Answers Research Journal 13 (2020): 257–323. www.answersingenesis.org/arj/v13/grand_canyon_deceptions.pdf The Grand Canyon, Monument to an Ancient Earth: The Deceptions Continue Terry Mortenson, Answers in Genesis, PO Box 510, Hebron, Kentucky 41048. Abstract In 2016, the book The Grand Canyon, Monument to an Ancient Earth: Can Noah’s Flood Explain the Grand Canyon? was published by Kregel, a leading evangelical publisher. Written by eight professing Christians and three non-Christians (agnostics), it openly rejects the truth of Genesis regarding the Flood and the age of the earth and presents a seemingly water-tight refutation of the geological evidences cited by young-earth creationist geologists. This critique of the book is particularly warranted because the book has been endorsed by some of the most influential evangelical scholars of our time (including Wayne Grudem and C. John Collins) and has been regularly promoted at the annual meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society. This paper critiques the erroneous historical, philosophical, theological and biblical arguments in the book (leaving the geological claims for creation geologists to address later). The analysis begins with a discussion of the critical difference between experimental (operation) science and historical (origin) science and the role of philosophical assumptions in the interpretation of the geological evidence. Then a brief history of the development of the geological theory of millions of years of earth history and particularly the old-earth interpretation of Grand Canyon is presented. Following this important background information is a revealing investigation of the authorship, purpose, promotion, and funding of the book. The rest of the paper gives a thorough evaluation of the relevant non-geological sections of the book. The conclusion is that the book is deceiving many scholars, pastors, laypeople and students in the church as it attacks the truth and authority of Scripture. Keywords: Grand Canyon, geology, age of the earth, Noah’s Flood, dating methods, flood geology, uniformitarianism, catastrophism, naturalism, evolution, laws of nature, operation science, origin science, data, interpretations, assumptions Introduction anti-Christian groups such as the National Center In 2016, the book The Grand Canyon, Monument for Science Education (Anonymous 2016) and the to an Ancient Earth: Can Noah’s Flood Explain the Americans United for Separation of Church and Grand Canyon? was published by Kregel, a leading State (Boston 2016).2 evangelical publisher. Edited by three Christians This book is just one of a flurry of books published in and a non-Christian (agnostic),1 it includes recent years attacking what the Bible teaches about contributions by seven additional authors, five of origins. Some of these books are written by atheists whom have written elsewhere on the issue of science and agnostics and published by secular publishers. and the Bible. It openly rejects the truth of Genesis But a growing number are written by professing regarding the Flood and the age of the earth and Christians and published by evangelical publishers presents a seemingly water-tight refutation of the such as Kregel, InterVarsity Press, Zondervan, geological evidences cited by young-earth creationist Baker, etc. Many of these books are promoting not geologists. The book (Hill et al. 2016) has been only the acceptance of the idea of billions of years endorsed by some of the most influential evangelical of earth history and cosmic history but also the scholars of our time (discussed below), as well as acceptance of biological evolution, including the by several atheistic, evolution-based, anti-biblical, evolution of man. 1 Carol Hill, Gregg Davidson, Tim Helble, and the non-Christian Wayne Ranney. 2 The Americans United for Separation of Church and State website (https://www.au.org/who-we-are, accessed 2020 April 28) describes them as, “We are lawyers and lobbyists, students and activists, religious leaders and impassioned Americans. We are people of faith and people who don’t profess any particular faith. We are a community that includes and welcomes people of all genders, races, ethnicities, religions or beliefs, sexual orientations, ages, classes and abilities.” Two of the four officers of Americans United are Rev. Dr. Neal Jones (Chairman and minister of a Unitarian Universalist Church) and Dr. Eugenie Scott (Treasurer, an open atheist, and founding Executive Director of the National Center for Science Education). It is obvious from this statement and the positions they hold that none of the so-called “people of faith” associated with this organization hold to historic, orthodox, Christianity as revealed and taught in the Bible. For example, J.P. Moreland (philosophy