THE CRISPR APPLE ON THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS: CRISPR IN SCIENCE, ETHICS, AND RELIGION with Arvin M. Gouw, "The CRISPR Apple on the Tree of Knowledge Conference Highlights: CRISPR in Science, Ethics, and Religion"; Arvin M. Gouw, "Introducing the Brave New CRISPR World"; Roger R. Adams, "Moral Decisions about Human Germ-line Modification"; Constance M. Bertka, "Navigating the Future in a Sea of CRISPR Uncertainty"; and Linda Groff, "CRISPR, CRISPR on My Mind."

The Institute on Religion in the Age of Science (IRAS) asked Ted Peters, an eminent theologian and bioethicist who was at the forefront of the cloning and stem cell debates in the past few decades, and myself, a molecular biologist, to invite scholars from various fields to brainstorm the religious and ethical implications of the CRISPR revolution. We invited keynote speakers, whose talks will be covered here, as well as other speakers and poster presentations. The conference also hosted question and answer sessions, chaplain sessions, and discussions throughout the week at the beautiful Star Island in the summer of 2019. The purpose of this paper is to highlight and sample the discussions and presentations from that conference. I will organize them into three broad topics: CRISPR in science, ethics, and religion. For readers unfamiliar with CRISPR technology, this overview can also serve as an introduction to the field, and a stepping stone for future ideas for CRISPR discussions.