DOCSLIB.ORG

Academic Libraries and Creation Science Resources Tyler Veak Ph.D

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Academic Libraries and Creation Science Resources Tyler Veak Ph.D Volume 51 | Issue 3 Article 5 2008 Academic Libraries and Creation Science Resources Tyler Veak Ph.D. Liberty University The Christian Librarian is the official publication of the Association of Christian Librarians (ACL). To learn more about ACL and its products and services please visit http://www.acl.org/ Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/tcl Part of the Library and Information Science Commons Recommended Citation Veak, Tyler Ph.D. (2008) "Academic Libraries and Creation Science Resources," The Christian Librarian: Vol. 51 : Iss. 3 , Article 5. Available at: http://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/tcl/vol51/iss3/5 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by Digital Commons @ George Fox University. It has been accepted for inclusion in The Christian Librarian by an authorized editor of Digital Commons @ George Fox University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Academic Libraries and Creation Science Resources Tyler Veak, Ph.D. MLIS Introduction Failing in their attempt to have creationism Scholarly Communication taught in public schools, religious conservatives Librarian Over the last 25 years there has been a great shifted their tactic. Public schools are now Liberty University deal of controversy over whether or not facing a new challenge – intelligent design, 1 Lynchburg, Virginia “creationism” should be taught alongside “the belief that living organisms are so complex evolution in public schools. However, there is ABSTRACT that the best explanation is that they were also the less often heard challenge to libraries. created by an intelligent force of some kind” Although there is significant debate Both creationists and evolutionists have (Goodstein, 2005a). Proponents of intelligent over whether or not to teach weighed in on this issue. Creationists argue creationism alongside evolution in design argue that unlike creationism, intelligent public schools, there has been little that libraries do not carry enough resources design is based on empirical evidence rather discussion on the role of libraries supporting their views (Bergman, 1996). than Scripture (Goodstein, 2005c). Opponents, and librarians in this debate. In this Conversely, evolutionists claim that libraries article I argue that academic libraries on the other hand, argue that intelligent in particular have a potentially vital are being unfairly “pressed to add ‘creation design is just creationism under a new guise role to play in that the majority of science’ books to their libraries” (Matsumura, (Forrest, 2001). Regardless, proponents are science-based research takes place 1998). As the primary keepers of knowledge challenging public schools to teach intelligent in institutions of higher education; and information in our society, libraries have and that academic libraries have an design alongside evolution. The first court case obligation to provide empirically the potential to greatly influence the outcome involving intelligent design occurred recently based creation science materials of this debate. However, with limited resources (October 2005) in Dover, Pennsylvania because the debate centers around libraries and librarians are potentially faced science. I support my argument (Goodstein, 2005a, 2005b, 2005c). through a brief analysis of the with a problem: should they provide resources institutions that subscribe to the that support the creationist standpoint, and if The central arguments against creationism Creation Research Society Quarterly, one so to what extent? Failing to do so could be are fairly simple: 1) creationism is not science, of the only peer-reviewed journals construed as a form of censorship. Academic focusing on creation science. and 2) there is no supporting empirical data. libraries in particular have a vital role to play, Opponents believe that if they can persuasively because universities are where the majority of 1Although a number of terms are fre- argue that creationism is actually a pseudo- quently used interchangeably with regard scientific research takes place. This paper will science (e.g., astrology) then there is no to the creationist perspective, the differ- therefore focus primarily on the responsibility justification to teach it alongside an established ences are significant enough to warrant of academic libraries to provide “science” based scientific theory (e.g., evolution) (Overbye, explanation. “Creationism” is the general creationist materials. claim that the Judeo-Creation God cre- 2005). Intelligent design advocates are doing ated the universe and life ex nihilo. “Cre- little to rebut this claim. For example, in ation science” is the attempt to justify Background the Dover case, the leading witness for the the creationist perspective scientifically. “Intelligent design” (discussed below) is Since 1968, there have been at least six proponents of intelligent