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CTS&FACTSINSTITUTE FORCREATION RESEARCHwww.icr.orgJANUARY 2010VOL. 39 NO. 1Reflectionson aLe g a c y

How do I explain the differences between biblical creation and evolution?What evidence for the origin of life should my students know?Where do I go for trustworthy information on science research and education?ORIGINOF LifeCr e at i o n-Bas e d K-12 Cu r r i c u l u m SupplementThe first of a new series, Origin of Life deals with the most crucial issues inscience education today. Explore with your students such essential questionsas: What is life? How did it get started on earth? What are the physicalrequirements for life? Can it exist somewhere else in the solar system?$24.95(plus shipping and handling)To order, call800.628.7640 or visitwww.icr.org/storeOrigin of Life includes a teacher’s manual and aCD-ROM packed with K-12 reproducibleclassroom activities and PowerPointpresentations. Science EducationEssentials are designed to workwithin your school’s existing sciencecurriculum, with an uncompromisingfoundation of creation-based scienceinstruction.Science Education EssentialsThis new series of science teaching supplements exemplifies what theInstitute for Creation Research does best—providing solid answers for thetough questions teachers face about science and origins.Look for additional titles later this year:• Structure of Matter • Human Heredity • Genetic DiversityFor more information, visit www.icr.org/essentialsDemand the Evidence. Get it @ ICR.

FROM THE EDITORSteadfast and ResoluteCONTENTSResolutions at the beginning of theNew Year have occasionally beenhelpful, but are often forgottenwithin the first month or so, usuallybecause most resolutions have something todo with food!Making New Year’s resolutions is not badin itself, but we all should be more circumspectabout setting down new commitments for thenext 12 months. Do we really have plans to fulfillthem, or do they just constitute wishful thinkingon our part? “I’m going to lose 10 poundsa week” or “I plan to stop drinking lattes everyday” or “I definitely will plow through that bookwithin the next six weeks.” And the list goes onand on.Commitments are great, but they must beset forth with more than just a “want to” or elsethey will fail every time. Think about the resolutionsyou’ve made over the years. How many didyou actually see to completion? And what was itthat gave you victory in each of these?This January issue of Acts & Facts is, infact, the fruit of a commitment made 40 yearsago by Dr. Henry Morris when he founded theInstitute for Creation Research. A brilliant academicianand researcher, Dr. Morris was at thepinnacle of his career in science as Chairman ofthe Engineering Department at Virginia Tech, apost he held for twelve years. But while he excelledin university life, Dr. Morris possessed amuch deeper commitment to something of fargreater value: communicating the wonders ofGod’s creation. And it was this commitment thatled him to San Diego in 1970—leaving behindthe prestige of university leadership—to helpfound Christian Heritage College, of which ICRbecame the research arm.Each year in January, we take a look backat what God has done in and through ICR duringthe past year, and we do so again in this issue.But we also take a look back through the pen ofour founder to the beginning of ICR in order toexamine not only how and why it was founded,but also to see how that initial commitment hasremained true over the past four decades.And so it will be true in each issue of Acts& Facts this year: remembering the blessings ofGod year after year, but also looking forward tohow the Lord is leading ICR in its future work,intent on that one great purpose—communicatingthe wonders of God’s creation.This is an exciting time for all of us involvedin the work of creation science, and Iwonder sometimes what our culture would belike today if there never had been an ICR, if HenryMorris had never made that commitment in1970. I trust it is your prayer along with ours thatwe all remain steadfast and resolute in our owncommitments to communicating the truth tothose around us, as Henry Morris began to dothrough ICR 40 years ago. Thank you in advancefor your continued partnership with us.From all of us here at ICR, Happy New Year!Lawrence E. FordEx e c u t i v e Ed i to r4CountingOur BlessingsLawrence E. FordReflections on a Legacy10 Henry M. Morris, Ph.D.Lessons from Mount14 St. HelensJohn D. Morris, Ph.D.15Tapir Testimony toCreationFrank Sherwin, M.A.Why Do Animals Play?16 Brian Thomas, M.S.Earth’s Catastrophic18 PastLetters to the Editor20Radio Log21The Silent MultitudeHenry M. Morris IVGod’s Omniscience22 Henry M. Morris III, D.Min.Published byInstitute for Creation ResearchP. O. Box 59029, Dallas, TX 75229214.615.8300www.icr.orgExecutive Editor: Lawrence E. FordManaging Editor: Beth MullAssistant Editor: Christine DaoDesigner: Dennis DavidsonNo articles may be reprinted inwhole or in part without obtainingpermission from ICR.JANUARY 2010 • ACTS&FACTS3

Counting OurA year in review, a legacy in perspectiveL A W R E N C E E . F O R DAnniversaries are exciting events, particularlywhen they celebrate decades ofcommitment, as is the case in 2010 withthe 40th anniversary of the Institute forCreation Research. Our usual “Year in Review”issue has a wonderful new dimension, a celebrationnot only of the many blessings of 2009, butalso a reflection on the working of God over thepast 40 years at ICR.The primary mission activities at ICRinvolve scientific research, graduate-level andprofessional education, and diverse platformsfor communicating the truth of the creationmessage through publications, events, andmass media. Below is a recap of just some of thehighlights of ICR’s past year. In the pages thatfollow, our desire is that you get a sense of howand why ICR was founded, and that during themany years of ministry our commitment to thetruth of the Genesis record and the authenticityof the entire Bible has remained steadfast.ResearchScientific research constitutes the core ofICR’s activity, providing foundational data usedin our various educational programs, as well asin our various forms of communication, suchas books, conferences, radio, etc. This past yearsaw further growth in our science department,both in terms of personnel and projects.Climatology—Dr. Larry Vardimancontinued his work on the ICE AGE project,a paleoclimatology research effort looking atthe behavior of glaciers during the post-FloodIce Age, particularly the effects observed inYosemite Valley. Read his article “Ice Age Glaciersat Yosemite National Park” at icr.org. Dr.Vardiman will also be publishing a new andexpanded work on the issue of global warmingin 2010.Geology—Senior geology researcher Dr.Steve Austin continues oversight of the FloodActivated Sedimentation and Tectonics(FAST) research program. Recently, Dr. Austinheld the annual FAST science meeting in conjunctionwith the Geological Society of America(GSA) convention, where he also led a GSAsponsoredfield trip to the slopes of Mount St.Helens. Dr. Austin’s peer-reviewed field guidearticle titled “The dynamic landscape on thenorth flank of Mount St. Helens” was publishedby GSA in 2009.Biology—Dr. Nathaniel Jeanson, arecent Harvard graduate, has now joined Drs.Charles McCombs, Jeffrey Tomkins, and RandyGuliuzza to round out ICR’s most significant4 ACTS&FACTS • JANUARY 2010

