There is a perception among conservative Reformation and Evangelical Christians that placing a high priority on Earth care is for theological and political liberals, new age pantheists, and "tree huggers," and has little to do with Christian discipleship. In response, environmentalists often view Evangelicals as being opposed to many environmental causes, and therefore as enemies. …
Author: geochristian
Three Young-Earth Students
The web site for the young-Earth documentary Is Genesis History? has posted a video following three young-Earth creationist (YEC) students from Wheaton College as they tour the Ark Encounter replica of Noah's Ark in Kentucky (see How did Theistic Evolution Bring 3 Wheaton College Students to the Ark?). These students had formed a YEC group …
Short Answer — Mt St Helens and young-Earth creationism
Here is my standard short answer to the young-Earth creationist claim that the deposits formed by the 1980s eruptions of Mt St Helens demonstrate that Noah's flood could be responsible for the sedimentary rock record. The deposits of Mt St Helens (MSH) demonstrate that volcanoes can do a lot of geologic work in a short …
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Six theological reasons why Christians do not have to embrace six-day young-Earth creationism
A vocal set of Christians believes that the book of Genesis requires the age of the universe and Earth to be something like 6000 years. This belief is being reinforced by the release last year (2017) of the documentary Is Genesis History?, which was narrated by Del Tackett, and produced by Thomas Purifoy. The film …
A Winter Map of Montana
It is cold and snowy here in the Big Sky Country. But most of us don't complain, and many of us get excited when the white stuff starts to fall from the sky. I live in one of the warmer parts of Montana, so this week it shouldn't get any colder than –16° F (that's …
“Genesis: Paradise Lost” — A film review by an old-Earth Christian
On two nights this past week (Nov 13 and 16, 2017), the young-Earth creationist (YEC) documentary Genesis: Paradise Lost was shown in select movie theaters across America. I spent $15 (the most I have ever spent for a movie) and sat in the upper corner of the theater where there was a little light that …
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Review of Earth Science textbook in Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith
There have been a number of positive reviews of my Earth Science textbook Earth Science: God's World, Our Home, published by Novare Science and Math. One of the most comprehensive reviews is in the journal Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith (Volume 69, Number 2, June 2017, pp. 111-113). The review was written by a …
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Animal ethics and clear consciences
"In Praise of Self-Deprecation" - Wislawa Szymborska The buzzard has nothing to fault himself with. Scruples are alien to the black panther. Piranhas do not doubt the rightness of their actions. The rattlesnake approves of himself without reservations. The self-critical jackal does not exist. The locust, alligator, trichina, horsefly live as they live and are …
Attempting to respond to hostility with grace
I get called all sorts of names by some of my young-Earth brothers and sisters in Christ: Liar, Compromiser, Rabid Theistic Evolutionist, So-Called Christian. I am accused of listening to the hissing of the serpent, of following Baal rather than Yahweh, and of denying the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am sorry that …
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Book Review – Dictionary of Christianity and Science
My ignorance will always exceed my knowledge. This is true even in subjects in which I have a considerable level of expertise. I have been studying various science-faith topics for more than three decades, and have substantial depth of knowledge in some areas. Over the years, I have focused most intensely on the relationship between …
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GeoScriptures – Psalm 133:1 – Deep unity in Christ despite our disagreements
"Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!" – Psalm 133:1 (ESV) There is only one church on Earth, and it is composed of those who, by God’s grace, have faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. We put different labels on ourselves, such as Presbyterian, Lutheran, Baptist, Nondenominational, Roman Catholic, and …
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Using Google Earth for Earth Science Education
I am creating a series of Google Earth labs to use with my middle school Earth Science textbook Earth Science: God's World, Our Home. For the most part, these labs could be used with other textbooks as well, though I do occasionally refer to figures or pages in my textbook. At this stage, I would love …
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1970s climatology textbook and global warming
How things have changed. My first exposure to the science of climatology was in 1980, when I took an upper-division Physical Climatology course at the University of Utah. I still have the textbook: Smith, 1975, Principles of Applied Climatology. The picture is a scan showing just about everything the book said about CO2 and climate change. A few …
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How can I say I believe the Bible if I don’t believe it all “literally?”
Someone on a social media site recently asked me, "How can you say you believe the Bible and then in the same breath declare that [Genesis 1] may not be literal?" My answer: "Is everything in the Bible literal? I would say that not even everything in Genesis 1 is literal, and I say this for …
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RTB review of Earth Science textbook
Reasons to Believe (old-Earth Christian apologetics organization of Hugh Ross et al.) has a nice review of my new textbook Earth Science: God's World, Our Home. "Overall, Earth Science: God’s World, Our Home is an outstanding textbook to add to an old-earth science curriculum. Compared to a few years ago, we now have a rich …
Biologos interview
The folks at Biologos.org have interviewed me regarding Earth Science: God's World, Our Home, my new middle school textbook published by Novare Science and Math. http://biologos.org/blogs/chris-stump-equipping-educators/new-science-textbook-celebrates-ancient-age-of-earth-from-christian-perspective
An old-Earth Christian at the Creation Museum Part 1 — Rescuing souls but sinking the ship
I recently spent about seven hours at the Creation Museum run by the young-Earth creationist (YEC) organization Answers in Genesis in northern Kentucky (I visited the museum, not the new Ark Encounter). As I anticipated, the exhibits at the museum are all of the highest quality. Whether the displays were animatronic dinosaurs, dioramas of the …
Anticipating the Creation Museum
I have the unexpected opportunity to visit the Answers in Genesis Creation Museum in Kentucky in a few days. Positive Expectations High quality -- Skeptics and AiG fans alike acknowledge that the museum experience is at a high level. The displays and presentations are all professionally done. This isn't a mom and pop roadside museum. …
Another old-Earth Christian scholar – Michael Horton
Many highly-regarded, Bible-believing scholars, pastors, and other Christian leaders see no incompatibility between the teachings of the Bible and acceptance of an ancient Earth. In the past, I have highlighted J. Gresham Machen, Charles Spurgeon, Francis Schaeffer, John Piper, and others. The scholars I just mentioned all adhere (or adhered, many of them are deceased) …
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Book review — The Grand Canyon: Monument to an Ancient Earth
The Grand Canyon: Monument to an Ancient Earth (2016), edited and written by a number of highly-qualified, predominately Christian authors, is a devastating critique of the geological arguments of young-Earth creationism (YEC). The subtitle of this new book asks the question, “Can Noah’s Flood Explain the Grand Canyon?” which is an appropriate question, being that …
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