design, Michael a more general claim, detached from any major court cases involving the teaching Behe, claimed that “under his definition of a specific religious context. Proponents of of creationism in public schools (“Legal scientific theory, astrology would fit as neatly intelligent design argue that the universe 2 must have been designed by an intelli- Background,” 2001). The most significant of as intelligent design” (Goodstein, 2005c). gent being rather than chance alone. In these cases, Edwards v. Aguillard, resulted in the addition, there is an explicit attempt to U.S. Supreme Court effectively banning the The issue of the definition of science is central support intelligent design with empiri- to this debate. The primary justification for cal evidence. Recognizing these distinc- teaching of creationism from public schools tions the author will use the more gen- in 1987. The Court ruled it unconstitutional the Supreme Court’s 1987 ruling was that eral terms “creationism” or “creationist” creationism is not an established scientific throughout the paper (Pennock, 2002). to teach creationism in public schools, because creationism is founded on religious beliefs. theory, but a religious belief. This is the reason 2 Note that because so much of the debate The Court argued further that requiring why creationists are taking a different approach has centered on whether or not creation- (i.e., intelligent design) which they argue is ism is a “science,” many of the key players creationism to be taught alongside evolution involved in the debate are philosophers “undermined” the teaching of science (“Legal not founded on religion. Opponents, on the of science (Overbye, 2005). background,” 2001). other hand, claim that intelligent design is 132 The Christian Librarian, 51 (3) 2008 continued on page 143 continued from page 132 just another variation of creationism, and “is a of the truth or the facts of the science (i.e., Trojan horse for religion in the public schools” astronomy). (Goodstein, 2005b). Kuhn’s theory of scientific change is a useful Although advocates of creationism are lens for analyzing the creation-evolution admittedly short on scientific evidence, they debate. Creationists argue that given enough have argued that this shortage is due primarily time and resources they could fill in the gaps s the primary to a lack of support for alternative research of their theory/worldview/paradigm (Johnson, A programs on the origins of life (Johnson, 2001). Obviously, no one knows whether or keepers of knowledge 2001). Paul Johnson (1993), one of the leading not this is the case unless given the opportunity and information in proponents of creationism, argues that creation – hence the importance of libraries and science entails a totally different worldview, librarians. As the gate-keepers of knowledge our society, libraries or paradigm, with an entirely different set of and information, librarians play a crucial role in have the potential to assumptions and presuppositions.3 He claims whether or not alternative paradigms can ever that if the scientists investigating the origin emerge. The resources that libraries provide (or greatly influence of life began with the assumption that a fail to provide) could determine whether or not the outcome of this Creator or “Designer” exists; then the product a new scientific paradigm, such as intelligent of their science would be radically different. design, emerges. debate. That is, beginning with the assumption that an Intelligent Designer exists would yield If one accepts Kuhn’s conception of science, scientific evidence of “design” in the universe. then libraries – particularly academic libraries – are faced with a decision that could have In some sense, Johnson and his fellow significant consequences, that is, whether or creationists have a point. Thomas Kuhn (1970), not to expend limited funding on resources the eminent philosopher-physicist, argues that support a minority.5 The type of resources that the nature of science is not nearly as necessary are those that could be used to straightforward as many believe. The idea that enhance or develop research related to the scientists follow an established scientific method scientific (i.e., empirical) support of the that generates facts about the physical world is creationist paradigm. The majority of larger completely erroneous, according to Kuhn. He libraries carry general resources related to the compares what he calls “normal science” to creation-evolution debate. For example, the puzzle solving. Most scientists operate under Library Journal recently published an article an overarching worldview
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Understanding the Intelligent Design Creationist Movement: Its True Nature and Goals
