article1 is appropriate at this late point, perhaps we often involve ourselves in employ Biblical scholars and I think. eisegesis to support our scientific scholarship in an effort to develop First, Watson was absolutely models rather than yielding our models scientific models which are consistent correct in calling me on the carpet2 to solid exegesis. with the Biblical records as interpreted regarding my comments in my original This tendency may be sympto- within the grammatical-historical Letter to the Editor about his work.3 matic of the second problem: both milieu in which they were written, and He correctly notes that I said that 'the sides seem to be placing natural cease basing those same models on a whole of the context of Genesis 10-11 theology (general revelation) on the stroll through Strong's Concordance is on Mesopotamia' citing Genesis same plane as the supernatural (special alone. 10:15-20 as an obvious example of revelation). This is certainly the case how my statement is false. I admit mea for the progressive creationists and David Fouts, culpa. I should have written: increasingly the case of the young- Dayton, Tennessee, 'the whole of the context of Earthers. As a Biblical scholar and UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. Genesis 10-11 is on Mesopotamia conservative theologian, I would not as the originating point for the yield the testimony of God's Word to REFERENCES spread of the nations described the testimony of God's world. Though therein'. both are subject to interpretation, the 1. Watson, J. A., 1997. The division of the Earth in Peleg's days: tectonic or linguistic? On the other hand, the immediate Word is infallible, whereas the world CEN Tech. J., ll(l):71-75. context of Genesis 10:21-31 seems to itself is fallen, filled with fallen, finite 2. Watson, J. A., 1997. Earth's division in point to Mesopotamian regions of people with limited capacity for Peleg's day. CEN Tech. J., 11(1)325. Elam (Iraq-Iran today), Asshur (Iraq) interpreting the vast amount of data 3. Fouts, D. M., 1997. Earth's division in Peleg's day. CEN Tech. J., 11(3)323. and Aram (Syria), and it is in this which confronts us in nature. 4. Ross, A. P., 1988. Creation and Blessing, context that Peleg is named. The Because of this I would appeal to Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, reader may wish to consult further with creation scientists to thoroughly Michigan, pp. 221-232. Allen P. Ross on this issue.4 Too, Watson claims to have (for example, Luke 1:1-4), but surely utilised Strong's gloss for plg as a CAINAN OF LUKE 3:36 we can believe that He would have channel in his article. The problem as made sure the sources were accurate I see it here is two-fold. First, he Dear Editor, in the places cited. presents the gloss earthquake as the Note that Henry Morris in his later favoured reading. Second, he injects Evangelicals should be concerned work, The Genesis Record,1 has a the further idea of the channel being with Derel Briarley's letter in CEN different solution to the Cainan filled with sea water because of the Tech. J., 11(3):328. In his attempt to problem. He points out that it could tectonic events. This is going too far reconcile Luke 3:36 and Genesis not be an error in the God-breathed in imposing a scientific model on the 11:12, he theorises that Luke used an original autographs of Scripture, but semantic field of plg, which basically inaccurate source to compile his one of the extremely few copyist's means a channel or canal dug for genealogy. This blatantly contradicts errors in the manuscripts available irrigation. One would not like to use the inspiration and inerrancy of today. Note that the Greek New sea water for this purpose. Scripture (II Timothy 3:15-17). Testament was originally written As I understand the level of Certainly the Holy Spirit sometimes without punctuation or spaces between Biblical scholarship coming from both inspired the writers to consult sources words. So Luke 3:35-38 could have the progressive creationist (and theistic evolutionist) and young-Earth perspectives, I see two problems. Both of these must be addressed on either side of the issue. First, many on both sides act in seeming ignorance (generally speaking) of scholarship Table 1. Probable original Greek New Testament text of Luke 3:35-38. done by Biblical scholars in basic grammar, syntax, etymologies and semantics. Our tendency is to think that every believer can properly interpret the Word of God. While this may be theoretically true, what has resulted is an amazing amount of Table 2. Probable original Greek New Testament text of Luke 3:35-38 with difference of opinions. I think that possible copyist