Creaționismul științific

by Henry M. Morris, Iosif Țon (translator)

The story of the origin of all things: Does the scientific evidence support special creation or atheistic evolution?

Authoritative and thoroughly documented, Scientific Creationismis easily understood by readers with non-scientific backgrounds.

Teachers, students, pastors, and other witnessing Christians can now be equipped with the convincing evidence for special creation. Updated and expanded, Scientific Creationismis a book that has changed the lives of people for Christ - people who have been blinded by the current origin-myth, evolution.

"All ministers of the gospel, teachers and professors of our Christian schools on the primary and secondary level, should read this book. A copy should be placed in every church and school library, and used as a textbook in our Christian high schools and colleges."

-Rev. C. Van Schouwen

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Christian, Religion, Theology, Christian Non Fiction, Earth Sciences

280 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1974

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author with this name in the Goodreads database.

Henry M. Morris (1918–2006) was an American engineer and young Earth creationist, widely regarded as the father of modern creation science. He founded the Institute for Creation Research.

Not to be confused with his eldest son Henry M. Morris III.

Reviews

[Raed · Rating 4 out of 5]

Objective review :
What Is Life?
a big question right ? I hate talking about life in a metaphysical way. I'm a scientist and I love models, I'd love to build my own model but I need to know what's really out there
So I found 2 models:

(A) The Evolution Model:
The evolutionary system attempts to explain the origin, development, and meaning of all things in terms of natural laws and processes which operate today as they have in the past. No extraneous processes, requiring the special activity of an external agent, or Creator, are permitted.

(B) The Creation Model:
Diametrically opposed to the evolution model, the creation model involves a process of special creation which is:
(1) supernaturalistic
(2) externally directed
(3) purposive
(4) completed.
Like evolution, the creation model also applies universally.

The two models may be easily compared by studying the info below:
Evolution Model:
-Continuing naturalistic origin
-Net present increase in complexity
-Earth history dominated by uniformitarianism
Creation Model:
-Completed supernatural origin
-Net present decrease in complexity
-Earth history dominated by catastrophism

CHAOS OR COSMOS?
The creationist believes that only an omnipotent Creator could design and construct the human brain! He cannot prove such a fact scientifically, of course, but neither can the evolutionist prove that random particles can organize themselves into a human brain, or into anything else but
random particles.
The Evolutionist believe in chaos

UPHILL OR DOWNHILL?
the prediction of the creation model that genuine changes in degree of order of any system, organic or inorganic, are practically certain to be downhill, rather than uphill, is abundantly confirmed by the laws of thermo¬ dynamics, the nature of mutations, and the complete lack of any observational evidence that life can evolve from non-life or that higher forms can be generated by any kind of variation and natural selection.

The Evolutionist believe in Climbing Mount Improbable

ACCIDENT OR PLAN
The creationist : well there is too much complexity out there it is a plan.
The Evolutionist :are you stupid? we have multiverse!

OLD OR YOUNG?
The creationist : 6000y !
The Evolutionist : 4,500,000 !!!!!!

APES OR MEN?
The creationist : God create man
The Evolutionist :
1. Common ancestor of man and ape.
2. Ramapithecus.
3. Australopithecus
4. Homo erectus
5. Neanderthal Man
6. Modem Man
(7 : Zarathoustra, am joking ofcourse ^^)

Until that point it was an amazing reading but but this chapter destroyed everything "CREATION ACCORDING TO SCRIPTURE" we are talking about science what was this ???

Henry M. Morris was a reference point in my grandfather's ideas, that chapter was like talking about الله in Quran with him, i enjoyed this when i was 7yo, not now.

Subjective review :
"God does not play dice"__ Albert Einstein
"Stop Telling God What To Do"__Niels Bohr
"The more I study science, the more I believe in God__ Albert Einstein

There is a plan , a very big one, there is a project, and an engineer behind (the smartest engineer).