    UNDERSTANDING THE INTELLIGENT DESIGN CREATIONIST MOVEMENT: ITS TRUE NATURE AND GOALS A POSITION PAPER FROM THE CENTER FOR INQUIRY OFFICE OF PUBLIC POLICY AUTHOR: BARBARA FORREST, Ph.D. Reviewing Committee: Paul Kurtz, Ph.D.; Austin Dacey, Ph.D.; Stuart D. Jordan, Ph.D.; Ronald A. Lindsay, J. D., Ph.D.; John Shook, Ph.D.; Toni Van Pelt DATED: MAY 2007 ( AMENDED JULY 2007) Copyright © 2007 Center for Inquiry, Inc. Permission is granted for this material to be shared for noncommercial, educational purposes, provided that this notice appears on the reproduced materials, the full authoritative version is retained, and copies are not altered. To disseminate otherwise or to republish requires written permission from the Center for Inquiry, Inc. Table of Contents Section I. Introduction: What is at stake in the dispute over intelligent design?.................. 1 Section II. What is the intelligent design creationist movement? ........................................ 2 Section III. The historical and legal background of intelligent design creationism ................ 6 Epperson v. Arkansas (1968) ............................................................................ 6 McLean v. Arkansas (1982) .............................................................................. 6 Edwards v. Aguillard (1987) ............................................................................. 7 Section IV. The ID movement’s aims and strategy .............................................................. 9 The “Wedge Strategy” .....................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Ron Numbers Collection-- the Creationists
    Register of the Ron Numbers Collection-- The Creationists Collection 178 Center for Adventist Research James White Library Andrews University Berrien Springs, Michigan 49104-1400 1992, revised 2007 Ron Numbers Collection--The Creationists (Collection 178) Scope and Content This collection contains the records used as resource material for the production of Dr. Numbers' book, The Creationists, published in 1992. This book documents the development of the creationist movement in the face of the growing tide of evolution. The bulk of the collection dates from the 20th century and covers most of the prominent, individual creationists and pro-creation groups of the late 19th and 20th century primarily in the United States, and secondarily, those in England, Australia, and Canada. Among the types of records included are photocopies of articles and other publications, theses, interview tapes and transcripts, and official publications of various denominations. One of the more valuable contributions of this collection is the large quantity of correspondence of prominent individuals. These records are all photocopies. A large section contains documentation related to Seventh-day Adventist creationists. Adventists were some of the leading figures in the creationist movement, and foremost among this group is George McCready Price. The Adventist Heritage Center holds a Price collection. The Numbers collection contributes additional correspondence and other documentation related to Price. Arrangement Ron Numbers organized this collection for the purpose of preparing his book manuscript, though the book itself is not organized in this way. Dr. Numbers suggested his original arrangement be retained. While the collection is arranged in its original order, the outline that follows may be of help to some researchers.
    [Show full text]
  • Mapping the Creation-Evolution Debate in Public Life
    MAPPING THE CREATION-EVOLUTION DEBATE IN PUBLIC LIFE by ANDREW JUDSON HART (Under the Direction of Edward Panetta) ABSTRACT Evolution versus creation is a divisive issue as religion is pitted against science in public discourse. Despite mounting scientific evidence in favor of evolution and legal decisions against the teaching of creationism in public schools, the number of advocates who still argue for creationist teaching in the science curriculum of public schools remains quite large. Public debates have played a key role in the creationist movement, and this study examines public debates between creationists and evolutionists over thirty years to track trends and analyze differences in arguments and political style in an attempt to better understand why creationism remains salient with many in the American public. INDEX WORDS: Creation; Evolution; Public Debate; Argumentation; Political Style; Bill Nye MAPPING THE CREATION-EVOLUTION DEBATE IN PUBLIC LIFE by ANDREW JUDSON HART B.A., The University of Georgia, 2010 B.S.F.R., The University of Georgia, 2010 M.A.T., The University of Georgia, 2014 A Thesis Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of The University of Georgia in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree MASTER OF ARTS ATHENS, GEORGIA 2016 © 2016 Andrew Judson Hart All Rights Reserved MAPPING THE CREATION-EVOLUTION DEBATE IN PUBLIC LIFE by ANDREW JUDSON HART Major Professor: Edward Panetta Committee: Barbara Biesecker Thomas Lessl Electronic Version Approved: Suzanne Barbour Dean of the Graduate School The University of Georgia May 2016 iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This project would not have been possible without Dr. Ed Panetta pushing me down the path to study the creation-evolution debates and his work with me on this through the many drafts and edits.
