John Walton’s Cosmic Temple: Part 2, ex nihilo vs. ex materia
This blog has a YouTube version for those that prefer a more visual presentation. Scroll to the bottom of the page. Following on from Part 1, John Walton next believes that Genesis 1 nowhere describes the creation of material objects. The fundamental problem with...
Understanding John Walton’s Cosmic Temple
(This post exists as a YouTube video as well. Please see the link at the bottom of the page). In John Walton’s book, The Lost World of Genesis 1, Walton claims that the events of Genesis 1 should be understood only in terms of functionality, where God is assigning...
Are the layers at the bottom of a geologic section older than the layers at the top?
For those that do not like to read, this post has also been published as a YouTube video! Click link below: I raise this question because some young-age creationists (YAC) have denied this basic geological principle, called the principle of superposition, along with...
A new species of Darwin’s finches in less than 50 years!
Prefer to watch this post! Then see the YouTube video below. How long does it take for new animal species to “evolve”? According to well-known evolutionary biologist and atheist Stephen J. Gould, it takes anywhere from a few thousand years to several tens of thousands...
The Satan Hypothesis: Part 2, What about biology?
Those that champion the SH hypothesis typically discuss natural evil in terms of natural disasters like, volcanoes, earthquakes, or tsunamis, but rarely in terms of animal suffering, death, and extinction. Theologian Greg Boyd (2001), theologian/philosopher C.S. Lewis...
The Satan Hypothesis: Is Satan responsible for natural disasters and animal suffering? Part 1
The Satan Hypothesis (SH), “is the view that so-called natural evil, the evil suffered by sentient beings that is not caused by human agency, is caused by angelic agency, specifically that of Satan and other fallen angels” (Dunnington 2018, p. 266). Those that...
Answering Answers in Genesis: What is Young Earth Evolution?
(See YouTube version of this post below). Answers in Genesis (AiG) have just published a series of articles that claims several young-age creationists, myself in included, are actually something called young earth evolutionists (YEE). Here is what they said in one of...
My response to John Mackay and Diane Eager’s first review of my book, Creation Unfolding
My response to John Mackay and Diane Eager’s first review of Creation Unfolding: A new perspective on Ex Nihilo. I will respond to the second review in due time. This review can be found here:...
Is the coelacanth a “living fossil”?
For a shorter, less technical overview, please see Part 1 of the three part YouTube series embedded at the bottom of the page. “Living fossils” represent presently existing organisms that are also found virtually unchanged as fossils in the geologic record. Some...
“Pre-fall” human cannibalism: What should Christians think?
(For the video version of this blog, see the YouTube video below) I personally think that the biggest problem with all old-earth positions is suffering before the fall of Adam and Eve. Predators tearing flesh away from live prey is, according to almost old earthers,...
Isaiah 11:6-9: Is predation in animals the result of the Curse?
(For video version of this blog, see YouTube video below) In context, Isaiah 11:6-9 and 65:17-25, are describing the time of Messiah’s reign when righteousness, justice, and equity will be restored to the earth, "For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth, and...
A sequential reading of the fossil record does NOT support the evolution of flight in dinosaurs
(YouTube video version embedded below) Most secular scientists not only believe that the answer to this question is in the affirmative, they also claim that the evidence in support of this conclusion is beyond question. Those that champion the evolution of feathered...
Why is it that the chimpanzee shares more parts in common with me, than a dog? Part 2
(YouTube video version embedded below) In part 1 of this series, I concluded that the general structure of human and ape skulls seems to converge towards a common plan. I also proposed that a commitment to a general “common design” apologetic doesn’t provide all the...
Why is it that the chimpanzee shares more parts in common with me, than a dog? Part 1
(YouTube video version of this blog embedded below) Why is it that the chimpanzee shares more parts in common with me, than a dog? Well, some creationists appeal to common design, and that’s great as far as it goes, but common design doesn’t answer the question I just...
Did animals suffer and die before the fall of Adam and Eve?