professor, Biola University), C. John Collins (OT professor, Covenant Seminary), Ken- neth Keathley (theology professor, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary), Daniel Akin (President of SEBTS), Justin Taylor (managing editor, ESV Study Bible), David Dockery (President, Trinity International University), Bruce Ware (theology professor, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary), Thomas Schreiner (NT professor, SBTS), Robert Plummer (NT professor, SBTS), and Paul Copan (philosophy professor, Palm Beach Atlantic University) ISSN: 1937-9056 Copyright © 2020 Answers in Genesis, Inc. All content is owned by Answers in Genesis (“AiG”) unless otherwise indicated. AiG consents to unlimited copying and distribution of print copies of Answers Research Journal articles for non-commercial, non-sale purposes only, provided the following conditions are met: the author of the article is clearly identified; Answers in Genesis is acknowledged as the copyright owner; Answers Research Journal and its website, www.answersresearchjournal.org, are acknowledged as the publication source; and the integrity of the work is not compromised in any way. For website and other electronic distribution and publication, AiG consents to republication of article abstracts with direct links to the full papers on the ARJ website. All rights reserved. For more information write to: Answers in Genesis, PO Box 510, Hebron, KY 41048, Attn: Editor, Answers Research Journal. The views expressed are those of the writer(s) and not necessarily those of the Answers Research Journal Editor or of Answers in Genesis. 258 Terry Mortenson The year after Hill et al. (2016) appeared, 25 authors collaborated to produce the 1,000-page book, Theistic Evolution: A Scientific, Philosophical, and Theological Critique (Moreland et al. 2017). The majority of contributors to the 2017 book accept the millions of years and believe that the age of the earth is something over which Christians can agree to disagree. But some of the authors of that book enthusiastically endorsed Hill et al. in 2016, even though, as will be shown, all its authors are evolutionists and have sought to use the book to convince readers not only to accept millions of years but also indirectly to influence them to accept biological evolution. The same year Theodore Cabal, professor at Fig. 1. Ken Ham’s Facebook page, screen shot on March Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, published 22, 2017 at 6:59:46 am. Controversy of the Ages: Why Christians Should Not Divide over the Age of the Earth (Cabal and Rasor “a counterfeit science cult,” and that they “ignore a 2017). His view is obvious from the title, and the book canyon full of evidence, make claims of wild has been enthusiastically endorsed by many leading speculation disconnected from reality, and misapply evangelical scholars.3 scientific methods—all to keep Ken Ham’s big business Young-earth creationists strongly disagree with going to fool people.” Very serious charges indeed! In these Christian authors who promote or tolerate the this critique, we will consider if the charges are old-earth, millions-of-years dogma that is controlling accurate regarding not just AiG and Ken Ham, but all the minds of most scientists today. We also do not young-earth creationists. agree that Christians should just “agree to disagree” On Wolgemuth’s own Facebook page in early about the age of the earth, as if it were a relatively 2019 (fig. 2), he attacked three PhD scientists at the 4 insignificant side issue unrelated to the gospel. I Institute for Creation Research. As you can see in hope this critique will help readers understand why the screen shot, he says, “they are very skillful at we disagree and reject the millions of years and raising doubt among church people, just like the why Christians should carefully consider their own serpent raised doubt with Adam and Eve.” Careful position on this issue. The battle about origins, including the question of the age of the creation, is intense. We dare not settle for shallow, uncritical thinking that unquestioningly accepts what the scientific majority or the evangelical theological majority declares to be undeniable truth. We need to examine things carefully because the accusations against young-earth creationists are serious. Ken Wolgemuth, a co-author of (Hill et al. 2016), made condemning comments in an interchange on Ken Ham’s Facebook page (fig. 1) with a girl named Patty Powell Nosworthy (who in earlier comments claimed to be an apostate Baptist) almost a year after Hill et al. (2016) was published. Wolgemuth charges that Ken Ham and Answers in Fig. 2. Ken Wolgemuth’s Facebook page, regarding ICR, Genesis (AiG) have “conned the church,” that AiG is Jan 5, 2019, screen shot on June 17, 2020 at