    [Show full text]
  • Intelligent Design Creationism and the Constitution
    View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by Washington University St. Louis: Open Scholarship Washington University Law Review Volume 83 Issue 1 2005 Is It Science Yet?: Intelligent Design Creationism and the Constitution Matthew J. Brauer Princeton University Barbara Forrest Southeastern Louisiana University Steven G. Gey Florida State University Follow this and additional works at: https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/law_lawreview Part of the Constitutional Law Commons, Education Law Commons, First Amendment Commons, Religion Law Commons, and the Science and Technology Law Commons Recommended Citation Matthew J. Brauer, Barbara Forrest, and Steven G. Gey, Is It Science Yet?: Intelligent Design Creationism and the Constitution, 83 WASH. U. L. Q. 1 (2005). Available at: https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/law_lawreview/vol83/iss1/1 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Law School at Washington University Open Scholarship. It has been accepted for inclusion in Washington University Law Review by an authorized administrator of Washington University Open Scholarship. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Washington University Law Quarterly VOLUME 83 NUMBER 1 2005 IS IT SCIENCE YET?: INTELLIGENT DESIGN CREATIONISM AND THE CONSTITUTION MATTHEW J. BRAUER BARBARA FORREST STEVEN G. GEY* TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT ................................................................................................... 3 INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Price, George Mccready (1870–1963)
    Price, George McCready (1870–1963) JAMES L. HAYWARD James L. Hayward, Ph.D. (Washington State University), is a professor emeritus of biology at Andrews University where he taught for 30 years. He is widely published in literature dealing with ornithology, behavioral ecology, and paleontology, and has contributed numerous articles to Adventist publications. His book, The Creation-Evolution Controversy: An Annotated Bibliography (Scarecrow Press, 1998), won a Choice award from the American Library Association. He also edited Creation Reconsidered (Association of Adventist Forums, 2000). George Edward (McCready) Price was a Canadian writer and educator who served in a variety of capacities within the Seventh-day Adventist Church. During the early twentieth century he taught in several secondary schools and denominational colleges. His most enduring legacy, however, is his defense of Flood geology and creationism—he authored two dozen books and hundreds of articles on the topic. He often is credited with founding the modern creationist movement. Early Life and Education George Edward Price (later George McCready Price) was born on August 26, 1870, in Havelock, New Brunswick. His father, George Marshall Price, a nominal Anglican, had established a homestead, George McCready Price. Butternut Ridge, where he farmed newly cleared land. Photo courtesy of the General Conference of Seventh-day He and his first wife bore nine children. After she died, Adventists Archives. he married a tiny woman, Susan McCready, the mother of young George Edward and his younger brother, Charles Luther, born in 1872. The senior Price was not an overly religious man, but he enjoyed listening to Susan read from the Bible each morning.1 Susan McCready Price came from a literary family, including relatives who were newspaper editors in Saint John and Fredericton, New Brunswick.
    [Show full text]
  • Young-Earth Creationism, Creation Science, and the Evangelical Denial of Climate Change
    religions Article Revisiting the Scopes Trial: Young-Earth Creationism, Creation Science, and the Evangelical Denial of Climate Change K. L. Marshall New College, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH1 2LX, UK; [email protected] Abstract: In the century since the Scopes Trial, one of the most influential dogmas to shape American evangelicalism has been that of young-earth creationism. This article explains why, with its arm of “creation science,” young-earth creationism is a significant factor in evangelicals’ widespread denial of anthropogenic climate change. Young-earth creationism has become closely intertwined with doctrines such as the Bible’s divine authority and the Imago Dei, as well as with social issues such as abortion and euthanasia. Addressing this aspect of the environmental crisis among evangelicals will require a re-orientation of biblical authority so as to approach social issues through a hermeneutic that is able to acknowledge the reality and imminent threat of climate change. Citation: Marshall, K. L. 2021. Revisiting the Scopes Trial: Keywords: evangelicalism; creation science; young-earth creationism; climate change; Answers in Young-Earth Creationism, Creation Genesis; biblical literalism; biblical authority; Noahic flood; dispensational theology; fundamentalism Science, and the Evangelical Denial of Climate Change. Religions 12: 133. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel12020133 1. Introduction Academic Editors: Randall Balmer The 1925 Scopes “Monkey” Trial is often referenced as a metonymy for American and Edward Blum Protestantism’s fundamentalist-modernist controversy that erupted in the years following World War I. William Jennings Bryan, the lawyer and politician who argued in favor of Received: 25 January 2021 biblical creationism1—in keeping with his literal understanding of the narratives in Genesis Accepted: 12 February 2021 Published: 20 February 2021 1 and Genesis 2—was vindicated when the judge ruled that high school biology teacher John Scopes had indeed broken the law by teaching Darwinian evolution in a public school.