1-What is the meaning of life : creation
2-What is the meaning of suffering : power
3-What is life: creation of power
[Power is the decreasing entropy]
1+2+3 = Raed's Model : (creation & evolution)

[Chase · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this book back in High School when I started my insatiable need for knowledge and pretty much believed it at the time. Well, when you always thirst for knowledge and you're reading about a debate, you have to check out both sides. This is a bad idea for a Creationist. If they read (and understand) what is said about evolution they have to accept it as truth or run away from the truth.

Anyways, this book is full of arguments that are supposed to be proof of Creationism, but they quite easily fall apart when put under any scrutiny. You can find tons of debunking articles all over the internet. Unfortunately, some people still use the arguments in these books even though all of them have been thoroughly and brutally proven to be chock full of nothing but crap.

If you read this it might hurt your brain. I suggest reading something with a little less "truthiness" and some more factual evidence and sound logic.

[Frank Peters · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a number of other reviews have stated, this appears to be the best scientific argument for 6-day creation. It is also extremely unfortunate as much of the science was flawed. On the positive side, Morris actually does make a large number of good arguments for his position. On the negative side, his arguments against other positions were really very poor and normally quite insulting. He seems to have virtually no idea what those he argues against actually believe. As a so-called Christian book, I found it quite embarrassing. The bottom line of the book summarised the very worst of fundamentalism, which is: "If you don't agree with everything that I say you wrong and likely not a Christian"

[Jaymie De Frain · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the most useful and concise book I've read so far in my Creation Apologetics class. If you are looking for scientific facts about creation and evolution, read this book!

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating exploration of a topic that's important for all: our origins.

Many well-meaning Christians have been quick to dismiss critiques of the Evolutionary narrative, hoping to avoid creating a stumbling block to the gospel. Others are simply ashamed to question the cultural current without seeing the disastrous consequences that this worldview produces.

But Morris thoroughly examines geological and chemical evidence with a mind that is open to other narratives. While the scientific establishment walks lock-step in fitting their geological and chemical analyses into the timeframe supposedly required to enable Evolution to happen, Morris offers a other theoretical model. Rather than assuming that present physical conditions can be projected infinitely into the past (uniformitarian), Morris proposes that many physical features of the world are best explained by great, rapid events (cataclysmic).

Ultimately, if people refuse to believe in a creator, they need to find a replacement for something transcendent to fill their knowledge gaps. For evolutionists, god is time. Because of the impossibility and lack of evidence for this process, uninaginably lengths of time is provided as the answer. Consequently, they must make other forms of dating to fit this paradigm, dating strata of rock based on assumptions of Evolutionary history.

But if these assumptions can be set aside, someone with eyes to see should take a good look at what cataclysms (meteor impacts, floods, ice ages, pole shifts) can accomplish in a short time.

Worth hearing out!

[George Trudeau · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was cool seeing the roots in YEC. Tons of equivocations and logical jumps but very insightful for learning the roots of the fundamentalist ideology.

[Orion · Rating 1 out of 5]

"Scientific Creationism" is an oxymoron of course but I thought I would read this, even though I knew it was likely I would disagree with. But I hoped that since the author was a "Doctor", and I assumed it was in a relevant field, that at least he would have some knowledge of the topic. Turns out I was wrong. Both about him having a doctorate in a relevant field and that he would have some knowledge on the topic. He doesn't have either. This is basically just a religious text that rehashes disproved ideas. It's not worth anyone's time.

[Lynn Alan Heath · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellently presented

Henry M Morris in this book presents the two sides of the origins debate (i.e., creation vs evolution). And he presents everything prior to bringing into the discussion biblical references. The book is very well written and presents the fact that both sides cannot be confirmed nor disproved using scientific methodology. Both are religious in nature and both are faith based.