esearch team, now tasked with planning anew multi-year science program that ICR willundertake in 2010. Please pray for wisdom asthese men work through the many details thatcomprise this comprehensive project.During 2009, ICR’s National CreationScience Foundation (NCSF) has sponsorednine research grants, including Dr. Steve Austin’sArgentina project on the Santa Cruz River,which was published in February2009. In this project,Dr. Austin demonstratedwhere Darwin went wrongover 150 years ago in hisgeological interpretations.Many other projects arestill underway, and ICR continues to encourageresearch-minded supporters to partner with usin this work that is now in its 40th year.EducationEducation is an imperative at ICR. Nowoffering three educational programs, ICRhas expanded its efforts in training men andwomen to effectively communicate truth withan unwavering commitment to the authorityand authenticity of the Bible.The ICR Graduate School continuesto impact science teachers from around theworld. While the new M.S. program is primarilycompleted online, face-to-face laboratoriesare conducted throughout the year. This year’slabs included biological origins, planetary andstellar astronomy, paleontology, and geology.Students experienced a variety of hands-on science.Several in the program are slated to graduatein June 2010.A recent survey of graduate studentsrevealed that ICRGS has had and is continuingto have an impact on the creation science movement.Attendees use their degrees and/or theknowledge they gained about creation scienceat ICRGS to establish their own creation ministries,to promote accurate biblical science teachingin the Christian school classroom and/orwhile giving lectures, and to further their workwith scientists. The response to the survey substantiatedthat our goals—(1) to prepare scienceteachers and other individuals to understandthe universe within the integrating frameworkof a biblical perspective using proven scientificdata, and (2) to prepare students for leadershipin science education—are being met.In October 2009, ICR launched abrand-new graduate school called the Schoolof Biblical Apologetics (SOBA), which offersa two-year Master in Christian Education andApologetics degree. Students currently meeteach week at ICR’s campus in Dallas, Texas.Dr. Jim Johnson leads this new graduate programand has enlisted ICR faculty, as wellas well-known theologians such as Dr. StanToussaint and Dr. Eugene Merrill from DallasTheological Seminary. Read more aboutSOBA at www.icr.org/soba.The Creationist Worldview professionalcertificate program continues to be one ofthe most popular apologetics study programsat ICR, engaging adult students in some 33courses over the year-long, self-paced course ofstudy. Check out the video and demo for theCreationist Worldview at www.icr.org/cw.And finally, as the leading creation scienceresearch organization, ICR scientists andfaculty launched plans in 2009 for a series ofscience education teaching supplements calledScience Education Essentials. These teacherfriendlyunits address many aspects of thebiblical view of origins and earth history, withthe goal to provide science teachers a depth ofknowledge on vital science topics and to offermeaningful curriculum material for classroomuse. Pilot-tested with real teachers and students,each Science Education Essentials supplementcontains a teacher’s content book along witha supplement disc containing hundredsof pages of instructions, lessonplans, lab activities,PowerPoints, andother reproduciblematerial for K-12science teachers.The first supplement,The Originof Life, debuted at themany Association ofChristian Schools International (ACSI) conventionsheld around the country in October andNovember. Hands-on sessions were conductedat the Portland, Kansas City, Seattle, Sacramento,and Anaheim ACSI conventions to give teacherspractical activities that are biblically and scientificallybased. Some 50 curriculum supplementswill eventually be produced, including TheStructure of Matter, Human Heredity, GeneticDiversity, Geologic Processes, and more.CommunicationsThe Communications emphasis at ICRcomprises the outward-looking activity of theministry in the areas of Publications, Events,and Media. During the past twelve months, ICRhas expanded in each of these areas.PublicationsActs & Facts monthly magazine continuesto be the anchor of ICR communications, offeringtimely scientific andbiblical articles to a readershipof over 100,000 eachmonth. In February 2009,ICR presented a specialdouble issue of Acts & Factsto highlight the fallacy of theevolutionary message popularized by CharlesDarwin, whose 200th birthday was celebratedthat same month. This special-edition Acts &Facts was distributed additionally to thousandsof pastors and educators at conferences aroundthe country, such as the Shepherds Conference,the Jacksonville Pastors Conference, the MoodyPastor’s Conference, ACSI International Conferences,and many more.The Days of Praise devotional booklet,distributed to nearly 300,000 individuals eachJANUARY 2010 • ACTS&FACTS5

quarter, continues to be a leading personal Biblestudy help to many here in the United States,and now additionally in the Russian languagethrough a special partnership with the SlavicGospel Association.ICR also published in 2009 a number ofnew resources, including:• Five Reasons to Believein Recent Creation—Dr.Henry Morris III• Thinking God’s ThoughtsAfter Him—ChristineDao• Exploring the Evidencefor Creation—Dr. Henry Morris III• A New Theory of Climate Change—Dr. LarryVardiman• The Origin of Life (Science EducationEssentials)—ICR Faculty• Made in His Image—Dr. Randy Guliuzza• Earth’s Catastrophic Past—Dr. AndrewSnelling• The Fossil Record, Teaching Poster• Days of Christmas—Dr. Henry MorrisMany more resources will be in printduring 2010, including The Fossil Record by Dr.John Morris and Frank Sherwin, along withseveral more Science Education Essentials curriculumsupplements.EventsCommunicating creation truth throughseminars and conferences has been a hallmarkof ICR’s ministry since its founding in 1970.Even prior to that, Dr. Henry Morris routinelyspoke on college campuses and in churches onthe topic of scientific evidence for creation andthe Flood.In 2009, ICR sent many of our faculty andstaff throughout the country to speak on thesevery same issues at churches, Christian schools,education conferences, and pastor’s conventions.Of special notewere a sold-out creationtour at YosemiteNational Park,requests to lead 74seminars at the ACSIconferences aroundthe United States, andhosting three major “Demand the Evidence”conferences in Florida, California, and Texas,featuring guests teachers Dr. John MacArthurand Dr. Mac Brunson, along with main sessionstaught by Dr. Henry Morris III, Dr. John Morris,Dr. Randy Guliuzza, and a youth ministrysession by ICR’s Lalo Gunther.MediaRadio continues to be a major tool forthe creation message, as ICR continues to airits three programs around the world on some1,500 outlets. Science, Scripture, & Salvation airseach week, Back to Genesiswith Dr. John Morrisairs each day, as doesDe Regreso a Genesis, theSpanish-language versionof Back to Genesis.New stations pick upan ICR program everymonth, and we were able to secure digital satellitedistribution for much of our programmingearly in 2009.ICR also routinely fields media requestsfrom news media and production studios lookingfor the scientific perspective of our scientistsand staff. Interview requests this past year havecome from outlets such as Fox News, U.S. News& World Report, The Washington Post, The BostonGlobe, Moody Radio Network, AmericanFamily Radio Network, many radio talk programs,and a couple of movie studios.Much of the mainstream media requestsin 2009 focused on Charles Darwin and evolution,as the world began celebrating this manand his popularized notionthat God had nothing to dowith the origin or developmentof life on our planet.Other requests discussedthe rise of Islamic creationism,the fossil discoveries of“Ida” and “Ardi” and dinosaurs with flesh, anddragons and dinosaurs, and ICR’s battle withthe state of Texas over our application to movethe 28-year-old Graduate School from Californiato Texas.A highlight of 2009 was the request tohave Dr. John Morris lead a scientific expeditionon the Galapagos Islands with Vision Forumpresident Doug Phillips for the newly releasedmovie Mysterious Islands (see ad on page 17).God has indeed worked in marvelousways to communicate His truth to literally millionsaround the world through the ministry ofICR and the many daughter ministries it hasbirthed over these past four decades. Thanks beto God!Vital Support AreasOf course, the three major missionsabove cannot function without the crucial workof others at ICR, those who facilitate the day-todayoperations of our ministry. Here are somehighlights of what’s been happening in otherareas in 2009:Donor RelationsIn April 2009, ICR began to see the firstfruits of our participation in the CombinedFederal Campaign (CFC), a national charitablegifts program for government employees,such as military personnel, postal workers, etc.Henry Morris IV and his staff attended the largeCFC convention at the Pentagon in the fall andplaced announcements throughout the fall ina special edition of the Washington Times. ICRhas been unanimously approved to participatein the upcoming 2010 CFC campaign.Planned Giving with ICR reached newheights in July 2009 with the unveiling of theGift Legacy website. ICR supporters can nowexplore a variety of tax-saving plans, buildtheir own custom proposals, and use financialcalculators to test various ways to partnerwith ICR. Nearly 10,000 page-views have beenrecorded in the first four months of operation.Visit www.icr.org/give for more information.Dr. Henry Morris III traveled throughoutthe country in fall 2009 to meet withmany faithful partners of ICR,holding informational dinnersin California, Oregon,6 ACTS&FACTS • JANUARY 2010

