Creation

We have recently had our Vacation Bible School.  Ah, VBS, where kids stay up too late, eat too much sugar, and do a lot of hollering.  Okay, maybe my view is a bit pessimistic.  Actually, I have to say that our VBS this year was fantastic, despite my kids being somewhat sleep deprived.  Our congregation chose the theme of Creation, and choosing that theme really helped me to do some digging into an area that I had always been too afraid to look at closely.

I was a science major in college.  Despite the fact that I went to a Christian university, my professors were strangely silent on the "creation-evolution" debate.  What I ended up having was faith that God created the world, but just enough science to doubt how He did it.  I fell into "the Bible in not a science book" and "maybe the days of creation were not literal days" trap.  As a result, I always felt a little uncomfortable when someone mentioned "creation science."  I thought people who believed that were well meaning Christians who had no idea what science really said and made fools of themselves in the scientific community.  At the same time, I was not ready to embrace the idea that man evolved from lower life forms.  I knew we were specially created by God in His image.  You see my dilemma?  So I had decided to be an ostrich. I just wouldn't think about it.  When my kids asked me questions, I would tell them to figure it out on their own.  Yeah.  Because that's how you train up a child. (Insert sarcasm here).

Thankfully, I've grown up a little.  I realized that I can't hide from a debate just because I hate confrontation.  So I've started reading.  I've read several books that address the age of the earth, evolution, and the Biblical creation account.  By far my favorite so far is Creation Facts of Life by Gary Parker.  Dr. Parker is a university level biology teacher and former evolutionist.  Many years ago, he was invited to a Bible study by his colleagues in the science department.  He went to get the free doughnuts and coffee, but ended up becoming a Christian and questioning his long standing belief in evolution.  He spent three years studying the evidence and came to this conclusion, which is the thesis of the book: "[E]volution is a faith that the facts have failed.  Biblical Christianity is a faith that fits the facts" ("The Grand Canyon").

There are several things I like about this book.  One of them is the tone.  I have read several books by creationists that have a sarcastic feel about them.  Granted, evolutionists can be vicious in attacking people who believe in a six day creation, but we should be above that, shouldn't we?  Dr. Parker always gives credit where credit is due, and never lowers himself to ridiculing scientists. He even calls Stanley Miller's famous spark chamber experiment "brilliant."  Dr. Miller put some starting materials he believed to have been present on ancient earth in a glass tube and introduced a spark.  He then collected the results of the chemical reaction, which included some simple amino acids. This is supposed to show how life may have originated billions of years ago. Dr. Parker shows great respect for the Dr. Miller  and his experiment, but he is able to very systematically point out how that experiment could not have mimicked conditions on ancient earth.

The book is also very engaging.  Okay, I'll admit I'm a bit of a science nerd, but the book is definitely written in non-scientific terms with easy to understand diagrams and good explanations of the science involved.  I often get lost in a fiction book. (Last week, I forgot to cook supper because I was reading Harry Potter 7 for the third time).  But this is the first time I have bargained with myself for "one more chapter" in a non fiction book.  It was written clearly, with humor (admittedly nerdy humor) interspersed with serious objections to the evolutionist point of view.

However, the whole book is NOT just about refuting evolution.  Perhaps my favorite aspect of this book is his positive argument for creation.   Dr. Parker goes to great lengths to show that the scientific evidence we have actually supports what he calls the 4 Cs: creation, corruption, catastrophe, and Christ.  (This is an abbreviated form of the 7 Cs: creation, corruption, catastrophe, chill, confusion, Christ, and coming again).  In fact, many scientists on both sides of the aisle concede that evidence points to "Intelligent Design" or creation.  For instance, the fossil record shows an abrupt and abundant appearance of invertebrate fossils.

 "The sudden appearance of a multitude of complex and varied life forms at the very bottom of the fossil-rich portion of the geologic column is now routinely called the Cambrian explosion. ...Evolutionists...have admitted that this explosion of life...seems to favor the concept of creation." 

 Not only does the fossil record provide evidence for creation, it also shows that the second 2 Cs happened.  Corruption is evidenced by the extinction of many of the early types of plants and animals, and the Grand Canyon is a picture of the results of a worldwide catastrophe, namely the flood of Noah.

These are only a few examples of how the facts of science support creation rather than evolution.  If you would like a beginner primer on the ideas of creation science, this is an excellent read.  Dr. Parker also gives multiple resources for further reading.  This book was successful in showing me that creation scientists are not kooks or wackos.  They have evidence to back up what we already know, that "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth."

I don't mean this post to be the last word on the age of the earth and how God created it.  I'll be the first to say that there is much we don't know.  I know there are faithful Christians out there who believe in an ancient earth.  You know what I say to that?  Peace, sister.  I believe we have to fight against the philosophy of evolution very hard.  But how God created is not something we are going to know this side of heaven.  It can provide for some very friendly and fascinating discussion, though.  If you'd like to share your thoughts, we'd love to hear them. 

Melissa

Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE(R), Copyright(c) 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission -