Cratonic Mega-sequences and the Creation Model
Cratonic mega-sequences are sedimentary rock layers deposited and extended across the Earth's continents. These cratonic sequences are deposited on top of older sediments and the oldest basement rock and in turn give further evidence of global flood deposits widespread across continents. These sediment layers are spread out over many square kilometers like a sheet or a blanket over the underlying layers. Despite the skeptics of the global flood and their proposed “local flood” in the Mesopotamian region, the existence of these large continent-wide marine sediment deposits in the Americas and Western Hemisphere give great evidence of a truly global flood that covered the Earth entirely.
Creationists often call these sequences “mega-sequences” because of the scale of their deposition. Geologists originally gave local sedimentary layers local names but later realized that many of those local sediments were part of the same larger sediment sequence. In addition, geologists realized that most sediment layers were part of six cratonic mega-sequences in North America: The Sauk Sequence, Tippecanoe, Kaskaskia, Absaroka, Zuni, and Tejas Sequence are the six cratonic sequences of North America (first identified in 1963 by Lawrence Sloss).
Cratonic mega-sequences also occur on other continents. Uniformitarian geologists believe that there are millions of years separating each of these sequences of gradual marine sea transgressions and regressions or rise and fall of sea level. The marine transgressions (sea level rise) deposit various sediments including sandstone, shale, and limestone after which a regression (sea level fall) and large erosional unconformities occur. Creationists believe that all or most of these sequences were deposited during the approximate one year period of the Genesis Flood. Creationists also identify the Precambrian-Cambrian boundary of the uniformitarian time scale as the likely initiation of the Genesis Flood sediment deposition, a boundary that is also known as the “Great Unconformity” by mainstream geologists.
The Sauk Sequence is the first widespread cratonic sequence identified by geologists and is labeled as the oldest sequence in the mainstream uniformitarian time scale system (Late Proterozoic to early Ordovician). Most of North America was covered by the shallow Sauk Sea, where sediments were deposited including well-sorted sandstones and clastic carbonates (1). Above the Sauk Sequence is the Tippecanoe Sequence, which extended from the mid-Ordovician to early Devonian periods of the uniformity time scale. Above the Tippecanoe Sequence is the Kaskaskia sequence, which extended from the mid-Devonian to early Mississippian periods. Above the Kaskaskia sequence is the Absaroka sequence, which extended from the late Mississippian period to the Permian periods. Above the Absaroka sequence is the Zuni sequence, which extended from the late Jurassic period to the Paleocene epoch. The Tejas sequence was the final cratonic sequence and last major marine transgression to cover the North American craton or basement rock.
During these marine transgressions as described by uniformitarian old-earth geologists, inland epeiric seas or epicontinental seas would emerge on the continents. Creationists identify these bodies of water as remnants of the Genesis Flood that submerged the continents, including the Black Sea, the Baltic Sea, Caspian Sea, the Persian Gulf, the Hudson Bay, and the South China Sea that covers the Sunda Shelf of Indonesia and Southeast Asia.
Most sandstone rock layers contain primarily quartz and the mineral feldspar, which is known to rapidly convert into clay minerals when exposed to the elements of weathering over time. Old earth geologists believe that there are millions of years between deposition, erosion and weathering of sediment layers, including sandstone. Because these sandstone layers and their feldspar minerals did not alter into clay minerals over time, creationists point out that these sandstones containing feldspar point toward rapid deposition and cementation before the feldspar could alter into clay over “millions of years.” Quartz is the primary mineral in most sandstone and when well sorted indicates that sediments are transported long distances, such as would occur in a global flood. Some of the sandstone layers found in North America do not have a local or nearby source for their origin.
Creationists believe that some of the sandstone layers found in certain locations in North America were transported from across the continent and that the receding waters of the Genesis Flood were the only force capable of transporting these sand grains and sand deposits across the continent. Sand grains are simply too heavy to be carried across a continent by the forces of wind and can only be transported by water. In addition, river and stream deposits cannot create the thick and continent-wide deposits of sandstone found in North America, particularly in the western portion of the continent.
During the Genesis Flood and the rapid uplift of the mountain ranges, water and sand grains were likely transported hundreds and thousands of miles across the continents in large sheet-like layers which eventually deposited and hardened into sandstone. Many creationists cite the sandstone layers of the Grand Canyon of northern Arizona and western North America as large scale sediment deposits transported incredible distances across the continent.
The uniformitarian geology model simply cannot explain these large, continent-wide sheet-like layers of sedimentary rock found in the cratonic sequences around the world and deposited like a "layer-cake." Gradual and "tranquil" rise and fall of sea level over millions of years would not produce the large-scale stratigraphic sequences that we see, but rather a catastrophic, global flood depositing sediments quickly over large areas of continents.
The explanation of sediment accumulating over millions of years to form these thick widespread layers is not realistic and defies logic. Therefore, the existence of cratonic mega-sequences and large continent-wide depositional layers of sedimentary rock are some of the best evidences of the global, catastrophic Genesis Flood and the young earth.