Washington, Alaska, Colorado, and Florida,and thanking many long-time supporters ofICR for their ongoing commitment to the ministrystarted 40 years ago.Each year ICR is independently auditedfor fiscal soundness, and theministry once again demonstratedsignificant reductionsin administrative costs,helping many more donationdollars to be used for our three primaryareas of ministry.Internet MinistriesThe ICR website continues to expandboth in terms of power and impact. ConvenientRSS feeds were added to further distribute ourDaily Science Updates and Days of Praise articlesin electronic form. And, for creation advocateson the go, icr.org now includes a “MobileView” link on the home page in order to displayICR’s pages on your cell phone or other mobiledevice.A new “Share” button has been added sothat visitors can easily share ICR’s vast libraryof thousands of articles with others with justa few clicks, sending timely information tofriends and family via email, Twitter, Facebook,and many othersocial sites. ICR’sFacebook presenceis now followedby 16,000 fans, many of whom are alsofans of the Great Scientists Who Honored theCreator, a series of unique pages on Facebookhighlighting the men of science who were alsomen of God. Are you a fan of ICR?At the end of 2009, ICR began postingrelevant videos on our site in order to enhancethe viewer experience. These clips include anIntroduction to ICR (www.icr.org/discover),the National Creation Science Foundation(www.icr.org/research), and the CreationistWorldview Professional Certificate Program(www.icr.org/cw). Look for more Video onDemand in 2010.And remember, www.icr.org is a treasurechest of 40 years worth of professional articleson science and Bible topics, all freely available24 hours a day. Start surfing today!The Battle for Science EducationIn April 2009, ICR filed both federal andstate lawsuits in the state of Texas in order todefend our right to move the 28-year-old ICRGraduate School from California to Texas. (Thestate suit was originally needed because a stateagency cannot be sued involuntarily in a federalcourt.) Many will recall that the Texas HigherEducation Coordinating Board (THECB)denied this move in 2008 because of that agency’sinsistence that science can only be definedin evolutionary terms.The THECB and some of its officials, asdefendants, chose to “remove” the state lawsuitto the Austin federal districtcourt, combiningthe triable issues fromboth cases in one federalcourt, a result notpossible apart from thedefendants’ voluntary“removal.” (The Dallascase is now dismissed, due to the Austin federalcase containing all of the triable issues.) Meanwhile,ICR continues to appeal the THECB’sadministrative decision within the State Officeof Administrative Hearings (SOAH). Both thefederal and SOAH trials are scheduled for nextsummer, and ICR is currently working througha long list of standard pre-trial motions andactivities.As you pray for ICR in these cases, pleasekeep in mind that this effort affects not onlyour graduate school operating in the state ofTexas, but the viewpoint of any non-profit educationalinstitution that may disagree with thestate agency officials’ beliefs about the age ofthe earth, a “big bang,” or the like. Discriminationof an institution’s viewpoint, both on freespeech and religious grounds, is at stake here, soplease continue to pray for God to guide theseimportant legal matters.Reflection and AnticipationThere were many more activities in whichICR was involved during 2009 that we feel weresignificant to the growth of the ministry or theeffectiveness of our efforts. There is no doubt inour minds and hearts that the unique work ofICR continues to be vital to the communicationand defense of truth within a culture that wouldrather avoid truth or redefine it altogether.Genesis 1:1 is the ultimate apologetic, ifyou really think about it. If you cannot openyour Bible and believe that “in the beginningGod created…,” then how will you trust anyother miracle described in the Bible? The factthat ICR is a science organization does notnegate our unwavering acknowledgement thatJesus Christ is Creator and Lord of the universeand all life. Real science is God-honoring science.Looking forward to the months and yearsahead, ICR is eager to discover how God willuse us in understanding, educating, and communicatingthe wonders of His creation. Praythat we will do His work in His way, and for Hisglory.And while a number of ministries havehad to cut back on projects and personnel, Godhas allowed us to continue expanding in both ofthese areas, encouraging us with the prayerfulfinancial support of many faithful partners andallowing us to streamline many of our operationsto make the work as efficient as possible,as good stewards of the grace you and manyothers have contributed toward us throughyour gifts. We do not take this grace for granted,and we are more circumspect than ever aboutthe resources God has placed in our hands;your ongoing support is needed more thanever. However, we also are prayerfully movingforward with anticipation of His continuedblessings on the work He entrusted to us 40years ago.Throughout 2010, look for various special40th anniversary events and publications atICR and join with us in celebrating what Godhas done!Mr. Ford is Executive Editor.JANUARY 2010 • ACTS&FACTS7

De m a n d t h e Ev i d e n c eC r e a t i o n Wo r l d v i e w Le c t u r e Se r i e s• Can Genesis be trusted when it says God createdthe world in 6 days?• What does belief in evolution say about thecharacter of God?• Is the earth really millions or billions of years old?• Who has the last word on interpreting what Godsaid and did—scientists or Scripture?In 2009, the world celebrated the life and work ofCharles Darwin, the man who popularized the notion ofevolution. Are you prepared to combat this false doctrineand those who would compromise the Word of God?For 40 years, the Institute for Creation Research hasled the way in research and education in the field ofscientific and biblical creation, bringing the evidencefor creation to churches, schools, and in citywideconferences. ICR’s Demand the Evidence multi-DVDboxed set presents eight video presentations on vitalworldview issues that affect every Christian today.Hear speakers like Dr. John MacArthur, Dr. MacBrunson, Dr. Henry Morris III, Dr. John Morris, and Dr.Randy Guliuzza present solid evidence from science andScripture on topics such as Proclaiming Christ as Creatorand Lord, Genesis and the Character of God, Biblical andScientific Evidence for Recent Creation, Examining theComplexities of the Human Body, and many more.This multi-disc DVD boxed set isonly $75.00(plus shipping and handling)To order, call 800.628.7640,or visit www.icr.org/store

EVENTSICR JANUARY EVENTSJanuary 6Frisco, TX – First Baptist Church(H. Morris III) 972.335.9830January 10Dallas, TX – Preston Road Church of Christ(J. Morris) 214.762.3287January 13Frisco, TX – First Baptist Church(H. Morris III) 972.335.9830January 16-23Cave Creek, AZ – Arizona Origin Science Association(Sherwin) 480.540.8953January 20Frisco, TX – First Baptist Church(H. Morris III) 972.335.9830January 24Mount Vernon, MO – First Baptist Church(Sherwin) 417.466.3735January 27Frisco, TX – First Baptist Church(H. Morris III) 972.335.9830January 27-28Sewell, NJ – Bethel Prep Classical School(Guliuzza) 856.270.6022January 29-February 2Jacksonville, FL – First Baptist ChurchJacksonville Pastors’ Conference888.827.1825Take aCreation EducationVacation in FloridaImagine picking up seashells along a sandyFlorida beach, or canoeing down Peace Rivercollecting fossils of mammoths, great whitesharks, and a giant sloth bigger than T. rex. Youcan do all that, while learning how your shellsand fossils illustrate biblical truths about God’screation. Join ICR’s Dr. Gary Parker and his wife,Mary, for a unique adventure in creation science.Filled with hands-on workshops and field trips,this Creation Education Vacation is ideal forhomeschool parents and children. Choose from avariety of dates (Sunday evening to Friday noon):February 21-26, March 14-19, April 4-9, or April18-23.For more information or to reserve your spot,visit CreationAdventuresMuseum.org,write to creation@strato.net,or call 863.494.9558.February 1-5Chicago, IL – Moody Founder’s Week ConferenceFebruary 3Frisco, TX – First Baptist Church(H. Morris III) 972.335.9830February 4-5Galveston, TX – Association of ChristianSchools International Conference(Nason) 719.528.6906For more information on these events or to schedule an event,please contact the ICR Events Department at 800.337.0375 orevents@icr.org.JANUARY 2010 • ACTS&FACTS9

