Re: great creationists of the past

----- Original Message -----
From: "Mervin Bitikofer" <mrb22667@kansas.net>
To: <asa@calvin.edu>
Sent: Saturday, April 15, 2006 7:04 AM
Subject: great creationists of the past

>I would like some help and feedback as I get ready to teach a section on
>'Earth history and the fossil record' to my 9th grade physical science
>class. The text we use is published by Abeka (A Christian publisher out of
>Pensacola). So as you will guess, a chapter like this one is pretty much
>entirely devoted to debunking anything smacking of evolution including
>anything of old-earth timescales. (definitely a YEC text).
>
>
> But anyway, there is a part of this chapter that seeks to dispel the myth
> that science is not / was not an inherently 'anti-Christian' thing and
> that the Biblical faith of a Christian, far from being preclusive of
> scientific achievement, is in fact (and has been) an asset. No problems
> here – I agree, though probably not in the same sense the publisher
> desires. (The book's version of what constitutes 'real science' means
> 'non-evolutionary science' – in a diametrically opposed mirror image of
> what, most of you, perhaps, would believe).
>
>
> To this end, our text presents a list of 'fields of study established by
> creationist scientists' which includes many big names of science –
> granted – most of them, but not all are Pre-Darwin. The cited reference
> for it is from (a creationist periodical?) 'Vision' March/April of 1982
> with vol. # and p. #s etc. Here are some of the names/fields included
> (there are over 40 including some repetitions of names for different
> fields). I do already know of some problems here, so check my comments
> below before you get too excited about some of these names.
>
>
> Bacteriology -- Louis Pasteur
> Calculus, dynamics, … Isaac Newton
> Celestial Mechanics -- Johannes Kepler
> Chemistry – Robert Boyle
> Computer Science – Charles Babbage
> Dimensional Analysis – Lord Rayleigh
> Electrodynamics – James C. Maxwell
> Electromagnetics – Michael Faraday
> Thermodynamics – Lord Kelvin
> Entomology – Henri Fabre
> Fluid Mechanics – George Stokes
> Galactic Astronomy – William Herschel
> Genetics – Gregor Mendel
> Glacial geology & ichthyology – Louis Agassiz
> Hydraulics – Leonardo da Vinci
> Hydrostatics – Blaise Pascal
> Isotopic chemistry – William Ramsay
> Natural History – John Ray
> Reversible thermodynamics – James Joule
> Stratigraphy – Nicholas Steno
> Systematic biology – Carolus Linnaeus
>
>
> While I have passing familiarity with some of these, and know about some
> of the more prominent ones quite well, there are others I know nothing
> about. The implication, of course, that the publisher of this list intends
> is that this is a homogenously YEC body of people – which would have
> Leonardo spinning in his grave. I also like to use Lord Kelvin to show the
> more interesting depth of texture to some of these supposedly
> 'young-earth' people. He settled on the distressingly young age of … 24
> million years, before the radioactive contributions had been discovered.
> And I've discovered a wonderful work about Nicholas Steno. "The Seashell
> on the Mountaintop" by Alan Cutler, 2003. It is subtitled: A story of
> science, sainthood, and the humble genius who discovered a new history of
> the earth. Have any of you read it? It would be a great book to recommend
> to anybody who thinks only in YEC veins as well as anybody whose thoughts
> are trapped in only anti-Christian ruts.
>
>
> But I digress from my original request: Of the other names in the list
> above, some of which I know nothing about, are there others that I should
> delve into in order to impress upon these students that not all Christian
> thinkers always thought alike and that 'creationist' doesn't always mean
> 'young-earth creationist'?
>
>
> Thanks in advance.
>
> Just having had a 'Good Friday' (curious label), what are we in now? Black
> Saturday? In anticipation of the better day, Happy Easter!

It's a curious list. E.g., "dimensional analysis" is an important
theoretical tool but it hardly ranks with "chemistry" as a major area of
science. In some cases disciplines have been split up oddly, probably in
order to list as many people the list maker likes as possible - e.g., making
a distinction between "electromagnetics" and "electrodynamics" so as to be
able to list both Faraday & Maxwell (both of whom did other important
things).

Bob has already noted that today is usually called "Holy Saturday" -
sometimes "Easter Eve" is used. It's an odd day in the traditional church
calendar since Lent ends at noon. The collect in The Lutheran Hymnal is
appropriate for that in-between status:

"O God, who didst enlighten this most holy night with the glory of the
Lord's resurrection, preserve in all Thy people the spirit of adoption which
Thou hast given, so that, renewed in body and soul, they may perform unto
Thee a pure servive; through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, who
liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world
without end. Amen."

The Easter Vigil, which begins after sunset, is the beginning of the Easter
celebration & season.

Shalom,
George.
Received on Sat Apr 15 08:28:05 2006