Who speaks for God?

The pending announcement of an initiative by a variety of religious groups against patents on genes and animals is a reminder of the continuing tension in our society between science and religion, and of the relative isolation of the biotech elite - for it is an elite of highly educated and compensated scientists, entrepreneurs and financiers - from the mainstream of American society.

The challenge for the industry will be to figure out a way to reach out across this gulf to explain the importance and even the very legitimacy of its work to those whose world views are often vastly different. Historically, this has frequently proven to be impossible, which is why religious and ideological wars can be so brutal...