Creationism - National Center for Science Education

A study of the Flood would therefore be incomplete without a reference to the moral depravity of that
generation which was responsible for the destruction of the earth and without some application to the world
of today. [1951:343]
Rehwinkel followed this, his major work, with a couple of other creationist books:
The Age of the Earth and Chronology of the Bible (1967), and The Wonders of Creation.
(1974). The latter exposes evolution as “absurd, impossible, and unscientific.” “Genesis
is the only possible source for knowledge concerning the origin of the universe [since]
science is limited to the here and now...”
Two other Missouri Synod Lutherans who actively supported creationism since
the 1950s were John W. Klotz and Paul A. Zimmerman. Klotz received a Ph.D. in
biology from the University of Pittsburgh and taught science at Concordia Senior College
in Fort Wayne, Indiana. His 544-page biology textbook Genes, Genesis, and Evolution
appeared in 1955 with a revised edition in 1970. A comprehensive treatment of biology
(his training in biology is evident), especially genetics, the book includes biblical as well
as scientific references. Klotz covers the evidences for evolution fairly thoroughly, but
emphasizes the problems of evolution and clearly advocates creation. For instance, he
has chapters or sections on the “species problem,” homology, vestigial organs,
comparative physiology and biochemistry, embryology, mimicry, biogeography,
paleontology, selection and isolation, genetics and mutation, human evolutio and alleged
hominid ancestors, and various theories and proposed mechanisms for evolution. He
includes many of the standard creation-science arguments.
As Christians we know that in the Bible we do not have a theory which is subject to all sorts of changes, a
theory which has come about as a result of the restricted reasoning abilities of human beings, but we have
the inspired account of the only Being who was present at Creation...
... Certainly evolution is by no means proved, and it is not the only explanation for the organic diversity
that we find. It is not unreasonable, then, to assume that the changes which have occurred have been finite
and limited and that they have occurred within closed systems, the “kinds” of creation. [1970:519-520]
Klotz wrote several other creationist books, including one on the ecology crisis
(1971). His most recent is Studies in Creation (1985), “A General Introduction to the
Creation/Evolution Debate.” In this book, in addition to discussion of problems for
evolution, Klotz concedes and discusses “Problems for the Creationist”—areas of
creation-science which he admits are vulnerable to criticism. These include
biogeography, extinction theories (post-Flood extinctions), and continental drift. Klotz
admits that the evidence of biogeography does appear to fit evolution theory better than
creationism, but he adds that there are problems with evolutionist theory also, which he
discusses in one long final chapter.
While it is true that there are observations which fit better with the theory of evolution than they do with
the theory of special creation, there are also areas...which fit better with the concept of special creation.
One of these is the study of the evolution of man himself... Another...is the suggested mechanism for
evolution... Still another...is the whole question of the complexity of living things. [1985:143]
Klotz, a young-earth creationist, admits that is possible to reconcile an ancient earth with
creationism, but argues that if we accept the historicity of Creation and the Fall it makes
no sense to wait so long for the Redeemer.