    [Show full text]
  • The Creationist Movement: Science, Religion and Ideology
    Western Michigan University ScholarWorks at WMU Master's Theses Graduate College 4-1983 The Creationist Movement: Science, Religion and Ideology George M. Bevins Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/masters_theses Part of the Sociology Commons Recommended Citation Bevins, George M., "The Creationist Movement: Science, Religion and Ideology" (1983). Master's Theses. 1559. https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/masters_theses/1559 This Masters Thesis-Open Access is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate College at ScholarWorks at WMU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Master's Theses by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks at WMU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE CREATIONIST MOVEMENT: SCIENCE, RELIGION AND IDEOLOGY by George M. Bevins A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of The Graduate College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts Department of Sociology Western Michigan University Kalamazoo, Michigan April 1983 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. THE CREATIONIST MOVEMENT: SCIENCE, RELIGION AND IDEOLOGY George M. Bevins, M.A. Western Michigan University, 1983 A sample of literature produced by participants in the "creationist movement" is examined in an effort to delineate the ideology of the movement. This ideology is seen as a repertoire of images of science, evolution and society which is used by creationists in their efforts to propagate their movement. Based on this literature, an "ideological substructure of belief" within the creationist movement is described, consisting of their belief in a created normative order in the world and of their fear that this order is breaking down.
    [Show full text]
  • Introduction
    Evo Edu Outreach (2009) 2:176–177 DOI 10.1007/s12052-009-0121-8 INTRODUCTION Introduction Donald Ross Prothero Published online: 21 March 2009 # Springer Science + Business Media, LLC 2009 Overview and Whitcomb, Morris, Gish, and their ilk have advanced degrees in fields completely unrelated to paleontology. They The issue of evolution and creationism has a long history, may impress some of their audiences with the PhD after their but one of the central battles has long focused on the fossil names, but those of us within science recognize that the record of evolution. Even though Darwin (1859) had little advanced degree does not prove you are an expert in supporting evidence from the fossil record, by the late everything but only in the specialty in which you are trained. nineteenth century, examples such as Archaeopteryx and As I often point out to audiences, we would not trust these the evolution of horses had accumulated increasing support guys on their interpretations of music theory or auto for notion of evolution. In fact, the evidence of life’s mechanics (they are not trained in those fields either), so evolution as revealed in the fossil record was not disputed why should we listen to what they write about fossils? and seldom addressed by most creationists even into the Nevertheless, by boldly lying about and distorting the twentieth century (Numbers 1992). evidence of the fossil record, these impostors have managed This all changed with the more aggressive style of to convince a large percentage of the American population literalist “young-earth creationism” (Numbers 1992), pio- that the fossil record does not show evidence of evolution.
    [Show full text]
  • The Evolution of Creationism
    The evolution of creationism David R. Montgomery, Quaternary Research Center and Dept. of (354–413), Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274), and John Calvin (1509– Earth and Space Sciences, Box 351310, University of Washington, 1564) all endorsed reason as the way to learn about the world. Seattle, Washington 98195-1310, USA, [email protected] Augustine was among the first to caution against advocating for biblical interpretations that conflicted with what one could I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed observe for oneself. Centuries later, Aquinas praised the pursuit of us with senses, reason, and intellect has intended us to forego their knowledge and insight gained from experience reading God’s use. —Galileo Galilei other book—nature. Writing at the time of the Reformation, Calvin, too, considered ABSTRACT the revelations of both nature and the Bible as fundamental truths. In his Institutes of the Christian Religion (1559), Calvin For centuries, natural philosophers, their scientific successors, explicitly embraced the idea of respecting natural truths revealed and theologians alike sought to explain the physical and natural through the study of nature: “If we regard the Spirit of God as the world. The now common cultural narrative of perpetual conflict sole fountain of truth, we shall neither reject the truth itself, nor between science and religion simplifies the arguments and despise it wherever it shall appear, unless we wish to dishonor the struggles of the past and overlooks cross-pollination between Spirit of God” (McNeill, ed., 1960, p. 273–274). those who embraced faith and reason as the keys to understanding Calvin believed in keeping an open mind when it came to earth history.
