Abstract
Even though the origin of cells remains largely unresolved, the serial endosymbiont theory is widely accepted as the means by which two organelles, mitochondria and chloroplasts, came to be. The serial endosymbiont theory hypothesizes that mitochondria and chloroplasts were derived from ancient bacteria that were engulfed by an ancient, nucleated cell and took up residence in the cytoplasm of the nucleated cell, until over time these internalized cells became organelles. Several lines of evidence support the serial endosymbiont theory and associations between several species of insects and various microbes also provide convincing examples of intermediates in the process by which a microorganism becomes an organelle. The pervasiveness of endosymbiosis in nature suggests that organisms have a tendency to form mutually beneficial relationships. This tendency to form such relationships reflects the goodness that God imparted to creation and is somewhat antithetical to traditional Neo-Darwinism. Alternatively, the data suggest that more purposeful forces or principles might guide the formation and subsequent maturation of such relationships.