(1) Monroe, JS, and R Wicander (1997) The Changing Earth: Exploring Geology and Evolution, 2nd ed. Belmont: West Publishing Company, 1997. ISBN 0-314-09577-2 p. 533-534.
Creationists often call these sequences “mega-sequences” because of the scale of their deposition. Geologists originally gave local sedimentary layers local names but later realized that many of those local sediments were part of the same larger sediment sequence. In addition, geologists realized that most sediment layers were part of six cratonic mega-sequences in North America: The Sauk Sequence, Tippecanoe, Kaskaskia, Absaroka, Zuni, and Tejas Sequence are the six cratonic sequences of North America (first identified in 1963 by Lawrence Sloss).
Cratonic mega-sequences also occur on other continents. Uniformitarian geologists believe that there are millions of years separating each of these sequences of gradual marine sea transgressions and regressions or rise and fall of sea level. The marine transgressions (sea level rise) deposit various sediments including sandstone, shale, and limestone after which a regression (sea level fall) and large erosional unconformities occur. Creationists believe that all or most of these sequences were deposited during the approximate one year period of the Genesis Flood. Creationists also identify the Precambrian-Cambrian boundary of the uniformitarian time scale as the likely initiation of the Genesis Flood sediment deposition, a boundary that is also known as the “Great Unconformity” by mainstream geologists.
The Sauk Sequence is the first widespread cratonic sequence identified by geologists and is labeled as the oldest sequence in the mainstream uniformitarian time scale system (Late Proterozoic to early Ordovician). Most of North America was covered by the shallow Sauk Sea, where sediments were deposited including well-sorted sandstones and clastic carbonates (1). Above the Sauk Sequence is the Tippecanoe Sequence, which extended from the mid-Ordovician to early Devonian periods of the uniformity time scale. Above the Tippecanoe Sequence is the Kaskaskia sequence, which extended from the mid-Devonian to early Mississippian periods. Above the Kaskaskia sequence is the Absaroka sequence, which extended from the late Mississippian period to the Permian periods. Above the Absaroka sequence is the Zuni sequence, which extended from the late Jurassic period to the Paleocene epoch. The Tejas sequence was the final cratonic sequence and last major marine transgression to cover the North American craton or basement rock.
During these marine transgressions as described by uniformitarian old-earth geologists, inland epeiric seas or epicontinental seas would emerge on the continents. Creationists identify these bodies of water as remnants of the Genesis Flood that submerged the continents, including the Black Sea, the Baltic Sea, Caspian Sea, the Persian Gulf, the Hudson Bay, and the South China Sea that covers the Sunda Shelf of Indonesia and Southeast Asia.
Most sandstone rock layers contain primarily quartz and the mineral feldspar, which is known to rapidly convert into clay minerals when exposed to the elements of weathering over time. Old earth geologists believe that there are millions of years between deposition, erosion and weathering of sediment layers, including sandstone. Because these sandstone layers and their feldspar minerals did not alter into clay minerals over time, creationists point out that these sandstones containing feldspar point toward rapid deposition and cementation before the feldspar could alter into clay over “millions of years.” Quartz is the primary mineral in most sandstone and when well sorted indicates that sediments are transported long distances, such as would occur in a global flood. Some of the sandstone layers found in North America do not have a local or nearby source for their origin.
Creationists believe that some of the sandstone layers found in certain locations in North America were transported from across the continent and that the receding waters of the Genesis Flood were the only force capable of transporting these sand grains and sand deposits across the continent. Sand grains are simply too heavy to be carried across a continent by the forces of wind and can only be transported by water. In addition, river and stream deposits cannot create the thick and continent-wide deposits of sandstone found in North America, particularly in the western portion of the continent.
During the Genesis Flood and the rapid uplift of the mountain ranges, water and sand grains were likely transported hundreds and thousands of miles across the continents in large sheet-like layers which eventually deposited and hardened into sandstone. Many creationists cite the sandstone layers of the Grand Canyon of northern Arizona and western North America as large scale sediment deposits transported incredible distances across the continent.
The uniformitarian geology model simply cannot explain these large, continent-wide sheet-like layers of sedimentary rock found in the cratonic sequences around the world and deposited like a "layer-cake." Gradual and "tranquil" rise and fall of sea level over millions of years would not produce the large-scale stratigraphic sequences that we see, but rather a catastrophic, global flood depositing sediments quickly over large areas of continents.
The explanation of sediment accumulating over millions of years to form these thick widespread layers is not realistic and defies logic. Therefore, the existence of cratonic mega-sequences and large continent-wide depositional layers of sedimentary rock are some of the best evidences of the global, catastrophic Genesis Flood and the young earth.
(1) Monroe, JS, and R Wicander (1997) The Changing Earth: Exploring Geology and Evolution, 2nd ed. Belmont: West Publishing Company, 1997. ISBN 0-314-09577-2 p. 533-534.