(YouTube video version of this blog embedded below) To begin with, let’s explore Romans 8:20-22 (ESV), where Paul says, “For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope, that the creation itself will be set free...
Did the apostle Paul believe in a 3-tierd universe?
(YouTube video version of this blog embedded below) Most Theistic Evolutionists believe that the apostle Paul accepted faulty ancient science, and as such, should not be taken literally when he speaks about Adam’s creation, his fall, and death. Well known Theistic...
Did the apostle Peter believe in a global Flood?
(YouTube video version of this blog embedded below) In 2 Peter 3:3-6, Peter says: “Knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, ‘Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since...
Mature Creationism: Is God lying?
(See below for YouTube version of this post.) Many old-earth creationists (OEC) and theistic evolutionists think mature creationism is deceptive on God’s part. Either something has a “real” history or it does not? Consider the words of OEC Rich Deem (2013): Here is...
“Created Kinds” and “Reproduction”: Is There a Connection?
The meaning of the word “kind” (מִין) has received much attention within young-earth creationist (YEC) groups since the time of Darwin, but the associated phrase “after its/their[1] kind” (לְמִינֵ֗הוּ) has not. Consider Genesis 1:24 (ESV), “And God said, ‘Let the...
Is the Phrase “Creation Science” an Oxymoron?
(YouTube video version of this blog post embedded below) What is “Creation Science”? John MacArthur calls these two words together an Oxymoron: “In a sense, when you use the phrase ‘creation science,’ that’s an oxymoron” (MacArthur 2014). When one thinks of “Creation”...
Did God use cyanobacteria to oxygenate earth’s atmosphere during Creation Week?
God’s use of secondary processes to fashion the earth during Creation Week is not a novel idea. Andrew Snelling (2009, p. 627) proposes a secondary origin for atmospheric gases during Creation Week: “Regarding the formation of the earth’s atmosphere, it is also likely...
What Should Christians think of radio-isotope dating? Part II
In part I, I discussed the importance of God’s creative strategy—to frame a world in literally six days. Such a strategy would require vast amounts of process condensed into a narrow window of time. Since humans interpret process in terms of time, then unbelievers...
What should Christians think of radio-isotope dating? Part I
Absolute dating techniques associated with radioisotope decay are perhaps the greatest challenge to a cogent and scientifically sustainable young-earth creationist model. How are Christians to respond to claims that the earth is billions of years old? Typically, most...
Rethinking a Precambrian-Cambrian pre-Flood/Flood boundary
(YouTube version of this blog post embedded below) Many creationists are actively engaged in finding the Flood/post-Flood boundary, but little work has been done on the pre-Flood/Flood boundary, primarily because most creationists consider the Precambrian-Cambrian...
Dinosaur soft tissues: can AGEs and ALEs really preserve flesh for two hundred million years?
(YouTube video version of this blog post embedded below) Soft tissues and original organics found in dinosaur bones is a controversial topic within the secular scientific community for obvious reasons. How can original tissues survive for two hundred million plus...
My complete response to Jake Hebert’s recent book review in Creation Research Society Quarterly
To the editor, I am writing in response to a review by Jake Hebert, recently published by CRSQ, on my book, Creation Unfolding: A New Perspective on Ex Nihilo. It seems that Hebert misunderstood my position, leading him to make interpretive errors which have...
Mediated Design versus Micro Evolution
Mediated Design or Micro Evolution? Many Christians believe in a false dichotomy that exalts the supernatural over the natural. Most organs and/or organisms, for example, are seen as the products of an historical, supernatural design conceptualized during Creation...
WHEN ROCKS BEND
As a capstone for my undergraduate degree in geology, I was required to attend a four week geology field camp. These camps are not for the fainthearted. For four solid weeks, six days a week, eight hours a day, myself and my fellow students, with Brunton compass, GPS,...
