy makers, teachers, voters, clergy, and politicians. I’ll do my part today to advance science literacy. And the little stowaway in my bag? Well.. when you adopt a 6 week old puppy right when the semester starts, she gets to go. Meet Jolene! I’m sure she’ll make an A today …..she’s Teacher’s pet….!!!

Sending the boy back to España! Nosotros te amamos, hijo!

This lovely friend is a woman of science and faith, a leader in her field who can moderate an on-line science discussion like nobody’s business! Thanks, Kristine! My new book is releasing in 2026!!!

Reasons for Hope One of my favorite podcasts ends each episode with “reasons for hope.” Lost among the higher-profile results of the recent off-year elections was a scientific “reason for hope.” Two years ago, Cy-Fair ISD (one of the largest in Texas), elected a slate of board members determined to sabotage the district’s science curriculum. The ringleader was Natalie Blasingame, who, in a fundraising email, vowed to tear down the wall between church and state. Blasingame and the board immediately banned CHAPTERS within already adopted textbooks. Banned content included chapters on vaccines and climate change. Although it’s unfortunate that Cy-Fair students missed two years of instruction on some of the most important concepts in science, here’s my reason for hope: In November, the board members responsible for the chapter-bannings were voted out and replaced with pro-science-literacy folks. And boy, do we need science literacy. Three weeks after the election, the CDC (under the direction of RFK Jr.) updated its website to read “studies have not ruled out the possibility” that vaccines contribute to autism. Sigh. Decades of peer-reviewed research say otherwise. As one writer put it: we also can’t rule out that vaccines cause tornadoes. Science literacy. Now more than ever.

Halloween: A day when we get it right. Strangers come to us, beautiful, ugly, odd, or scary, and we accept them all without question, compliment them, treat them kindly, and give them good things. (Steve Garnass-Holmes) Ray Family Halloween 2013! Happy Halloween 2025!