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Greetings,
The above photograph was taken in 2016 during the opening week of Ken Ham's Ark Encounter in Williamston, Kentucky. As Dr. Geisler and I met our friend Ken Ham, his first words were, 'Ken, Philip and I believe that the Ice Age was the Flood!' Ken understood the implications of this for his current understanding of the Flood. But we shifted our conversation as Ken explained to me just how he built this replica of the Ark. I liked the fact that he built his Ark with a bowed hull rather than as a rectangular barge, as many Creationists believe. His Ark Encounter is more like with the real Noah's Ark that I visited in 2014.
Ken Ham is the world's most famous Creationist. He is a young earth Creationist. The first three aims of this newsletter are to explain (1) the term Creationist, (2) why I use the term Scripture Science rather than Creation Science, and (3) to point out that Scripture Science conflicts with all the various schools of Creation Science. Some have asked the meaning of the word Creationist. Don't all Christians believe in Creation? Our friend Hugh Ross is an old earth Creationist who teaches a local rather than a worldwide Flood. Frances Collins's BioLogos refer to themselves as Evolutionary Creationists. Why do I not regard myself as a Creationist?
Of course I believe in Creation as do all Christians. But referring to a biblical account of origins as Creationist dates mainly to the seventies. Before that Creationist more often referred to an understanding of the birth of humans. It meant that every human soul was directly created by God. The other view was Traducianism, that children derive their soul from their parents. Other terms were used for the various Christian views of origins. In the early twentieth century the most popular term was anti-evolution, as in the case of the 1925 Scopes Trial. Then as now conservative Christians were divided in their views of origins. The most popular view was the old earth Ruin & Restoration teaching also referred to as the Gap Theory. However, the Seventh Day Adventist George McGready Price was developing the theory of young earth Creationism which would be popularized among evangelicals by John C. Whitcomb and Henry Morris's 1961 book The Genesis Flood. This view was then called Flood Science. The term Creation Science was coined as a strategy for getting Flood Science taught in the public schools. The reason is that this term has less reference to the Bible than Flood Science. During these trials, Norm Geisler (in photo above left) was the most effective witness for teaching Creation Science as an option, but the US Courts were opposed to the slightest notion of teaching children that God might have been somehow responsible for their origins.
Returning America to our Christian roots will not be accomplished by comprising with the world! This explains why I refer to my new school of origins as Scripture Science and why I use far more Scripture in my explanation of origins that do young earth Creationists. Thus, instead of Creationist, I refer to myself as a Scriptural Scientist. My aim is not to defend Scripture but to understand origins, impossible to do apart from the light of Scriptures!
Using the light of Scripture, I discovered thousands of errors in the mainstream narrative of origins while discovering a highly integrated account of origins that greatly simplifies our understanding of the past. Through this, I became expert in numerous specialized fields that comprise the historical sciences. I can point out problems which these expert may have noticed, the solutions having eluded them. I also find errors in the various kinds of Creation Science, mostly due to them having built on the current scientific narrative including the supposed Ice Age. As Norm Geisler pointed out to Ken Ham, the supposed Ice Age is a wrong scientific interpretation of the evidence of Noah's Flood. On the other hand, attributing the deeper strata below the earth's bedrock to Noah's Flood as do young earth Creationists is also a wrong understanding of Noah's Flood.
I come to the main purpose of this open letter to my Creationist friends, young and old earth alike. My proposal is that we work together to show the world how Christians do science, allowing our scientific presumptions to be publicly challenged without dividing us as a single Christian scientific community. This was something that Norm Geisler encouraged Ken Ham and Hugh Ross to do. To their credit, both men or their key disciples have occasionally debated their conflicting views of origins. Unfortunately, their differences were too great to work together as a single scientific community. Norm Geisler taught the views of both men but never endorsed the views of either school as he did in the case of my Scripture Science and the recent discovery of Noah's Ark. Norm also greatly encouraged me to complete the research showing that the evidence used for proposing the Ice Age was that of Noah's Flood.
Both Ken Ham and Hugh Ross are at least mildly skeptical of the Ark discovery which conflicts with their respective understandings of Noah's Flood. One reason is that my friends accept the scientific teaching of the Ice Age which wrongly explains the evidence of the Flood. But what could be more interesting than for both men and their respective organizations to work together to examine the evidence that I have presented for the discovery of Noah's Ark and against the Ice Age which if for different reasons both men believe. With regard to both these claims, these Creationists also have the backing of mainstream science. If I have not been teaching the complete truth about Noah's Ark and Noah's Flood, that will become clear. But if such a great and public examination reveals that I have been putting forth the truth, I trust that both men will work together with me as a single Christian scientific community. If so, all those who love and seek truth, will come to this light.
As I explain in the YouTube video associated with this newsletter and in memory of the late Charlie Kirk's pioneering open discussion and debate, I suggest that we Christians show the world how Christians do science. Specifically, I suggest that Ken Ham moderate a discussion between Hugh Ross and myself concerning the ten reasons for believing the recent discovery of Noah's Ark and whether the evidence of Noah's Flood has been misunderstood as an Ice Age. Ken may wish to join the discussion whether to agree or challenge either of us, or else introduce a question.
Perhaps, some of you can help make this happen. I ask you to forward this newsletter to friends and search for an organization who may wish to sponsor such a public examination. Write both men to encourage their participation. Letters are more likely to be answered than emails. Please share with me their responses. This discovery is far too important for the Christian community to ignore!
Ken Ham at Answers in Genesis, PO Box 510, Hebron, KY 41048
Hugh Ross at Reasons to Believe, 818 S. Oak Park Rd, Covina, CA 91724
Philip Williams
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