}IMPACTReflectionson aLe g a c yFour Decades of Creation MinistryIn 1961, Drs. Henry M. Morris and John C. Whitcombpublished The Genesis Flood, a landmark bookoffering persuasive scientific evidence that the biblicalaccount of creation and the Flood could be confidentlyviewed as reliable and historical. Since then,countless people have been strengthened in their faithby this book and subsequent creationist publications.Dr. Morris is widely regarded as the father ofthe modern creation science movement. This year,the Institute for Creation Research celebrates fourdecades of the ministry he founded to denounce theerrors of evolutionary thought and to proclaim theaccuracy, authority, and sufficiency of God’s Word.In his honor, we are sharing with you some of histhoughts toward the end of his time with the Instituteregarding its importance, mission, and purpose.H e n r y M . M o r r i s , P h . D .}The Vital Truth of CreationThe conflict between creation and evolutionis not merely an argument between twoscientific theories of origins. It is a conflictbetween the only two basic worldviews of lifeand meaning—one centered in God and Hispurposes for the world, the other centeredaround man and his own personal and societalgoals.Evolutionism is a naturalistic philosophyof life and meaning, with human beingsregarded as the highest achievement of billionsof years of evolutionary development of allthings by natural processes. Creationism, onthe other hand, assumes that all the basic systemsin nature were created supernaturally byGod. Each theory is thus precisely the oppositeof the other. The question is: Which theory istrue and which is false?Three Basic TestsThere are three basic tests by which thetwo theories can be compared—the scientifictest, the “fruit test,” and the biblical test.As far as science is concerned, the scientificevidence is precisely what would be predictedfrom creationism. There is no knowncase of macroevolution (from one distinct“kind” of organism to another) in all the thousandsof years of recorded history. Secondly, inthe fossil record of the past, there is no knowntransitional series of fossils from one kind toanother among all the billions of known nontransitionalfossils. Finally, the universal scientificlaw of entropy specifies the “downward”tendency of all things toward decrease oforganized complexity. Thus, all the real scientificevidence (as distinct from similarities andother circumstantial evidences) strongly favorscreation over evolution.Consider also the fruit test. Jesus said,“By their fruits ye shall know them” (Matthew7:20). The fruits of evolution include atheism,communism, fascism, and all kinds of harmfulbehavior and evil philosophy, but not onegood fruit in the form of real scientific advancein either living standards or altruistic behavior.Belief in primeval supernatural creation, onthe other hand, was the motivating convictionof practically all the founding fathers of modernscience, of the American nation, and of the10 ACTS&FACTS • JANUARY 2010

Dr. Henry Morris in October 2000 at the celebration of ICR’s 30th anniversaryand dedication of a new ICR building in Santee, California.original education system of this country. Allthe basic doctrines of Christianity are foundedon the truth of primeval special creation. Creationismcertainly scores much higher thanevolutionism on the fruit test.Finally, there is not a hint anywhere inScripture of evolution or the long ages necessaryfor evolution. On the other hand, the veryfirst chapter of the Bible teaches the specialcreation of the space/mass/time universe andeverything in it. This teaching is emphasizedall through the Bible. See my book, BiblicalCreationism, for discussion of every biblicalverse dealing with origins and earth history. 1There is an abundance of documentationfor these conclusions in the three-volumeModern Creation Trilogy (“Science and Creation,”“Scripture and Creation,” “Society andCreation”), 2 and also in many other bookspublished or distributed by ICR and numerousother publishers. The evidence for thetruth of creation and the falsity of evolutiontruly is overwhelming.Why Young-Earth Creationism?In large part because of ICR, there hasbeen a significant revival of belief in creationduring the past forty years. But there is stilltremendous opposition from the academic,scientific, and political establishments directedespecially at any commitment to six-day creationand the worldwide Flood.Because of this opposition to biblicalliteralism, many creationists have felt it expedientto focus their arguments only against evolutionarynaturalism. Various compromiseshave been proposed; the one receiving themost attention currently is a revival of what itsproponents are calling the “Intelligent Design”movement. However, the evolutionary establishmentopposes all such compromise views asdogmatically as it does literal biblical creationism.Furthermore, the evidence for “IntelligentDesign” in nature is just as compatible withIslam, Judaism, and many New Age religionsas it is with the Bible.The written Word of God clearly revealsthat the true history of the world begins withsix literal days of creation followed later by thecataclysmic global Flood of Noah’s day. Fordetailed scientific and biblical evidence provingrecent creation and the worldwide Flood,one should also read The Young Earth. 3Furthermore, any interpretation allowingbillions of years of earth history also meansallowing billions of years of suffering and deathin the world before there was any sin. This compromiseeven undermines the gospel itself, makingthe atoning death of Christ for sin redundantand meaninglessly cruel. It also leaves theadvocates of mere “Intelligent Design” withouteither a scientific or biblical explanation forthe fossil sequences and sedimentary layers asarranged in the geologic column.Thus Bible-believing Christians shouldtake the Genesis record literally if we reallywant to honor God and His Word and to winpeople to genuine saving faith in our greatCreator and Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ.There is no other worldview which is true toall the facts of Scripture, science, and history,and there is surely no biblical reason to compromiseon such a vital truth.Reasons for Founding ICRInitially, ICR was a division of ChristianHeritage College (CHC), which had beenfounded in 1970 as a unique Christian liberalarts college and eventually a university firmlycommitted in all programs to a specifically creationist(meaning literal six-day creation andglobal Flood) worldview.As CHC co-founder, I had argued for thisapproach as the result of my 28 years of teachingexperience in five large secular universities,plus speaking on many other campuses as aresult of the impact of the book The GenesisFlood. All secular colleges had been structuredcompletely around evolutionary humanism,and all evangelical colleges seemed to haveaccepted the evolutionary geological ages.However, the accrediting associationwould not allow us to offer graduate degreesin science, so we had to do this through makingICR a separate institution. M.S. degrees arealmost universally required for science teacherseven in Christian schools, and these had tobe obtained (before ICR, that is) from secularuniversities. So the ICR Graduate School wasformed in 1980 and has been offering M.S.degrees in four key science areas dealing withorigins since 1981. Over a dozen other Christianliberal arts colleges have also started teachingliteral biblical creationism in science, butICR is still alone in offering graduate programsin science.What ICR’s Purpose Is NOTBecause ICR has become internationallyknown largely because of its books, seminars,etc., I must first emphasize that these are allvital extension ministries, but not ICR’s mainpurpose.JANUARY 2010 • ACTS&FACTS11

IMPACTDr. Henry Morris, with Drs. Duane Gish and John Morris.12(1) ICR is NOT a publishing businessWe cannot measure our success by book sales. Ihave written some 60 books myself, so I surelyappreciate the importance of publishing substantivebooks on creation. But that is only anextension aspect of our basic mission.(2) ICR is NOT a seminar ministryAlthough I have participated in many seminars—evenbefore CHC or ICR were formed—and these have been of significant influence instimulating global awareness of the issue, thisalso is merely an extension of ICR’s fundamentalpurpose.(3) ICR is NOT a church renewal or correctionalministryMany churches today surely need to return tosound doctrine and practice with respect tobiblical creation. I strongly believe in the localchurch—have served as teacher and deaconin three of them and pulpit speaker in hundreds.My wife and I even started a church(now thriving with a fine new sanctuary)that began with two families and several collegestudents (meeting in our basement). But“straightening-out” churches is not our basicpurpose at ICR.(4) ICR is NOT a children’s or youth ministryWe have great concern for children and youngpeople, but again reaching them is not ourmain goal. My wife sponsored and taughtChild Evangelism classes for many years, andwe have seen many children come to Christ.As far as college youth are concerned, I haveserved as faculty advisor to Christian studentorganizations in five secular universities (inone, over 50 were saved in one year!).(5) ICR is NOT an evangelistic ministryEvangelism is vitally important, but is essentiallyan indirect result of the ICR mission. Weare thankful when people are saved throughone of our ICR books or seminars, but this isnot our main purpose as an organization.ACTS&FACTS • JANUARY 2010(6) ICR is NOT a missionary agencyAlthough a few churches have placed ICR ontheir missionary budget, and the outreachof our ICR books, seminars, radio, etc., hasextended into six continents, this is not ourmain purpose.(7) ICR is NOT a political organizationAlthough we would love to see creationismtaught in all schools, we have never sponsoredlegislation to accomplish this. Fromthe biblical perspective, all education shouldbe under the home, not the government, butwe do not try to attain such an ideal withpolitical pressure.The Distinctive Purpose of ICRThere is nothing wrong with the aboveactivities; all of them are very important, butICR’s main purpose (note Isaiah 51:1-2) is notevangelism or missions, not books or politics,not church growth or youth ministries.Our primary ministry is education!Especially higher education, including relevantresearch at the graduate level. This purposemay seem mundane and relatively unimportantto some Christians. Evangelism, missions,political power, personal relationships—allmay seem to be more glamorous and worthyof support. But that is not the way God sees it!God’s first commandment on the createdearth was what has been called thedominion mandate (Genesis 1:26-28) and thishas never been withdrawn or diluted. It wasrepeated and extended to the survivors of theglobal deluge (Genesis 9:1-7). This first divinemandate requires what we now would call scientificresearch and then the transmission ofthe accumulating information about God’screation to all succeeding generations (that is,by education!). Since this was His first priority,it surely warrants our obedience and supporteven today.A second worldwide divine mandate isthe Great Commission, which could also becalled the Missionary Mandate—calling forteaching about God’s redemptive work. It wasnot given to all mankind (as was the first mandate)but only to believing Christians.As in the dominion mandate, educationagain is emphasized. Jesus said that we shouldbe “teaching them to observe all things whatsoeverI have commanded you” (Matthew28:19-20). The new mandate thus not onlycommands preaching the gospel and baptizingbelievers but teaching everything taught byChrist!This includes everything in His creation,“for all things were made by Him” and He isnow “upholding all things” (John 1:3; Hebrews1:3). As Creator, He had issued the primeval