[Royce Ratterman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Most books are rated related to their usefulness and contributions to my research.
Overall, a good book for the researcher and enthusiast.
Read for personal research
- found this book's contents helpful and inspiring - number rating relates to the book's contribution to my needs.

[Paul Kovatch · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my early professors and a terrific teacher

[John McCann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had to look up some of the scientific words, but the book was recommended reading for Christian creationism.

[Jeffrey · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the best "scientific" arguments presented for the biblical account of the six day creation.

[Florian Serban]

Recenzie a cărții „Creaționismul științific”, editată de dr. Henry M. Morris (Societatea Misionară Română, 1992). Cartea este rezultatul unui proiect colectiv întreprins de Institute for Creation Research din Statele Unite și constituie un manual pentru predarea creaționismului științific în paralel cu evoluționismul. Titlul în original este Scientific Creationism, ediția din 1985. Cu toate că ediția tradusă în limba română are aproape trei decenii, multe din argumentele conținute rămân relevante.
Încă din prefață se admite faptul că manualul nu are o perspectivă neutră, ci una pozitivă, creaționismul putând să dovedească mai bine originile universului și ale omului. Ceea ce conferă relevanță cărții este faptul că de la început sunt lămurite presupozițiile cărții:
1. Profesorii și elevii parcurg totdeauna o lecție introductivă conținând cunoștințele elementare ale materiei școlare;
2. Știința se bazează pe raționamentul cauză-efect, astfel că atunci când cineva leagă efectele de cauzele imediate, va căuta și cauze mai îndepărtate și, în cele din urmă, o Cauză Primară;
3. Cunoașterea legilor/proceselor naturale necesită un studiu al originilor lor;
4. Știința are implicații/aplicații sociale: procesele sociale pot fi înțelese în contextul apariției entităților lor sociale (ex. rase umane sau culturi locale); aceste procese sunt influențate și de procese fizice, ceea ce duce la nevoia de a înțelege originea și funcționarea acestora (ex. formarea combustibililor fosili sau transmiterea informației genetice);
5. Fiecare individ are nevoie de un sentiment al apartenenței care îi este dat de concepția pe care și-o formează despre originea sa;
6. Profesorii doresc ca elevii lor să își formeze o filozofie de viață care să îi satisfacă din punct de vedere rațional;
7. O presupoziție majoră este imposibilitatea dovedirii științifice a originilor. Metoda științifică constă în observarea experimentală și repetabilitate. Prin urmare, nici un cercetător nu poate observa, nici repeta originile. Creația nu poate fi dovedită: nu are loc acum, nu este accesibilă metodei științifice, nici nu poate fi conceput un experiment științific care să descrie procesul creației. Nici evoluția nu poate fi dovedită: durata imensă și variațiile/mutațiile pentru transformarea invocată a unui organism inferior într-unul superior este fără putința de a fi măsurată efectiv; de asemenea, nici un experiment nu a putut crea artificial viață din ne-viață.
Pe baza acestor presupoziții sunt concepute următoarele șapte capitole:
1. Originea materiei ordonate, a energiei cosmice și a legilor care guvernează procesele fizice și chimice în univers și pe pământ;
2. Mutațiile genetice și aspectul lor mai degrabă dăunător decât transformator;
3. Golurile sistemice în lanțul fosilifer (așa-zisele „verigi-lipsă”);
4. Compararea modelelor uniformist și catastrofist pentru explicarea straturilor din coloana geologică (inclusiv oferirea unui model imaginar al potopului universal);
5. Metode de datare a rocilor, dovedite a fi eronate și metode de datare pe baza intensității câmpului magnetic și a proceselor naturale de evaporare sau depunere sedimentară;
6. Diferențierea netă dintre om și maimuță;
7. Ultimul capitol abordează istoricitatea pasajului din Geneza 1-11, compararea detaliilor succinte conținute de acest pasaj cu legi fizice actuale, modelul creaționist/biblic și diferitele teorii de acomodare a evoluționismului cu creștinismul.
Cartea aparține domeniului educației școlare și invită cititorul la o lectură extensivă pe tărâmul dezbaterii evoluționism-creaționism.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

I saw this on a friend's bookshelf and thought it might come in handy to see what it says, so I could give my son some food for thought as he processes what he is taught at school versus what we believe as Christians.

