Science Series: Creation Confusion – Resources for Research on Creation, Evolution, and Intelligent Design

When it comes the issue of creation, it is easy to be overwhelmed by the various views and details involved.

Some of the key positions that one needs to be aware of include: young-earth creationism, old-earth creation, theistic evolution, naturalistic evolution, and intelligent design.  A good book the surveys the different views (young earth, old earth, and theistic evolution) is Three Views of Creation and Evolution ed. by J. P. Moreland and John Mark Reynolds.

Young-Earth Creationism

This view holds that God created the earth, in fact, the entire universe, in six literal twenty four hour days and the universe is only 6,000 to 10,000 years old.

Adherents:

• Henry Morris
• Ken Ham
• Jonathan Sarfati

Institutions:

• Answers in Genesis
• Institute for Creation Research.

Resources on Young Earth:

• Thousands, Not Billions: Challenging the Icon of Evolution, Questioning the Age of the Earth by Donald DeYoung
• In Six Days: Why Fifty Scientists Choose to Believe in Creation by John F. Ashton
• Old Earth Creationism on Trial: The Verdict is In by Tim Chaffey

Old-Earth Creation

This position agrees with mainstream science that the universe is 13.7 billion years old and that the earth is 4.5 billion years old unlike the young-earth creationists.  Similar to young-earthers is the rejection of macro-evolution.  They are several camps of old-earthers such as gap theorists, day-age theory, and literary framework, to name a few.

Adherents:

• Hugh Ross
• John Lennox

Institutions:

• Reasons to Believe

Resources on Old Earth:

• The Bible, Rocks, and Time: Geological Evidence for the Age of the Earth by Davis A Young and Ralph F. Stearley
• Seven Days That Divide the World: The Beginning According the Genesis and Science by John Lennox
• A Biblical Case for an Old Earth by David Snoke

Theistic Evolution

This view agrees with the old-earth position regarding the age, but also believes that God utilized the process of biological evolution to bring about the diversity of biological life beginning 3.5 billion years ago including the common descent of humanity.

Adherents:

• Francis Collins
• Karl W. Giberson
• John H. Walton

Institutions:

• Biologos

Resources for Theistic Evolution:

• The Language of Science and Faith by Karl W. Giberson and Francis Collins
• I Love Jesus & I Accept Evolution by Denis O. Lamoureux

Intelligent Design

The theory of intelligent design holds that certain features of the universe and of living things are best explained by an intelligent cause, not an undirected process such as natural selection.  This view can be held by young earth, old earth, theistic evolution, but not naturalistic evolution.

Adherents:

• William Dembski
• Stephen C. Meyer

Institutions:

• Discovery Institute

Resources for Intelligent Design:

• The Design Inference: Eliminating Chance Through Small Probabilities by William Dembksi (advance text)
• Understanding Intelligent Design: Everything You Need to Know in Plain Language by William Dembksi and Sean McDowell
• Darwin’s Doubt: The Explosive Origin of Animal Life and the Case for Intelligent Design by Stephen C. Meyer
• Signature in the Cell: DNA and the Evidence for Intelligent Design by Stephen C. MeyerThe

Naturalistic Evolution

This view states that all life on Earth evolved from a single species from an unguided, natural process.  God was not involved in the process.

Adherents:

• Jerry Coyne
• Richard Dawkins

Institutions:

• National Center for Science Education

Resources on Naturalistic Evolution:

• Why Evolution is True by Jerry A Coyne
• The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution by Richard Dawkins

Other Helpful Resources:

Dr. William Lane Craig has down a 21 series class (Defenders), both as a podcast and a video, that is available on his website titled “Creation and Evolution.” It is extensive and thorough as it surveys the various options on this issue.

Natasha of Christian Mom Thoughts has provided a very helpful blog on the various views of creation, evolution, theistic evolution, intelligent design, young earth, and old earth as well as naturalistic evolution.  Her flowchart/diagram is very helpful in understanding the issues.  This would be a great place to start when wading into the pool of creation and evolution.

Hope this helps in some research and study in the issue of creation, evolution, and intelligent design.

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