dominion mandate and this later mandatenow implies teaching all things learned underthe first mandate, in addition to teaching aboutHis work of redeeming all things.All true education therefore should becarried out in the context of both creation andredemption, Christ being the Author of bothmandates.Because of its key importance in God’splan for His creation, Satan has sought verysuccessfully to gain control of education—especially higher education. His system of evolutionis the key weapon in his control of educationand he bitterly opposes all who presumeto teach against that system. ICR was foundedwith this very issue in mind.The ICR Graduate School therefore hasthe primary mission of providing true education,in its creation/redemption frameworkinstead of the evolutionary humanistic systemwhich permeates all secular colleges and universitiesand has led even most evangelical collegesto compromise with it.Ideally, ICR (or some other Christianeducational institution or consortium) shouldprovide such creation-oriented education atall levels in all fields. This may seem impossible,however, as long as Satan is “the god ofthis world” (2 Corinthians 4:4). Nevertheless,the two mandates need to be implemented bymeans of at least one great creationist university(the very term implies “universal” coverage),which could serve as a model for others(and perhaps even as a foundation and modelfor the education system in a future millennium!).ICR is not that needed central universityof research and education, but we havemade a start in the ICR Graduate School withits students and science faculty (full-time andadjunct). Our four science M.S. programswould be the key component in any suchfuture university, or consortium of Christiancolleges. There are now a significant numberof colleges that have become committed to literalbiblical creationism, but none as yet offergraduate science programs except ICR.Thus, as I envision it at least, ICR hasfour chief functions at present:1. Providing M.S. creationist training in thekey sciences related to origins and earth history.Evolution dominates every field today,but those in all other fields do this on thebasis that “science” has “proved” evolution(an utterly false concept!). This notion mustbe corrected.2. Training science teachers for other Christianschools, including elementary and secondaryschools.3. Winning the “sciences” to Christ. That is,we are developing model curricula whichteach the actual facts of biology, geology,etc., in a biblical creationist framework.Also, ICR-sponsored research (e.g., RATE)is resolving supposed scientific problemsin creationism.4. Developing extension ministries (books,seminars, radio, etc.) which can reach manyothers in all walks of life with the essentialsof scientific creationism. In addition, noGraduate School is ever financed solely bytuitions, and ICR does not solicit or acceptgovernment grants, but these adjunct ministriesalso help win supporters. Our primaryfinancial support must come fromsuch concerned Christian men and women.God has blessed ICR with a marvelousworldwide impact since we started on a shoestringin 1970. No doubt we can improve inmany ways and we need your prayers, but wemust never forget why we began and where weare going.Finally, all this should be carried out inthe light of eternity and God’s ultimate purposefor us in His magnificent, infinite, andeternal creation.References1. Morris, H. 1993. Biblical Creationism. Grand Rapids, MI:Baker Books, 276 pp.2. Morris, H. and J. Morris. 1996. Modern Creation Trilogy.Green Forest, AR: Master Books, 774 pp.3. Morris, J. 2007. The Young Earth, rev. Green Forest, AR: MasterBooks, 144 pp.Dr. Henry Morris and wife Mary with Dr. Tim LaHaye, co-founder of Christian Heritage College,and his wife, Beverly.Adapted from Dr. Morris’ article “Why ICR—And Why Now?’in the July 2001 Acts & Facts, and his article “ICR—Its Originand Goal” in the May 2005 Acts & Facts.Dr. Morris (1918-2006) was Founder of the Institute for CreationResearch.JANUARY 2010 • ACTS&FACTS13

BACK TO GENESISReaders of Acts & Facts know ofICR’s long-standing research interestin Mount St. Helens, thevolcano in Washington state thaterupted on May 18, 1980. Attendees of manyICR seminars have likewise been introducedto the fascinating lessons learned there. Thiseruption provided remarkable insight into thegreat Flood of Noah’s day, for it produced geologicproducts and landforms that mirror thosestemming from the Flood. Its results included:Lessons fromMount St. HelensJ o h n D . M o r r i s , P h .D.• up to 600 feet of water-deposited sediments,which look strikingly like those found worldwidein the greater geologic record;• a deep, eroded canyon through those sedimentsthat has been dubbed the “LittleGrand Canyon”;• fresh basalts that are dated by radiometricmeans to be over two million years old;• a log mat of about four million trees, a forestthat was catastrophically ripped from theground and is now floating in a nearby lake;• a thick peat layer accumulating under themat that is poised to become a coal deposit;• upright floating logs that have the signatureappearance of the petrified forest at YellowstoneNational Park.The comparison between a recent volcaniceruption and the Flood may seem tenuous,until one realizes that the Flood, while dominantlya hydraulic cataclysm, was also triggeredand energized by a tectonic convulsion ofearth’s surface. The first mechanism God usedto judge the earth was when “all the fountainsof the great deep [were] broken up” (Genesis7:11), sending tsunamis and mudflows acrossthe continents, no doubt accompanied bymega volcanic eruptions. This was followed byan upwarping of the ocean bottom, spilling itscontents onto the continents. Then came themonths-long downpour of rain.Consider that most of the damage doneby the 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption waswater related, not volcanic. The glacier on themountain’s summit suddenly melted, sendingavalanches of water and debris cascading downthe mountainside, depositing thick, watersaturatedsediments on the lower slopes andthroughout the drainage basin.ICR has found that there is no better“first dose” of creation material than the lessonslearned at Mount St. Helens. It has oftenbeen an individual’s introduction to creationthinking, made all the more powerful becausethe eruption was so well observed. Earth featuresthat had been considered to have takenlong ages to be accomplished, were seen tohappen rapidly, almost instantaneously. Italso has been a conviction to those Bible-believingChristians who had thought it necessaryto compromise Christian doctrine withthe millions of years demanded by evolution.The Flood has always been the key to understandingearth history, for, on the authorityof the Word of God, where could you go onearth and not encounter a flooded terrain? Toeliminate the Flood from one’s thinking guaranteesan incorrect evaluation.ICR’s Dr. Steve Austin has been the leadscientist on our work in the area, having oftenjourneyed to the mountain to conduct research.He has also led numerous ICR tours toMount St. Helens, which informed many tourparticipants of the evidence there. Co-authorof the attractive book Footprints in the Ash(available from ICR), he has delivered numerousprofessional lectures and published severaltechnical articles on its details. Just this fall, heled a field trip of professional geologists intothe blast zone in conjunction with the GeologicSociety of America’s annual meeting, which wereported on in our December issue.Also located at Mount St. Helens is the7 Wonders Museum, operated by Lloyd andDoris Anderson, who lead creation-based toursof the mountain. 1 We rejoice to see so manyministries working so diligently to take themessage of creation to allwho need to hear.Reference1. For more information andministry opportunities with themuseum, visit www.creationism.org/sthelens.Dr. Morris is President of theInstitute for Creation Research.14 ACTS&FACTS • JANUARY 2010