On the Origin of Coal Beds
Some of the most extensive coal reserves in the world are found right here in the United States. Lateral beds spread out for thousands of cubic kilometers and individual beds can be as thick as 900 feet (Volkov 2003). Often, these beds are stacked one atop the other...
What should Christians make of horse diversification from a multi-toed ancestor?
(See YouTube version of this post below) There is currently disagreement within the creationist community as to the diversification of the horse. Some creationists insist that much evidence exists supporting this diversification from the dog-sized Hyracotherium...
Spiral Galaxies: Are They Really “Proof” for a “Young” Universe?
Spiral galaxies have long “arms” containing hundreds of millions of stars that extend out away from the central region of the galaxy. Since we “assume” that there is more mass closer to the central region of the galaxy, we can apply Newtons inverse gravitational law...
Questioning the “desert” environment for the Coconino Sandstone.
The Coconino Sandstone in Grand Canyon has long been interpreted by the secular scientific community as an ancient desert that blew across western North America some 250 million years ago. In 1979, Dr. Leonard Brand, a creationist from Loma Linda University, published...
Secular Scientists are Not the Baddies
Many creationists are very suspicious of secular scientists and tend to think that they are out to wantonly lead people astray. The truth, however, is that “most” scientists haven’t really thought about the big picture. Yes, they believe in Darwinian evolution, but...
Rapid Biological Diversification
Many Christians tend to dismiss the idea of significant biological change over time. Yet interestingly, significant biological change does occur, and sometimes very rapidly. Consider the two dog skulls below. The smallest belongs to a Chihuahua, and the largest to a...
The Evolution of the Horse
Most creationists believe that horses evolved from a multi-toed ancestor. Not only did the modern horse lose toes, but its skull changed quite radically, as did its teeth. Now, yes, it is still a horse, but it is quite a different looking animal. Given an acceptance...
Did God use natural processes to create the universe?
The thought of God using natural processes to construct the universe is often met with opposition from many Christians: “Creation was supernatural, how can you say God used ‘natural processes?!’” Yet this is a common mistake that equates natural laws with impersonal...
General or special revelation?
I want to take a minute to ponder general revelation in light of special revelation. Equating the two is a mistake often made by old-earth creationists and theistic evolutionists. Both groups seem to think that special revelation and general revelation are on par, but...
Why it’s all about “faith”
Most people think that automatic obedience to God will result given enough evidence. Some people say: “If God just came and touched me on the shoulder, then I would believe!” But according to the testimony of Scripture, this is not true. The problem with unbelieving...
The faint young sun paradox: What does “young” mean anyway?
The faint sun paradox is a common example of young-creationism apologetics. Essentially, scientists have been able to determine that the sun generates less heat today than it did in the distant past. This of course means that the Earth was also colder in the past....
DNA found in dinosaur bones!
Back in 1996, it was determined that original blood vessels, proteins, as well as other biological material was preserved inside dinosaur bones. This suggested that these bones were not 90 million years old since the half-life for these biomolecules is, at max, about...
Incorrect young-earth creationist assumptions
I want to start this post with a quote from one of my Creation Unfolding links. This person is a Christian, and in my opinion, well-meaning in his desire to honor Scripture. Yet, as we shall see, statements such as this, “The fossil record shows no transitioning life...
To converge or not to converge, that is the question!
Just some interesting tidbits from my dinosaur class today. It turns out that “technically” speaking, a dinosaur must have several traits, including a perforated acetabulum, in order for it to be called a “dinosaur.” As I was researching this character trait, I found...
So, I’ve just been accused of holding to uniformitarianism!
Well, I kind of knew that my book would create a bit of stir in the young-earth creationist camp. I just saw a post yesterday from someone on Reddit who said this, “This book promises to be a disappointment by trying to come up with some new compromise idea that...
Supernatural Formative Processes
Aaron's staff buds In Numbers 17, each chief from each of the 12 tribes of Israel was required to deposit his staff in the tent of meeting. God would show these men that He had sovereignly chosen Aaron by supernaturally causing his wooden staff to blossom and produce...