    [Show full text]
  • Scientific Creationism and Intelligent Design
    6 Scientifi c creationism and intelligent design Ronald L. Numbers For the past century and a half no issue has dominated discussions of science and religion more than evolution. Indeed, many people see the creation–evolution debates as the central issue in the continuing con- troversy. And for good reason. More than a century after the scientifi c community had embraced organic evolution, many laypersons con- tinued to scorn the notion of common descent. In the United States, where polls since the early 1980s have shown a steady 44–47 per cent of Americans subscribing to the statement that ‘God created human beings pretty much in their present form at one time within the last 10,000 years or so’, nearly two-thirds (65.5 per cent), including 63 per cent of college graduates, according to a 2005 Gallup poll, regarded cre- ationism as defi nitely or probably true. 1 As we shall see, such ideas have been spreading around the world. CREATION AND CREATIONISM In 1929 an obscure biology teacher at a small church college in north- ern California self-published a book entitled Back to Creationism . This brief work, appearing just as the American anti-evolution movement of the 1920s was winding down, attracted little attention. And it would deserve scant mention today except for the fact that it was one of the fi rst books to use the term ‘creationism’ in its title. Until well into the twentieth century critics of evolution tended to identify themselves as anti-evolutionists rather than creationists. 2 Three factors help to explain this practice.
    [Show full text]
  • The Bible and Creationism
    University of Dayton eCommons English Faculty Publications Department of English 2017 The iB ble and Creationism Susan L. Trollinger University of Dayton, [email protected] William Vance Trollinger University of Dayton, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://ecommons.udayton.edu/eng_fac_pub Part of the Biblical Studies Commons, and the Christianity Commons eCommons Citation Trollinger, Susan L. and Trollinger, William Vance, "The iB ble and Creationism" (2017). English Faculty Publications. 105. http://ecommons.udayton.edu/eng_fac_pub/105 This Book Chapter is brought to you for free and open access by the Department of English at eCommons. It has been accepted for inclusion in English Faculty Publications by an authorized administrator of eCommons. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. 1 The Bible and Creationism Susan Trollinger and William Vance Trollinger, Jr. To understate the case, Charles Darwin’s Origin of Species (1859) marked a significant challenge to traditional understandings of the Bible and Christian theology. Darwin’s theory of organic evolution stood in sharp contrast with the Genesis account of creation, with its six days, separate creations of life forms, and special creation of human beings. More than this, Darwin’s ideas raised enormous theological questions about God’s role in creation (e.g., is there a role for God in organic evolution?) and about the nature of human beings (e.g., what does it mean to talk about original sin without a historic Adam and Eve?) Of course, what really made Darwin so challenging was that by the late nineteenth century his theory of organic evolution was the scientific consensus.
    [Show full text]
  • 26. More Geological Reasons Noah's Flood Did Not Happen
    Published bimonthly by the OF National Center for Science Education EPORTS THE NATIONAL CENTER FOR SCIEncE EDUCATION REPORTS.NCSE.COM R ISSN 2159-9270 ARTICLE More Geological Reasons Noah’s Flood Did Not Happen Lorence G Collins and Barbara J Collins I NTRODUCTI ON Young-earth creationists believe that there was a worldwide flood covering the earth and that virtually all fossil-bearing sedimentary layers, up until the most recent, were deposited by that Flood in about one year (Genesis 7:11–24 to 8:1–13; Whitcomb and Morris 1961; Morris and Parker 1987). Although the time for deposition by a one-year flood of the nearly 3.75 kilometers of sedimentary rocks on top of the Precambrian strata (Figure 1) to the present seems impossibly short, Oard (2002) argues for Flood Geology nonetheless. His conclusions rest on the notion that the modern evidence cannot be used as a key to the past, as the uniformitarian principle is typically applied (Oard 2002). He writes uniformitarianism is a poor organizing principle and often invalid. For instance, sand- stones, which make up approximately 20% of the sedimentary rocks on the earth, are consistently different from modern sand deposits. As an example, pure quartzites (orthoquartzites) are common in the older record but none seem to be forming today. Quartzite is metamorphosed sandstone. (Oard 2002:8) Of course, even if uniformitarianism (as Oard [2002] has framed it) were completely false, it still would not make his alternative—a world-wide flood—true. He would need other evidence to support his model. So he goes on to say Furthermore, in the modern world sand generally accumulates in linear deposits while ancient sandstones form very large sheets: It is noteworthy that the most com- mon sites of sand accumulation in the modern world are linear (beaches and rivers); yet most sands of the past form extensive stratiform deposits (Pettijohn 1975).
    [Show full text]