Tapir Testimonyto CreationF R A N K S H E R W I N , M . A .One odd-looking member ofGod’s creation is the tapir. Itsmost distinctive feature is a highlyflexible proboscis (trunk) that isable to move in all directions. Generally, tapirsstand about three feet high at the shoulder, areabout seven feet long, and weigh anywherefrom 330 to 700 pounds. Their short fur coatsrange in color from grayish-black to reddishbrown.Zoologists have classified tapirs in fourspecies, two American and two Asian. Theyhave a good appetite—some tapirs can eat up to85 pounds of vegetation per day! Tapir varietiesfill different ecological niches. In South America,there are both lowland and mountain tapirs.All baby tapirs are designed withstripes and spots to camouflage them frompredators. Adults in danger flee into the brush,submerge themselves, or deliver a nasty bitefrom powerful jaws. Tapirs love the water—itprovides protection from predators, succulentvegetation, and relief from the heat. Tapirs havebeen known to totally submerge themselves,allowing small fish to pick external parasitesfrom their porcine bodies.What was the origin of these nocturnaland solitary creatures? It would seem from theevidence that tapirs were created as tapirs, aswould follow from the Genesis account. Theyare little different from others of this sameperissodactyl group (odd-toed mammals)found in Eocene and Oligocene sediments.For example, tapirids such as Heptodonshow up in the early Eocene looking verysimilar to modern forms, but they differin size and have “not so much of a flexiblenose or proboscis as seen in living tapirs.” 1Other tapirs (some would say “true tapirs”)appear in Oligocene rocks. Genera such asMiotapirus in Miocene strata were just liketoday’s species. The New World Encyclopediastated, “The earliest fossil tapir dates to theearly Oligocene (about 30 million years),and Eocene rocks from as early as 55 millionyears ago contain a wide range of tapir-likeanimals, and they have changed little since.” 2Evolutionist Barbara Stahl claimed that“tapirs had emerged by Oligocene time fromone of a number of primitive Eocene stocksand spread over North America and Eurasia.Since that time, they have changed hardlyat all.” 3 Paleontologist E. H. Colbert statedonly that Protapirus of “Oligocene times” is a“probable descendent of Heptodon.” 4In his textbook Vertebrate Paleontology,paleontologist Michael Benton displayed askull of Heptodon and wrote rather diffidently,“Early tapirs, such as Heptodon from the Eoceneof North America (Figure 10.36(a)), probablylooked rather like the contemporaneous horses. 5Note that Benton is not calling Heptodontransitional to modern tapirs, as someevolutionists do. Instead, he calls it an “earlytapir,” using words like “probably” and “ratherlike” to give it a horse-like appearance. (Someevolutionists believe tapirs may have evolvedfrom the Hyracotherium, a “primitive” horse.)In June 2007, “a complete skull of a fossiltapir (Perissodactyla: Tapiridae)” from the LatePleistocene was discovered. 6 The authors calledit a new species, but it is still obviously a tapir.Despite the evolutionary word games, itis evident that tapirs (including Heptodon andMiotapirus) have always been tapirs, just asGenesis indicates.References1. Colbert, E. H., M. Morales and E. C. Minkoff. 2001. Colbert’sEvolution of the Vertebrates. New York: Wiley-Liss,471.2. Tapir. New World Encyclopedia. Posted online at newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Tapir,accessed November 30,2009, emphasis added.3. Stahl, B. 1985. Vertebrate History: Problems in Evolution.New York: Dover Publishing, 496.4. Colbert et al, 471.5. Benton, M. J. 2005. Vertebrate Paleontology. Malden, MA:Blackwell Publishing, 347,emphasis added.6. Ferrero, B. S. and J. I. Noriega.2007. A new upperPleistocene tapir fromArgen tina. Journal of VertebratePaleontology. 27(2):504-511.Mr. Sherwin is Senior ScienceLecturer.JANUARY 2010 • ACTS&FACTS15

BACK TO GENESISWhy Do Animals Play?A1 9 t h - c e n t u r ypoet spoke of“nature red intooth and claw,” 1and the sometimes gruesomedeaths that became integral tothe concept of Darwinian evolutioncertainly occur. But sometimes animalsplay. If nature is inexorably locked in a battlefor the survival of the fittest, where did frolickingcome from?Humans are probably most familiar withthe playful behavior of dogs. Some breeds seemto have a greater affinity for playing, but dogs aregenerally fond of frolicking, either with people,other dogs, or even other animals. In a NationalGeographic video documentary series “UnlikelyAnimal Friends,” Surya the orangutan metRosco the hound dog at a river park, and thetwo “carry on like long lost friends,” wrestling,running, hugging, rolling, and being silly. 2 DidGod engineer this behavior as an instinct, or isit an accidental byproduct of natural forces?Many animals play, and possibly allmammals do. Squirrels scamper, kangaroos kidaround, monkeys are renowned clowns, andeven turtles seem to engage in slow-motionsilliness. Nor are sea creatures immune to fun.Sea otters spend an inordinate amount of timetwirling about, seemingly to just express theirjoy in being able to do so.Crows play pranks on other creatures,and even team up to play. One report statedthat a group of crows “would fly toward eachother, drop the tin plate and a member of theother team would swoop down and catch itin mid air, turn and fly back toward the otherBRIAN THOMAS, M.S.team, drop the plate and continue this gamewhile they were being very vocal. What fun itwas to watch.” 3Animal play “has challenged students ofbehavior for a long time.” 4 Researchers typicallypresume a Darwinian history of life in which alltraits, and even behaviors, evolved in responseto selection. However, experts in animal playbehavior admitted in 1998 that this questionremains unanswered: “What exactly does playdo for a young animal?” 5 An even more fundamentalquestion is: Does play really do anythingto help a young (or old) animal become a fittersurvivor, especially considering the energy andrisk that it involves?If the answer is negative—if animals playperhaps for enjoyment and not to enhancetheir survivability—then it would come as nosurprise that researchers still do not have ananswer to their evolutionarily-biased question.With such blinders on, they are no nearer thetrue answer, despite decades of “much previousand subsequent speculation.” 5 If animals playjust to be silly, then Darwinism is at a loss toexplain the behavior’s origin. If they evolved bypurely natural forces, as mainstream scientistsbelieve, then every creature’s features shouldbe purely pragmatic. Fundoes not fit this formula.Could creation sufficeas an alternative explanation?What kind of Godcondones playing? According tothe Bible, it is the God of creation.Psalm 104:25-26 states,So is this great and wide sea, wherein arethings creeping innumerable, both smalland great beasts. There go the ships: thereis that leviathan, whom thou hast made toplay therein.Exactly what kind of creature the leviathanis or was is no longer known, but it wasapparently “made to play,” which can also betranslated “fashioned for sporting jest.” Animalplay, like those overdressed peacock featherswhich bothered Darwin so much, adds toa long list of features that appear to have beendesigned not for survival, but to display attributesof the Creator. 6References1. Tennyson, A. In Memoriam A. H. H., Canto 56.2. The Orangutan and the Hound. National Geographic ChannelVideo. Posted on channel.nationalgeographic.com, accessedNovember 30, 2009.3. Crows Playing Catch with a Pie Pan. Observation reportposted on crows.net August 28, 2009, accessed November30, 2009.4. Bekoff, M. and J. A. Byers, eds. 1998. Animal play: evolutionary,comparative, and ecological perspectives. Cambridge, UK:Cambridge University Press, xiii.5. Bekoff and Byers, xiv.6. “For the invisible things ofhim from the creation of theworld are clearly seen, beingunderstood by the thingsthat are made, even his eternalpower and Godhead, sothat they are without excuse”(Romans 1:20).Mr. Thomas is Science Writer.16 ACTS&FACTS • JANUARY 2010

The Mysterious IslandsDVD“Christians look to Jerusalem;Muslims look toMecca; but evolutionistslook to the Galápagos asthe spiritual center of theirscientific faith.” — Do u g Ph i l l i p sAt the far end of the world, there exists a chain ofstrange islands, steeped in controversy. TheMysterious Islands is the story of one boy anda team of researchers who take an amazing adventureto the heart of the mystery in search of clues that willexpose the truth in a centuries-old dispute.This beautiful documentary was shot at “ground zero”of Darwinism. It takes viewers deep beneath theocean waves, among hundreds of white-tip sharks, tothe home of salt-sneezing marine iguanas, on top ofvolcanic craters, and beside giant tortoises that canlive to be more than 150 years of age.Seen through the eyes of 16-year-old Joshua Phillips,who joins his father and noted researchers likeDr. John Morris, this 90-minute film brings a freshperspective on the theory of evolution. It answers thequestion: Is the Galápagos a laboratory for evolution,or a testimony to the biblical account of creation?Bonus Disc Features Include:• The Flightless Cormorant: A Response to RichardDawkins• The Galápagos Whaling Controversy: A ChristianPerspective• Shooting the Galápagos: A Photographer’s Journey• Early Explorers to the Galápagos• Various Animal Clips and Short CommentsOn l y $24.95(p l u s s h i p p i n g a n d h a n d l i n g )To o r d e r , c a l l 800.628.7640o r visit w w w .i c r.o r g /s t o r e

