Why Creation Science and the Age of the Earth Matter
by Owen Omid (Ommid Bekrai Boroujerdi)
What is Creation Science and Why Does It Matter?
Creation science attempts to give scientific evidence for a young earth and a six-day creation event of the earth, the solar system, in addition to the universe. This creation event occurred about 6,000 years ago, according to the Book of Genesis and the Biblical scriptures and creation science attempts to give evidence for this creation event. In the creationist model, the earth, life on earth, the planets, and the stars were created in six days in mature form and therefore did not "evolve" or emerge gradually or spontaneously over long periods of time. Creation science also attempts to prove that the Earth and universe are young by describing catastrophic processes that have shaped our Earth and universe and describing the formation of the geological landscape observed today in terms of the 6,000-year timescale. The Genesis Flood, the global flood which covered the whole earth 4,300 to 4,500 years ago according to the Book of Genesis, is also believed to have created much of the sedimentary rock layers and geologic features we see on earth today. In addition, the Genesis Flood is believed to have completely reshaped the Earth's landscape by erosion and deposition of sediment, in addition to creating the tallest mountain peaks we see today. The Flood lasted about 12 months, according to the Book of Genesis and creationists believe a major ice age occurred shortly after the Flood.
Why Does It Matter?
Evidence for the six-day creation and the 6,000-year old Earth are crucial to the Christian faith. If the Biblical timescale is proven incorrect, how can anyone believe anything else in the Bible or trust the Biblical scriptures at all? Creation science attempts to give evidence for the Biblical timescale in order to promote faith in the Bible and the Christian faith in general for over one billion followers. How could there be millions of years of death and dying as described by evolutionary biology and geology before the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden? The 4.5 billion year old-earth time frame makes no theological sense. While secular scientists claim to have proof of long ages in the millions and billions of years that discredit the Bible, creation scientists have much evidence of their own to prove the Biblical timescale. Some Christians today even accept the old-age geology as a matter of convenience and to fit in with the rest of the secular world. The old-earth timescale is also critical to the Theory of Evolution developed by Charles Darwin (a former theology student) in the 19th century, a theory that is totally incompatible with the Biblical scriptures.
Christian leaders were even promoting the idea of an old earth and long ages in 18th century Europe while most believed in the Biblical timescale and Genesis Flood at the time. Ironically, it was the Christians themselves that strayed away from Biblical scripture and the secularists were happy to comply. For over 200 years, science embraced millions and billions of years of old-earth geology and biological macro-evolution until a resurgence of creation science in the mid-20th century. Much credit was given to the 1961 book The Genesis Flood by American hydraulic engineer Henry Morris and theologian John Whitcomb for the resurgence of the creation science movement. In the last 50 years, creation science development has grown rapidly, particularly with the emergence of the internet in the late 20th century. Even still, secular scientists today continue to deny that there was a global flood 4,500 years ago because it would give evidence of rapid deposition of sedimentary rock layers and eliminate the need for millions of years, which would in turn eliminate the most important evidence for their "non-negotiable" theory of evolution.
Creationists believe that evolutionists and old-earth scientists have incorrectly interpreted the evidence observed in nature concerning the origin and processes occurring on the earth's surface. The young-earth model would also discredit the concept of molecule-to-man macro-evolution, which is considered fact in mainstream, secular science communities today. Because of much evidence, secular scientists will admit to a "local flood" theory in the Black Sea area and local floods on each continent but deny the occurrence of a past global flood. Most public schools in America and in the world teach the old-earth model and biological macro-evolution, while very few teach creation science. A few public schools in America have been awarded permission teach both creation science and secular science together, but these are an exception to the rule. Most public schools only teach macro-evolution and the old-earth model, which is unfortunate and unfair to those who believe in the creationist model.
Secular science today is also conflicting with the true scientific model, which promotes the exploration of new ideas. In addition to the secular academic world, the media overwhelmingly support secular science and routinely ridicule creation science, which makes the promotion of creation science more difficult. Online resources and home-schooling, however, have opened up opportunities for more students and the general population to learn more about creation science, and this gives hope for the future. More creation science research institutions and organizations have emerged in the last few decades in America and around the world which give further hope for the creationist movement.
