Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! There are two historical facts that need explaining. The first is that the tomb of Jesus was empty. The second is that the disciples were convinced that they had seen him alive after discovering that the tomb was empty. By alive, we mean with a physical body; they …
Month: March 2013
Around the web — 3/31/2013
Hristos a înviat! Adevărat a înviat! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! The empty tomb -- Here are 14 Evidences for the Resurrection. This is a central teaching of Christianity. Put all other issues aside for a while---questions about evolution, biblical inerrancy, gay rights, or whatever else keeps you from Christ---and give some thought to …
A young-Earth creationist magmatic model for the origin of evaporites
On my most recent "Around the web" post, I stated that I would be writing a longer response to the young-Earth creationist (YEC) proposal that salt deposits (usually referred to as evaporites) were actually formed through igneous processes rather than being precipitated from seawater. This may not be that longer response. Instead, it is a …
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Eagle Formation, Billings Montana
One of my favorite places to hike in the Billings area is Zimmerman Park, which is mostly atop the Rimrocks, a cliff formed by sandstone of the Cretaceous Eagle Formation. The Eagle Formation is usually interpreted to be either a barrier island deposit, similar to Padre Island in Texas, or a shallow marine sand bar …
GeoScriptures — 1 Corinthians 3:18-19 — Wisdom and folly
Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. -- 1 Corinthians 3:18-19 (ESV) As I get older, I hope I am getting wiser. Two things I have …
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Around the web 3/22/2013 — The ice age only lasted 250 years, evaporites formed from magma, environmentalism is bad for us, and more
There have been a number of articles on the web the past few weeks that deserve a long analysis, but some short notes will have to do. THE ICE AGE (SINGULAR) OCCURRED BETWEEN 2250 AND 2000 B.C. -- Answers in Genesis posted an article in February by Andrew Snelling and Mike Matthews entitled When Was …
GeoScriptures — Genesis 3:17-18 — Thorns, thistles, cats, dogs, and hyperliteralism
And to Adam he said, "Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of which I commanded you, ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; thorns and thistles …
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A Christian geologist tells his story
Many Christian geologists I know began their undergraduate geological training as young-Earth creationists (YECs). They entered their studies having been equipped by reading YEC classics such as The Genesis Flood and Scientific Creationism, had a whole stack of Institute for Creation Research Acts & Facts "Impact" articles, and were certain that they would set the …
Seeking to blog about controversy with a spirit of grace
Ligonier Ministries has posted an excellent article which can help us think through how to speak and write about issues that are controversial within the Christian church. Some important values as I write articles for The GeoChristian include that I would communicate with grace and humility, that the body of Christ would be edified, and …
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GeoScriptures — Genesis 7:19 — “All the earth” doesn’t always mean “all the earth”
And the waters prevailed so mightily on the earth that all the high mountains under the whole heaven were covered. -- Genesis 7:19 (ESV) Many Christians point to the universal nature of some verses in the account of Noah's flood in Genesis 6-9 to prove that the flood must have been global in extent. For …
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The age of the Earth is a quinary issue
For most Christian traditions and denominations, the age of the Earth is not a primary issue. It is not even a secondary issue. Nor is it a tertiary issue. In fact it is not even a quaternary issue. For most Christian traditions and denominations, the age of the Earth is a quinary issue! That's three …
The Old-Earth Christian homeschooling vacuum
At times it seems like the young-Earth creationists have a virtual monopoly on science curriculum materials for the Christian homeschool market. There are popular homeschool magazines that ban advertisements from curricula---secular or Christian---that teach an old Earth or biological evolution. The same goes for homeschool conventions and curriculum fairs. At the extreme in the homeschool …
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GeoScriptures — Genesis 2:16-17 — The tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and the fruit of sin
And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.” -- Genesis 2:16-17 (NIV 1984) According to Genesis, God created Adam and Eve and placed them …
Tardigrade
From today's Astronomy Picture of the Day, the most bizarre, alien-appearing animal on Earth, the tardigrade: Go to APOD to see it much bigger (I have only shown it as a thumbnail for copyright purposes). I've thought tardigrades were pretty amazing since I first learned about them in Invertebrate Zoology a long, long time ago. Here's …
Duane Gish of ICR dies at age 92
Dr. Duane Gish was one of the most prominent young-Earth creationists back in the 1970s and 1980s, especially popular among YECs for his tenacity in debates. According to the Institute for Creation Research (where Dr. Gish was vice president under Henry Morris) and Answers in Genesis, he died yesterday, March 5, 2013. Gish was also …
Ken Ham really does believe the Bible
Last night, I posted here on The GeoChristian an attempt at satire that some took offence at. I suppose satire will always offend someone, as when Jonathan Swift suggested in his 1729 short story A Modest Proposal that the Irish "problem" could be solved by, well, you can read it for yourself. I guess I am …
2013 International Conference on Creationism
Every five years or so, the top young-Earth creationist scientists gather in Pittsburgh for the International Conference on Creationism. From what I understand, this is quite different from your typical Answers in Genesis or Institute for Creation Research seminars that are presented for the general public at local churches. Instead, this will be the YEC …
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Around the web 3/3/2013
I'm enjoying a good thundersnow (or some call it a snunderstorm); the first blizzard thunderstorm I have experienced in Montana (I have seen it happen in Utah, Colorado, and I think Missouri). The temperature dropped from 59°F to 32° in less than thirty minutes, and it started to snow and blow really hard. I love …
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