New from the Institute for Creation ResearchEarth’s CatastrophicGeology, Creation & the FloodBY Andrew A. SnellingCan the Bible be trusted in matters of science andhistory, or is it just a source of “spiritual” truth?In 1961, Drs. John Whitcomb and Henry Morris publishedThe Genesis Flood, which examined the scientific data and thebiblical record and presented clear evidence that the Genesisaccount of earth history is real, reliable, and historical.Now, the Institute for Creation Research presents the long-awaitedupdate to this seminal work.Written by researcher Andrew Snelling—one of the world’sleading geologists in the creation science movement—Earth’sCatastrophic Past provides up-to-date geological evidence thatdemonstrates the authority and accuracy of the biblical account ofcreation and the Flood.An alarming number of Christian leaders and teachers believe thatGod “created” through evolutionary processes over millions ofyears, that Adam and Eve descended from a hominid population,and that there has never been a global flood.Step by step, Dr. Snelling examines evolutionary interpretationsof the geologic record and deconstructs the misplaced assumptionsand conclusions on which those interpretations are based. Within-depth scholarly research and insight, he constructs a biblicalgeologic model for earth history and concludes that the centralclaims of Genesis 1-11 are true:• God creating everything in six 24-hour days.• Adam and Eve were real people.• God cursed a perfect world as a judgment for sin.• Noah constructed an Ark by which two of every kind of airbreathing,land-dwelling animal were saved along with Noah’sfamily from a global flood.• The confusion of languages at the Tower of Babel produced thelanguage groups that are found around the world today.By the end of Earth’s Catastrophic Past, readers will have their faithrestored in Genesis as real, literal history, and be convinced that thescientific evidence, correctly discerned and applied, is indeed consistentwith God’s record of our origins and history found in Genesis 1-11.Andrew A. Snelling is a research scientist and technical editor who earned hisPh.D. from the University of Sydney, Australia, in 1982. After working with theCreation Science Foundation of Australia, he joined the Institute for CreationResearch in 1998 as Professor of Geology. He was a principal investigator in the8-year, ICR-led RATE (Radioisotopes and the Age of the Earth) research project,to which he made major contributions in rock dating studies using radioisotopesand in studies of radiation halos (radiohalos) and tracks (fission tracks) in variousminerals. Dr. Snelling currently resides in Australia and serves as Director of Research atAnswers in Genesis, as well as Editor-in-Chief of Answers Research Journal.18ACTS&FACTS • JANUARY 2010

PastDr. Andrew Snellinghas done his bestwork on this volumeelucidating Earth’s Catastrophic Past.A man of deep scholarship andmuch faith, God prepared him forthis job. He stands on the shouldersof giants, who stood against thetide in years past, and erects an evenfirmer structure. Modeled loosely afterthe groundbreaking and God-honoringbook The Genesis Flood, it adds insights gainedfrom decades of work by numerous individuals.He starts from a position of biblical inerrancy, and delves deeplyinto geology. Early chapters weave a careful scriptural case for theFlood’s catastrophic nature and global extent. He answers questionsmany people have about that Flood and the Ark of Noah. Fromthat firm foundation, he ventures into the world of geology.Intervening years have witnessed a revolution in geology, largelydue to the impact of The Genesis Flood. After being stifled for twohundred years of staid uniformitarianism, many earth science professionalshave turned to dynamic catastrophic processes to explainthe earth, thus there are many new ideas and much new data toinclude. Our minds have been expanded by witnessing numerouslocal catastrophes, and they help us comprehend the unseen globalcataclysm. We stand on the verge of an even greater restructuringof geologic thought, and this treatise will certainly play a part.— from the Foreword by Dr. John MorrisSThe two-volume set is only$59.95(plus shipping and handling)STo order, call 800.628.7640 or visit www.icr.org/storeJANUARY 2010 • ACTS&FACTS19

LETTERSTO THE EDITORI'm grateful for ICR and all that it does in proclaiming truth andstanding up to those who like to intimidate those who don't believetheir lies...keep fighting!— R.A.I should tell you how much the [Days of Praise] devotions help me—in a house of unbelievers and scoffers, I can check in to the newScripture teaching and be strengthened for the day. Then I use theScripture to strengthen my grandson who is the only other faithful[one] in the house.— His 86-year-old child, J.N.I look forward each month to Acts & Facts and read every article….As the economy has slowed and our income decreased, our giving toa number of Christian organizations has decreased proportionately.One exception is ICR. Even though our gifts are not large, we feel thework of ICR is important [and] we have decided not to decrease ourgifts to ICR.— C.S.You have taught me to see the world in a new light, not just as merelya bunch of trees and grass and stuff everywhere, but as the magnificenthandiwork of GOD, the infinitely wise Creator of the universe,and that makes it ten times more beautiful than it ever was before.— J.K. (future chemist)The [Demand the Evidence] conference was very empowering, encouragingand liberating. It was such a blessing to come and learnthe strong evidence to support a biblical view of creation. Thank you,thank you, thank you for all your hard work! I look forward to digestingmuch of your literature in the future.— T.T.Editor’s Note: Those who were unable to attend a Demand the Evidenceconference in their area last October and November can haveaccess to the same powerful information through our new DVD setfeaturing video presentations of the speakers. Please see the ad onpage 8 for more details.Have a comment? Email us at editor@icr.org. Or write to Editor, P. O.Box 59029, Dallas, Texas 75229.This month on“Science, Scripture, & Salvation”W e e k e n d o f J a n u a r y 2In Six DaysThe Bible clearly states that God created everything in six literal 24-hour days. Although some people try to mix the truth of Scripturewith evolutionary views, God’s Word hasn’t changed. Just why is thetimeframe of creation important to us? Please take a moment and joinus as we discuss this vital issue!W e e k e n d o f J a n u a r y 9Progressive CreationWhile it’s not unusual for non-Christians to buy into the lie of evolution,what about Christians who choose to believe the faulty science of evolutionover the Word of God? Sadly, many are being deceived by a mixtureof evolutionary teaching and biblical misinterpretation called “progressivecreation.” Get the facts this week on Science, Scripture, & Salvation!W e e k e n d o f J a n u a r y 16The Importance of Being HumanEvolutionists continue to propagate the lie that mankind evolvedfrom animals, saying that survival of the fittest got us where we aretoday. Furthermore, they contend that we’re nothing more than glorifiedapes. But the Bible tells us that we are “wonderfully made.” Listenin as we talk about The Importance of Being Human.W e e k e n d o f J a n u a r y 23TimeTime is an abstract concept that we really can’t explain. We can’t see itor feel it, we just experience it. Time is something we can’t escape from,but what is it, and when did it begin? Why not call a “time out” andjoin us as we discuss the mysteries of time.W e e k e n d o f J a n u a r y 30Animals of the Ice AgeFossilized and frozen remains of animals that died during the IceAge can be found throughout the Northern Hemisphere, where aunique array of animals inhabited the land. Their stories unfoldfrom the ice, rocks, and hills in which they are found. Warm up tothese creatures this week on Science, Scripture, & Salvation!To find out which radio stations in your city air our programs,visit our website at www.icr.org. On the radio page use the stationlocator to determine where you can hear our broadcasts in yourarea. You can also listen to current and past Science, Scripture, &Salvation programs online, so check us out!20 ACTS&FACTS • JANUARY 2010

