What is Scientific Creationism?
When the evolution vs. creationism debate comes up, we are usually speaking of a more specific type of creationism: the fundamentalist Protestant version of creationism. This creationism (usually called Scientific Creationism or Creation Science) involves a literal interpretation of the Bible that is incompatible with evolution as well as with much other science and history, but which fundamentalists attempt to harmonize with scientific investigations of nature.
What is the Evidence for Scientific Creationism?
The following definition of Creation Science was used in a 1981 Arkansas law:
- Creation Science includes the scientific evidences and related inferences that indicate:
1. Sudden creation of the universe, energy, and life from nothing;
2. The insufficiency of mutation and natural selection in bringing about development of all living kinds from a single organism;
3. Changes only within fixed limits of originally created kinds of plants and animals;
4. Separate ancestry for man and apes;
5. Explanation of the earth’s geology by catastrophism, including the occurrence of a worldwide flood; and
6. A relatively recent inception of the earth and living kinds.
What is the Theory of Scientific Creationism?
Creation Science supposedly deals with evidence that supports the “theory” of a special creation by a god. If you read creation science literature, though, you will find that it is nothing more than thinly veiled religious doctrine. Creation “science” is concerned primarily trying to attack evolution and does very little with regard to rationally examining or describing a scientific model of origins. In the second printing of The Genesis Flood, Whitcomb and Morris wrote that
- “...the basic argument of this volume is based upon the presupposition that the Scriptures are true.”
Elsewhere the same two authors have written:
- “The real issue is not the correctness of the interpretation of various details of the geological data, but simply what God has revealed in His Word concerning these matters.”
This, if nothing else, demonstrates that the principle concern in Scientific Creationism is religious scripture rather than scientific data, thus rendering the claim that this form of creationism is “scientific” rather dubious.
Scientific Creationism & Young Earth Creationism
Most Creation Scientists today are Young Earth Creationists, making a literal reading of the Bible the central feature of their scientific arguments (although, strictly speaking, most references to the Bible tend to be left aside as part of the effort to create the appearance of scientific legitimacy). Nevertheless, the Creation Research Society, an important organization which promotes Scientific Creationism, expects all members to accept this Statement of Belief:
- 1. The Bible is the written Word of God, and because it is inspired throughout, all its assertions are historically and scientifically true in the original autographs. To the student of nature this means that the account of origins in Genesis is a factual presentation of simple historical truths.
2. All basic types of living things, including man, were made by direct creative acts of God during the Creation Week described in Genesis. Whatever biological changes have occurred since Creation Week have accomplished only changes within the original created kinds.
3. The great flood described in Genesis, commonly referred to as the Noachian Flood, was an historic event worldwide in its extent and effect.
4. We are an organization of Christian men and women of science who accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. The account of the special creation of Adam and Eve as one man and one woman and their subsequent fall into sin is the basis for our belief in the necessity of a Savior for all mankind. Therefore, salvation can come only through accepting Jesus Christ as our Savior.
Notice that each of the four points does not simply make explicit references to the Bible, but in fact relies upon particular, literalist readings of certain passages and a conservative theological position with regards to the Bible — that, rather than science, is what Scientific Creationism is all about.
Lance F. contributed information for this.
