A Conversation With…a Young Age Creationist

I recently sat down and had a long conversation with Paul Garner, a full time researcher and lecturer for Biblical Creation Ministries, about his beliefs regarding the age of the earth, Biblical creation, and evolution. It was a very interesting and informative discussion and I certainly learnt a great deal about the more scholarly and scientific side of creationism that you usually don’t encounter on places like YouTube. In case it is not clear I am not a creationist myself, nor do I believe in the existence of a God. I am however very interested in the reasons people have for holding beliefs that are very different from my own, and that was my main aim with this conversation, to learn more about exactly what things Paul believes and the reasons he has for believing them.

Below you will find a recording of the discussion as well as an extensive list of further reading, that Paul provided me with, should you wish to investigate the things discussed here further. Hopefully you will find it as interesting and enjoyable as I did and if you have any thoughts on the matter please leave a comment below. My plan is to have further discussions of this type with people who hold different beliefs to my own, so if you do enjoy the video keep your eyes out for more things along these lines in the future.

Recommended books

Brand, L. and Jarnes, D.C. 2006. Beginnings: are science and scripture partners in the search for origins? Pacific Press Publishing Association, Nampa, Idaho. ISBN 0-8163-2144-2.

Brand, L. 2009. Faith, reason, and earth history: a paradigm of earth and biological origins by intelligent design. Second edition. Andrews University Press, Berrien Springs, Michigan. ISBN 1-883925-15-0.

Garner, P. 2009. The new creationism: building scientific theories on a biblical foundation. Evangelical Press, Darlington. ISBN 0-85234-692-1.

Wise, K.P. and Richardson, S.A. 2004. Something from nothing: understanding what you believe about creation and why. Broadman and Holman Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee, 2004. ISBN 0-8054-2779-1.

Wise, K.P. 2002. Faith, form, and time: what the Bible teaches and science confirms about creation and the age of the universe. Broadman and Holman, Nashville, Tennessee. ISBN 0-8054-2462-8.

Wood, T. C. and Murray, M. J. 2003. Understanding the pattern of life: origins and organization of the species. Broadman and Holman Publishers, Nashville, Tennessee. ISBN 0-8054-2714-7.

Recommended journals

Journal of Creation Theology and Science Series B: Life Sciences
http://www.coresci.org/jcts/index.php/jctsb

Journal of Creation Theology and Science Series C: Earth Sciences
http://www.coresci.org/jcts/index.php/jctsc

Origins (Geoscience Research Institute)
http://grisda.org/resources/origins/

Recommended websites and blogs

Todd’s blog
http://toddcwood.blogspot.co.uk

The New Creationism
https://thenewcreationism.wordpress.com

Creation Biology Society
http://www.creationbiology.org

Core Academy of Science
http://www.coresci.org

Biblical Creation Ministries
http://www.biblicalcreationministries.org.uk

Selected papers

Theological foundations of creationism

Lloyd, S. 2009. Christian theology and Neo-Darwinism are incompatible: an argument from the resurrection. pp.1-29 in: Finlay, G., Lloyd, S., Pattemore, S. and Swift, D. (eds). Debating Darwin. Two debates: is Darwinism true & does it matter? Paternoster, Milton Keynes.

Philosophy of science

Brand, L. 1996. The paradigm of naturalism, compared with a viable alternative: a scientific philosophy for the study of origins. Origins [GRI] 23:6-34.
http://www.grisda.org/origins/23006.htm

Brand, L.R. 2006. A biblical perspective on the philosophy of science. Origins [GRI] 59:6-42.
http://www.grisda.org/origins/59006.pdf

Brand, L. 2015. Naturalism: its role in science. Origins [GRI] 64:21-37.

Origin of life’s major groups

Wise, K.P. 1994. The origin of life’s major groups. pp.211-234 in: Moreland, J. P. (ed). The creation hypothesis: scientific evidence for an intelligent designer. InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, Illinois, 1994. ISBN 0-8308-198-4.