STEWARDSHIPThe Silent MultitudeH e n r y M . M o r r i s I VOne of this issue’s featured articles is devoted to ICR’saccomplishments of the last year, and it is always a bitbreathtaking to see the scope and depth of ICR ministryactivities. Knowing how small our staff is in comparisonto the work that is produced, I for one can only marvel at God’s mightyhand on our ministry, and humbly thank our supporters for honoringthe Lord through their labor alongside us.God’s past provision to ICR through the financial help of oursupporters is not an insignificant thing. ICR, like virtually every otherchurch and Christian ministry, experienced a decrease in overall supportas we endured the past global recession. Yet during this time, theLord continued to present us with new opportunities to proclaim Histruth. So while many ministries were suffering, we felt compelled to followthe Lord’s leading by increasing our outreach programs and hiringnew staff, trusting in Him to provide through His people.This, of course, is antithetical to common business sense. Whentimes get tough, a reduction in programs is expected in order to weatherthe downturn. But while there are certainly “business” aspects to ourorganization, ICR is, first and foremost, a ministry of the Lord JesusChrist. And as His ministry, we must follow His clear leading and stepout on faith—regardless of whether or not current donation levels makegood business sense.This is not to say that ICR is frivolous with its resources. On thecontrary, ICR diligently holds itself to principles of biblical stewardshipby not going into debt or spending what we do not have. And as a testamentto God’s grace and provision, ICR has finished “in the black” (asmy grandfather liked to say) every year we have been in operation.Yet, this is where God’s people play a vital part in ensuring thecontinuation of our unique and crucial ministry. ICR has been blessedwith many fellow laborers who, by sharing some of their resources, willequally share in the everlasting rewards of “an inheritance incorruptible,and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you”(1 Peter 1:4). In a very real sense, this small band of faithful donors aretruly partners with us, and we look forward to a time of great rejoicingwith them when the Lord finally reveals the eternal impact our effortshave had for the cause of Christ.Many of our readership, however, have not yet financially supportedour work with a portion of what God has given them. We realizethere are those who are unable to help, and as part of our ministry wejoyfully provide our material as long as the Lord enables. But the bulkof this quiet majority, for one reason or another, simply have chosen notto participate.For those in this silent multitude, please remember that ICR existsto proclaim the truth of our Creator expressed in His perfect Word.Using scientific research as the basis to uncover and communicate thewondrous evidence of His matchless creation, ICR is uniquely positionedto counter the evils of evolutionary thought that keep many froma saving knowledge of our Lord. You will not find another ministry thatdoes what ICR does, and does it as well as ICR can. Much more couldbe accomplished if more saints took up the battlecry and partnered with us to reach the world forChrist.So consider this a spiritual challenge fromyour fellow warriors on the battlefront. God’sblessing awaits.Mr. Morris is Director of Donor Relations.JANUARY 2010 • ACTS&FACTS21

BIBLICAL WORLDVIEWH e n r y M . M o r r i s I I I , D . M i n.God’s OmniscienceThe omniscient God knows all that can be known given the sort ofworld he created….in our view God decided to create beings withindeterministic freedom which implies that God chose to create a universein which the future is not entirely knowable, even for God. 1I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning,and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying,My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure. (Isaiah 46:9-10)One of the more recent debates among evangelical theologiansis the extent to which God “knows.” The contrast betweenthe two statements above is sufficient to expose thedifference. The Scripture insists on an omniscient (knowingeverything) God, though some would suggest otherwise.God’s omniscience is observable.Several passages insist on a “clearly seen” body of evidence amongthe created universe. Romans 1:18-25 and Psalm 19:1-4, the classic passages,speak of “knowledge” and “speech” that demonstrate God’s eternalpower and divine nature. The text of God’s Word has much to say aboutthe infinite mind of the Creator.…to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father,and of Christ; in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom andknowledge. (Colossians 2:2-3)The infinitely complex nature of this universe has become moreobservable over the past few decades. From the vast majesty of the stellarhost to the microscopic beauty of living things, we are becoming more andmore aware of the incredible design, order, and interrelated purposes ofour world. Indeed, the “Intelligent Design” movement gains its momentumfrom these very facts.God’s omniscience requires functional perfection.Everything revealed about God, both in the universe and in theScriptures, shouts the message that God is a God of order, purpose, andwill, with no hint of randomness. God does not “react” to circumstances.He is never forced to change His mind about His reason for doing something.He does not alter His plan for eternity, nor does He get confusedabout His design, His pleasure, or His purpose.The counsel of the Lo r d standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart toall generations. (Psalm 33:11)Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to hisgood pleasure which he hath purposed in himself…being predestinatedaccording to the purpose of him who worketh all things afterthe counsel of his own will. (Ephesians 1:9, 11)God’s omniscience must produce perfect purpose and order.God’s omniscience demands that God create absolutely and only thebest—whether at the scale of the universe or of the molecule. He could notand would not “experiment.” Since He knows, He must do. He could notand would not produce an inferior product. He must create, shape, andmake only that which is good.God’s omniscience is in absolute conflict with evolutionarymechanisms.Evolution from simple to complex life over deep time requires bothexperimentation with creation and the creation of inferior forms. In evolution,there is no permanent “good.” Atheistic evolutionary scholars havelong understood that the philosophy (as opposed to the “science”) of evolutionarynaturalism requires the use of processes and the sanction of activitiesthat are the opposite of God’s nature.The evolutionary process is rife with happenstance, contingency, incrediblewaste, death, pain and horror….[Theistic evolution’s God] isnot a loving God who cares about his productions….[He] is careless,wasteful, indifferent, almost diabolical. He is certainly not the sort ofGod to whom anyone would be inclined to pray. 2Perhaps the more sad commentary is that only Christian scholarscompromise their position on the creation of the world. The evolutionistsand atheists do not.References1. Summary of Openness Theology. Posted on the Open TheismInformation website at www.opentheism.info, accessed November30, 2009.2. Hull, D. L. 1991. The God of the Galápagos. Nature. 352 (6335):486.Dr. Morris is Chief Executive Officer of the Institute for CreationResearch.22 ACTS&FACTS • JANUARY 2010

Start something new!TheCr e at i o n i s tWo r l d v i e wToday’s Christian is surroundedby compromise in politics,science, law, medicine, andeven theology. Knowing anddefending God’s truth has never beenmore vital.Where can you go to find an indepth,Bible-based program that isgrounded on the authority of theCreator and the authenticity of HisWord—especially one that fits withyour busy schedule?Comprehensive Online Studiesfor the Christian LeaderICR’s Creationist Worldview programis online and self-paced. At your ownspeed, you can acquire the knowledgeand tools required to mentorothers and motivate them to discerntruth, defend truth, and demonstratetruth to a culture on the verge ofmoral bankruptcy.Each course addresses issues you faceeach day as a leader in your field, coveringbiblical, scientific, and culturaltopics such as:• The impact of biblical creation onworldview• Applying God’s Stewardship Mandateto our changing culture• Handling conflicts betweenScripture and science• Integrating the Creationist Worldviewwith the secular workplace• Training staff to maintain biblicalprinciples on the job• Responding to non-creationistChristians• and much moreProfessional Developmentfor LeadersThe Creationist Worldview program istailored to the needs of the workingprofessional. Online course materialsand tests are supplemented with textbooksfrom leading authorities andother audio/visual media so you candig deeper into each area of study.Start impacting your world. Enroll today!Re n e w Yo u r Mi n d . De f e n d His Tr u t h . Tr a n s f o r m Ou r Cu l t u r e .The Creationist Worldview online program is offered exclusively through ICR Distance Education.Call Toll Free:800.337.0375Visit Online:icr.org/cw

P. O. Box 59029, Dallas, TX 75229www.icr.orgMade in His ImageExamining the Complexities of the Human Bodyby Randy J. Guliuzza, P.E., M.D.“If it is living, it is complex.”There is nothing simple in biological systems.Engineer and physician Dr. Randy Guliuzza bringshis expertise to bear on the human body, exploringmultiple aspects of its complex inner workings.Engineers strive to design structures that are safe,readily buildable, achieve maximum results with minimumresources, and withstand a reasonable amount of abusewithout breaking. Systems of the human body show all of thesefeatures—at levels that should evoke the greatest respect, andindeed adoration, from every engineer for the finest Engineer ofall, the Lord Jesus Christ.The human body is an amazing example of biologicalengineering, with myriad interconnecting systems that produceunique capabilities. Join Dr. Guliuzza as he explores the astoundingcomplexities behind how the body works, from the growth of ababy to skin’s built-in sun protection to how cells are supplied withenergy and much more.As an extra feature, this beautiful full-color book includes aspecial study section for use in the classroom.Only $9.95 (plus shipping and handling)To order, call 800.628.7640 or visit www.icr.org/store