Perhaps you know about the big news? Bill Nye “The science guy” (who recently caught national attention, claiming that teaching creationism in schools hurts students) will debate Ken Ham (CEO & founder of the Creation Museum) at the Creation Museum. The topic of the debate: "Is creation a viable model of origins in today's modern scientific era?" The tickets for the February 4th debate sold out, in just two minutes! You can watch it for free: http://debatelive.org
If you’re unfamiliar with the Creation Museum (it’s near Cincinnati) it’s similar to our region’s Grey Fossil museum; in fact, both museums begin their exhibit with a timeline. There are differences though. The Creation Museum is much larger in scale and grandeur; our modest museum here is adjacent to an actual active dig. And as you may have guessed, they promote two different views on our origins. We have taken our children to both and I highly recommend visiting both museums.
Even though I’m deeply passionate about this topic, I can’t say I’m excited about the upcoming debate. I think Bill Nye will embarrass believers by making short work of Ken Ham. It’s not that I think Ham is wrong about God creating everything. Neither do I disagree with Ham’s views that God sparked life -- literally creating man from the dust of the earth. Nor do I disagree with a literal 24 hour, Seven Days of Creation. I think Ham will lose ground on a field not worth fighting over, namly Ham’s dogmatic view on the age of the earth.
With all of the evidence that our universe is 15 billion years old and our planet appears to be 4.5 billion years old, no one benefits from Ham arguing the case for a “young earth” that’s only 10,000 year old. In fact, when we talk with non-believers about our origins, we instantly lose creditably if we squabble over the (insignificant) age of the universe. The Bible isn’t written as a science textbook and our goal isn’t to give a date -- nowhere does the Bible reveal it, neither does the Bible suggest we should argue for the age of the universe.
How do I personally try to collaborate the Biblical account of creation with the scientific evidence -- accounting for the fate of the dinosaurs and of a world that appears far older than the genealogy of Adam? The best explanation is, there are eons elapsing between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2. Read “in between” the lines; in Genesis 1:1 God created the heavens and the earth, but by verse 2, everything is literally broken, chaotic, and dark. When God creates it is good, so what happened? In between Gen 1:1 & 1:2, more than likely, is when satan rebelled and was exiled from heaven. This would explain the cataclysmic devastation that is described in Gen 1:2, and it would explain why the serpent is already in the Garden of Eden in Genesis chapter 3.
Ham should focus on issues where faith & science align, topics where he and his staff are well versed. Namely, that the earth and all forms of life display an uncanny trait, intelligent design. Darwinism can’t account for life spontaneously appearing in a hostile universe or for intelligence/creativity/ration/reason/logic/communication all developing from the void of space. Between the “Anthropic principle” (where the earth is uniquely stationed for life to thrive), the massive amount of information encoded in DNA (requiring an intelligent source), and the irreducible-complexity of cellular life that could not have evolved but had to be fully assembled for life to even exist in the first place (like a mousetrap, every simplistic piece must be in place before function is possible, remove just one component and it won’t work), we have solid, defensible reasons to believe in the Creator God of the Bible.
If we are wise, we will not perpetuate a false dichotomy between science & faith. Francis Bacon (1561-1626), the founder of our modern scientific method, was also a devout Christian. Bacon and his contemporaries wanted to study God’s creation, to understand God better. Our first modern scientists did not attempt to disprove God through science, they used science to point people towards God. Isaac Newton, for example, wrote more books on Theology than he ever did on math and physics.
Francis Bacon has a great quote we would do well to memorize: “God has, in fact, written two books, not just one. Of course, we are all familiar with the first book he wrote, namely Scripture. But he has written a second book called creation.” As the Apostle Paul wrote nearly 2,000 years ago, “For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” (Romans 1:19-20, ESV)
When it comes to the universe, science may well provide a “What,” but science can’t offer a “Why.” The beginning question for all people, believers, agnostics or atheists alike is, “Why is there something rather than nothing?” After all, what is it that we are trying to convince people of, dates on a calendar, or the reality of the God who created Time?
Please SEE KEN HAM'S response:
http://blogs.answersingenesis.org/blogs/ken-ham/2014/01/19/will-bill-nye-embarrass-believers-by-making-short-work-of-ken-ham/Also, What you need to know before you watch the debate:
http://craigcottongim.blogspot.com/2014/01/what-you-need-to-know-before-watching.html
My post-debate thoughts:
http://craigcottongim.blogspot.com/2014/02/one-christians-view-on-creation-debate.html
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