Dan Reynolds PhD

For those who adhere to a literal interpretation of Genesis and believe in a young earth, scripture is the first, final, and unrivaled authority (sola scriptura) on the questions of the origin of the universe, the origin of life, the origin of man, and the age of the earth. Young Earth Creationists (sometimes referred to as “YECs”) believe that the Bible is inerrant and clear in its teachings about origins. Good exegesis based upon the grammatical-historical hermeneutical approach and comparing scripture with scripture leads to the conclusion that the earth was created in six 24-hour days in the recent past. Nature viewed through the lens of scripture lends support to the recent creation view.

Well-known atheist and evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins authored the now best selling book The God Delusion which was published last year. 1  This is just one of several recent popular science books by atheists to hit bookstores in the last few months. This essay will discuss selected scientific and philosophical arguments made in the Delusion.

Figure 1 - Richard Dawkins

This newsletter will review TASC’s activities in 2006 and look ahead to our plans for 2007. Besides by our monthly newsletters and meetings, TASC reached out into the community in a variety of ways through on-campus debates, presentations at churches and schools, and participation in a video on intelligent design. Substantial progress was made towards preparing a web-based Sunday school curriculum. The TASC board held a retreat, four board meetings, and an awards dinner. TASC also began the year with a new chairman.

Genesis 1 describes the separate creation of various organisms “after their kind.” This means that all life on earth is primarily related through having a common creator and not through common descent. When evolutionists claim that molecules-to-man macroevolution is a “fact”, they are often referring to evidence for common ancestry irrespective of any evolutionary mechanism. This approach helps them avoid the inherent difficulties associated with explaining how point mutations, genetic recombinations, gene duplication, and natural selection could create new genetic information by chance.

The phrase "intelligent design" is heard a great deal lately in the media, usually in the context of secondary school science education.

William Dembski

Young earth creation scientists who agree on what the bible teaches about creation may still disagree on the interpretation of natural phenomena. Such is the case with creation scientists Robert Gentry 1

The facts and laws of physics, especially in cosmology, are best explained by intelligent design. The available evidence and best theories suggest the universe had a beginning and therefore a cause. The laws of physics and chemistry are finely tuned for life as we know it. There are no known natural laws that account for the creation of the universe from nothing with all the required properties for the existence of intelligent beings. Indeed, the idea that nature created itself is self-contradictory. Speculative naturalistic explanations involving a multiverse have no empirical support. The one known cause that can account for the origin of the universe from nothing and the fine tuning of physics is a powerful intelligence.

My wife, Cassie, and I went on a three week trip to the northwest this past July and August. 1

Mark your calendars: TASC has been invited to present a series on creation this winter and spring at Grace Church, which meets on the campus of North Carolina State University. The 12 classes in the series are open to the public and will be held on Sunday nights from 6:30 to 8:00 PM starting January 25. TASC will use the new video series from the Institute for Creation Research (ICR) entitled Unlocking the Mysteries of Genesis as the framework for the classes.

The complete schedule is below:

One of the key issues in the creation-evolution debate is the origin of humans, Homo sapiens.