Catastrophic plate tectonics

Austin, S.A., Baumgardner, J.R., Snelling, A.A., Vardiman, L. and Wise, K.P. 1994. Catastrophic plate tectonics: a global Flood model of earth history. pp.609-621 in: Walsh, R.E. (ed). Proceedings of the Third International Conference on Creationism. Creation Science Fellowship, Pittsburgh, PA.
http://static.icr.org/i/pdf/technical/Catastrophic-Plate-Tectonics-A-Global-Flood-Model.pdf

Geological evidence for global flood

Snelling, A.A. 2007. Geologic evidences for the Genesis Flood: an overview. Answers 2(4):81-83.
https://answersingenesis.org/the-flood/geologic-evidences-for-the-genesis-flood/

Snelling, A.A. 2008. Flood evidence number one: high & dry sea creatures. Answers 3(1):92-95.
https://answersingenesis.org/fossils/fossil-record/high-dry-sea-creatures/

Snelling, A.A. 2008. Flood evidence number two: the world’s a graveyard. Answers 3(2):76-79.
https://answersingenesis.org/fossils/fossil-record/the-worlds-a-graveyard/

Snelling, A.A. 2008. Flood evidence number three: transcontinental rock layers. Answers 3(3):80-83.
https://answersingenesis.org/geology/rock-layers/transcontinental-rock-layers/

Snelling, A.A. 2008. Flood evidence number four: sand transported cross country. Answers 3(4):96-99.
https://answersingenesis.org/geology/sedimentation/sand-transported-cross-country/

Snelling, A.A. 2009. Flood evidence number five: no slow and gradual erosion. Answers 4(1):96-99.
https://answersingenesis.org/geology/grand-canyon-facts/no-slow-and-gradual-erosion/

Snelling, A.A. 2009. Flood evidence number six: rock layers folded not fractured. Answers 4(2):80-83.
https://answersingenesis.org/geology/rock-layers/rock-layers-folded-not-fractured/

Baraminology

Wise, K.P. 1990. Baraminology: a young-earth creation biosystematic method. pp.345-360 in: Walsh, R.E. and Brooks, C.L. (eds). Proceedings of the Second International Conference on Creationism, Vol. II. Creation Science Fellowship, Pittsburgh, PA.

Wood, T.C. 2006. The current status of baraminology. Creation Research Society Quarterly 43(3):149-158.
http://www.creationresearch.org/crsq/articles/43/43_3/baraminology.htm

Wood, T.C., Wise, K.P. Sanders, R. and Doran, N. 2003. A re?ned baramin concept. Occasional Papers of the Biology Study Group 3:1-14.
http://tinyurl.com/h2379a5

Some selected baraminology case studies

Cavanaugh, D.P., Wood, T.C. and Wise, K.P. 2003. Fossil Equidae: a monobaraminic, stratomorphic series. pp.143-153 in: Ivey, R.L., Jr. (ed). Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Creationism. Creation Science Fellowship, Pittsburgh, PA.
http://tinyurl.com/zno2jxv

Garner, P.A. 2014. Baraminological analysis of the Picidae (Vertebrata: Aves: Piciformes) and implications for creationist design arguments. Journal of Creation Theology and Science Series B: Life Sciences 4:1-11.
http://www.coresci.org/jcts/index.php/jctsb/article/view/24/55

Robinson, D.A. and Cavanaugh, D.P. 1998. Evidence for a holobaraminic origin of the cats. Creation Research Society Quarterly 35(1):2-14.

Wood, T.C. 2010. Baraminological analysis places Homo habilis, Homo rudolfensis, and Australopithecus sediba in the human holobaramin. Answers Research Journal 3:71-90.
https://answersingenesis.org/creation-science/baraminology/homo-habilis-homo-rudolfensis-and-australopithecus-sediba/

Species and speciation

Wood, T.C. 2002. The AGEing process: rapid post-Flood, intrabaraminic diversi?cation caused by Altruistic Genetic Elements (AGEs). Origins [GRI] 54:5-34.
http://www.grisda.org/origins/54005.pdf

Wood, T.C. 2003. Perspectives on AGEing: a young-earth creation diversification model. pp.479-489 in: Ivey, R.L., Jr. (ed). Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Creationism, Creation Science Fellowship, Pittsburgh, PA.

