Creationism & Ecology

Vernon A. Raaflaub
4836 - 52A St.
Camrose, Alberta  T4V 1W4
Canada

From: PSCF 42 (March 1990): 64.

Joseph K. Sheldon has provided a helpful survey of published books and articles on Christian ecological concern (41:3:152-158). However he makes a statement that is quite misleading and should not go unchallenged: The two papers by J.W. Klotz (1971, 1984), published in the Creation Research Society Quarterly, were important exceptions to the general lack of publications coming from the "young earth" press which has focused most of its attention on the time and method of creation (p. 157).

Readers may be led to think that is generally true of creationism. The fact is, the above publication CANNOT be taken as representative of creationist interest in ecological concerns for the simple reason that the purpose of the journal has to do with the study of  origins. This does not mean that the creationists are not also interested in our Christian responsibility toward the planet. Creationist writings in THAT area will be found largely in OTHER publications. Incidentally, two creationist books NOT referred to are J.W. Klotz's  Ecology Crisis , Concordia 1971, and Francis A. Schaeffer's Pollution and the Death of Man: The Christian View of Ecology, Tyndale, 1970. Dr. John Grebe, formerly Director of Nuclear and Basic Research for Dow Chemical was known for his concern for the environment way back in the pre-1950 period, long before it became a popular movement, and he sometimes got into hot water because of it! Dr. Grebe was one of the founders of the Creation Research Society, if I recall correctly.