insertion. CEN Tech. J., vol. 12, no. 1, 1998 39 been originally written as in Table 1. I will have to do further reading, and knowledge. For example, E. In this manuscript, (the keep an eye out for these strands of Everett (1794-1865) expressed the son of Cainan) could have been on the mathematical thought. Ferguson has popular conception of mathe­ end of the third line. also chosen wording in some instances matical truth as follows: "In the But suppose an early copyist was which improves on the wording I used, pure mathematics we contemplate copying the first line, and his eyes to express the ideas I was trying to absolute truths, which existed in glanced at the end of the third line at communicate. I do believe that the Divine Mind before the . Then he could have modern mathematics is 'irreverent in morning stars sang together, and written it on the first line as well, as its treatment of the infinite' (p. 108); which will continue to exist there, shown in Table 2. and I do assume that mathematics is a when the last of their radiant host Now, if a scribe copying the structure having an independent shall have fallen from Septuagint (LXX) had an errant existence, and every bit as real as the heaven manuscript of Luke, he might have rest of God's creation (p. 112). One modern instance of the same inserted the name Cainan into his copy On the other side of the coin sort of thing, and we shall pass on The oldest manuscripts of the LXX do though, I have many points of to something more profitable. The not have the name in Genesis 11. disagreement with Ferguson. May I astronomer and physicist J. H. As Morris points out, this is the firstly explain my motivation in Jeans (1877-1946) declared in likely source of the error. Knowing preparing the paper. 1930, "the Great Architect of the the meticulous accuracy of Hebrew It seemed to me that some people Universe now appears as a pure copyists, it is less likely that the first criticise Christianity for the allegedly mathematician ". ... 'Cainan' was left out in the Hebrew anti-mathematical nature of the Against all the senseless rhetoric (and Samaritan) Old Testament Christian doctrine of the trinity; and that has been wafted like incense manuscripts than Gentile copyists mathematicians themselves seem to before the high altar of adding it to Greek New Testament endorse the difficulty when they "Mathematical Truth", let us put manuscripts, then to the LXX. It is define mathematics as 'a system of the considered verdict of the last especially unlikely that the Hebrew necessary truths, which must be true of the mathematical giants from Genesis manuscripts are wrong, in any possible world'. I believed I the nineteenth century. Mathe­ because they are corroborated by I had a refutation for this attack, so matics, according to D. Hilbert Chronicles 1:18. started research into the subject to (1862-1943), is nothing more than prepare a paper. But in the course of a game played according to Jonathan D. Sarfati my research I came across even more certain simple rules with meaning­ Brisbane, Queensland, serious problems. For one thing, I less marks on paper . This is AUSTRALIA. found that modern mathematics is rather a comedown from the divided into a number of factions, who architecture of the universe, but it REFERENCE do not agree on what is acceptable and is the final dry flower of centuries what isn't. Until late last century, of growth. The meaning of 1. Morris, H. M, 1976. The Genesis Record, mathematics embodied a collection of mathematics has nothing to do Baker Book House, Grand Rapids, Michi­ gan, pp. 281-282. truths on which all rational people with the game, as such, and pure could agree; but in the twentieth mathematicians pass outside their century, it consists of a number of proper domain when they attempt schools of thought each blindly to give the marks meanings. HUMANISM AND MODERN following its own leader. In my Without assenting to this drastic MATHEMATICS opinion, this is a disaster; mathematics devaluation of mathematical truth, needs to be restored to a unified let us see what brought it about. Dear Editor, position. And the biggest problem is . .It is like chess. The "elements" that mathematicians no longer believe in chess are the thirty-two The paper in this issue by Stephen they can find absolute truths. This chessmen. The postulates of chess Ferguson (pp. 107-114) is critical of major problem is evident from this are the statements of the moves a my paper entitled 'Humanism and lengthy passage by Eric Temple Bell, player can make and of what is to modern mathematics' published in a very highly regarded modern happen if certain other things 1988.l historian of mathematics:- happen.