What is Creation Science and Why Does It Matter?
Creation science attempts to give scientific evidence for a young earth and a six-day creation event of the earth, the solar system, in addition to the universe. This creation event occurred about 6,000 years ago, according to the Book of Genesis and the Biblical scriptures and creation science attempts to give evidence for this creation event. In the creationist model, the earth, life on earth, the planets, and the stars were created in six days in mature form and therefore did not "evolve" or emerge gradually or spontaneously over long periods of time. Creation science also attempts to prove that the Earth and universe are young by describing catastrophic processes that have shaped our Earth and universe and describing the formation of the geological landscape observed today in terms of the 6,000-year timescale. The Genesis Flood, the global flood which covered the whole earth 4,300 to 4,500 years ago according to the Book of Genesis, is also believed to have created much of the sedimentary rock layers and geologic features we see on earth today. In addition, the Genesis Flood is believed to have completely reshaped the Earth's landscape by erosion and deposition of sediment, in addition to creating the tallest mountain peaks we see today. The Flood lasted about 12 months, according to the Book of Genesis and creationists believe a major ice age occurred shortly after the Flood.
Why Does It Matter?
Evidence for the six-day creation and the 6,000-year old Earth are crucial to the Christian faith. If the Biblical timescale is proven incorrect, how can anyone believe anything else in the Bible or trust the Biblical scriptures at all? Creation science attempts to give evidence for the Biblical timescale in order to promote faith in the Bible and the Christian faith in general for over one billion followers. How could there be millions of years of death and dying as described by evolutionary biology and geology before the fall of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden? The 4.5 billion year old-earth time frame makes no theological sense. While secular scientists claim to have proof of long ages in the millions and billions of years that discredit the Bible, creation scientists have much evidence of their own to prove the Biblical timescale. Some Christians today even accept the old-age geology as a matter of convenience and to fit in with the rest of the secular world. The old-earth timescale is also critical to the Theory of Evolution developed by Charles Darwin (a former theology student) in the 19th century, a theory that is totally incompatible with the Biblical scriptures.
Christian leaders were even promoting the idea of an old earth and long ages in 18th century Europe while most believed in the Biblical timescale and Genesis Flood at the time. Ironically, it was the Christians themselves that strayed away from Biblical scripture and the secularists were happy to comply. For over 200 years, science embraced millions and billions of years of old-earth geology and biological macro-evolution until a resurgence of creation science in the mid-20th century. Much credit was given to the 1961 book The Genesis Flood by American hydraulic engineer Henry Morris and theologian John Whitcomb for the resurgence of the creation science movement. In the last 50 years, creation science development has grown rapidly, particularly with the emergence of the internet in the late 20th century. Even still, secular scientists today continue to deny that there was a global flood 4,500 years ago because it would give evidence of rapid deposition of sedimentary rock layers and eliminate the need for millions of years, which would in turn eliminate the most important evidence for their "non-negotiable" theory of evolution.
Creationists believe that evolutionists and old-earth scientists have incorrectly interpreted the evidence observed in nature concerning the origin and processes occurring on the earth's surface. The young-earth model would also discredit the concept of molecule-to-man macro-evolution, which is considered fact in mainstream, secular science communities today. Because of much evidence, secular scientists will admit to a "local flood" theory in the Black Sea area and local floods on each continent but deny the occurrence of a past global flood. Most public schools in America and in the world teach the old-earth model and biological macro-evolution, while very few teach creation science. A few public schools in America have been awarded permission teach both creation science and secular science together, but these are an exception to the rule. Most public schools only teach macro-evolution and the old-earth model, which is unfortunate and unfair to those who believe in the creationist model.
Secular science today is also conflicting with the true scientific model, which promotes the exploration of new ideas. In addition to the secular academic world, the media overwhelmingly support secular science and routinely ridicule creation science, which makes the promotion of creation science more difficult. Online resources and home-schooling, however, have opened up opportunities for more students and the general population to learn more about creation science, and this gives hope for the future. More creation science research institutions and organizations have emerged in the last few decades in America and around the world which give further hope for the creationist movement.