Wood, T.C. 2008. Species variability and creationism. Origins [GRI] 62:6-25.
http://www.grisda.org/origins/62006.pdf

Young age of earth

Austin, S.A. and Humphreys, D.R. 1990. The sea’s missing salt: a dilemma for evolutionists. pp.17-33 in: Walsh, R.E. and Brooks, C.L. (eds). Proceedings of the Second International Conference on Creationism, Volume II. Creation Science Fellowship, Pittsburgh, PA.
https://www.icr.org/i/pdf/technical/The-Seas-Missing-Salt.pdf

Roth, A.A. 1986. Some questions about geochronology. Origins [GRI] 13(2):64-85.
http://www.grisda.org/origins/13064.htm

Worraker, B. 2004. Missing: a source of short-period comets. TJ 18(2):121-127. https://creation.com/images/pdfs/tj/j18_2/j18_2_121-127.pdf

Radiometric dating

Snelling, A.A. 2009. Radiometric dating: back to basics. Answers 4(3):72-75.
https://answersingenesis.org/geology/radiometric-dating/radiometric-dating-back-to-basics/

Snelling, A.A. 2009. Radiometric dating: problems with the assumptions. Answers 4(4):70-73.
https://answersingenesis.org/geology/radiometric-dating/radiometric-dating-problems-with-the-assumptions/

Snelling, A.A. 2010. Radiometric dating: making sense of the patterns. Answers 5(1):72-75.
https://answersingenesis.org/geology/radiometric-dating/radiometric-dating-making-sense-of-the-patterns/

Some selected research papers by creationists in mainstream literature

Fossil trackways in the Coconino Sandstone:
Brand L.R. 1979. Field and laboratory studies on the Coconino Sandstone (Permian) vertebrate footprints and their paleoecological implications. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 28:25-38.

Brand, L.R. 1996. Variations in salamander trackways resulting from substrate differences. Journal of Paleontology 70:1004-1010.

Brand, L.R. and Kramer, J. 1996. Underprints of vertebrate and invertebrate trackways in the Permian Coconino Sandstone in Arizona. Ichnos 4:225-230.

Brand L.R. and Tang T. 1991. Fossil vertebrate footprints in the Coconino Sandstone (Permian) of northern Arizona: evidence for underwater origin. Geology 19:1201-1204.

Sand-filled cracks at the base of the Coconino Sandstone:
Whitmore, J. and Strom, R. 2010. Sand injectites at the base of the Coconino Sandstone, Grand Canyon, Arizona. Sedimentary Geology 230:46-59.

Yellowstone fossil forests:
Chadwick A.V. and Yamamoto T. 1984. A paleoecological analysis of the petrified trees in the Specimen Creek area of Yellowstone National Park, Montana, USA. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 45:39-48.

Coffin H.G. 1976. Orientation of trees in the Yellowstone petrified forests. Journal of Paleontology 50:539-543.

Coffin H.G. 1983. Erect floating stumps in Spirit Lake, Washington. Geology 11:298-299.

Coffin H.G. 1987. Sonar and scuba survey of a submerged allochthonous “forest” in Spirit Lake, Washington. Palaios 2:178-180.

Fossil whales in Pisco Formation:
Brand L., Esperante, R., Chadwick, A., Poma, O. and Alomia, M. 2004. Fossil whale preservation implies high diatom accumulation rate in the Miocene-Pliocene Pisco Formation of Peru. Geology 32:165-168.

Esperante-Caamano, R., Brand, L., Chadwick, A. and Poma, O. 2002. Taphonomy of fossil whales in the diatomaceous sediments of the Miocene/Pliocene Pisco Formation, Peru. pp.337-343 in: De Renzi, M., Alonso, M., Belinchon, M., Penalver, E., Montoya P. and Marquez-Aliaga, A. (eds). Current topics on taphonomy and fossilization. International Conference Taphos 2002, 3rd Meeting on Taphonomy and Fossilization, Valencia, Spain.

Esperante, R., Brand, L.R., Chadwick, A.V. and Poma, O. 2015. Taphonomy and paleoenvironmental conditions of deposition of fossil whales in the diatomaceous sediments of the Miocene/Pliocene Pisco Formation, southern Peru – a new fossil-lagerstätte. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 417:337-370.

Esperante, R., Brand, L., Nick, K.E., Poma, O. and Urbina, M. 2007. Exceptional occurrence of fossil baleen in shallow marine sediments of the Neogene Pisco Formation, Southern Peru. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 257: 344-360.