Obviously, I am slanted more towards one side of the argument than the other, but what I read struck me as very thoughtfully considered and not at all out of the realms of reason. It was presented in a straightforward kind of way - here's what we know, here's how the theories explain these facts, you make up your own mind - and was very readable.

The main downsides I found:
The book was last updated in 1985, and having little scientific nouse myself, I can't say how it stacks up to current scientific knowledge.
It did introduce some ideas suddenly, with less buildup than I would have anticipated.
I feel like the last portion (exploring the "young earth" theory through biblical referencing), was a bit rushed.

I doubt that an updated version would negate anything currently in the book - probably just some numbers would change and maybe some additional knowledge would be added. And if you're of an evolutionist bent, then the "young earth" segment should still be readable if you're honestly interested in understanding why some creationists believe the earth is young.

In summary, this book was useful to me, and gave me some more information to process on the specifics of my own beliefs, and I believe it would be useful to anyone trying to understand the creationist perspective. There may be better books out there, but this was a good starting point.

[Allison · Rating 1 out of 5]

*Help me find what I am looking for*

Preface: I am purposely not reading any other reviews before I write my own review. Neither did I read any reviews before I tried to read this book.

As a Christian and a Physician, I believe in God's creation of the universe and in evolution. I realize I am in a minority. I am genuinely interested in learning how others who also believe in God and evolution view the world.

_Scientific Creationism_ is a book I thought might help in my endeavor. I was wrong.

This book (at least the first 10-15%, which was all I could stomach) is about creationism, only... Which, in itself, is not a problem. What I found offensive was the act of comparing those who consider evolution to be a viable theory to Nazis (I'm not exaggerating), and the constant twisting of evolution theorists' words to fit the creationism agenda.

There are many, many other examples of why this book is terrible. I could go on (and on), but I will not. Suffice it to say this book is not helpful in my search for information about how creationism and evolution can both exist.

I do not believe the two theories are mutually exclusive. And I also do not believe I am the only person who holds that belief.

*Please let me know if you are aware of any books that might help me learn more.

Thank you!

[Josiah Richardson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was actually very good and only lost a star because so much has changed since it was written 50 years ago. Morris rightly attacks naturalism and it's foundations. At some level, you have to be ignoring the role of a creator at least statistically speaking. Much of Morris's argument rests on the fine-tuning argument of ole', and it's a good argument.

There were moments 50 years ago where things Morris wrote were absolute lynchpins. But today, some things he said couldn't have happened or could not be proven have happened and have been proved. One of the crazy things about our generation is that 5 years of scientific findings and research today would have taken 500 years last millennium. We are a society that is constantly searching for new truths, in often wrong places. But for what Morris set our to do here, which was dismantle naturalistic Darwinism, he did well.

[Pastor Greg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some great information, especially demonstrating the anti-Christian, anti-Creationist and anti-Intelligent Design mainstream scientific community is made up of religious zealots who espouse science-based philosophy and force their philosophic and anti-Biblical religious belief system onto the rest of society. They use deception, force and intimidation but in this book you will be presented with the information that they have censored from school textbooks and curriculum.

I disagree strongly with the authors claims against the Genesis Gap ("gap theory" as he calls it) and he hurts his credibility by the manner in which he handles that discussion in the final chapter.

Otherwise, worthwhile reading and keeping for reference.

[Mark McElreath · Rating 3 out of 5]

Henry Morris was one of the flagbearers of the Creationism movement. His work is well researched and covers a wide scope of topics from biological evolution to catastrophism and apemen to natural selection and everything in between. Though very technical in some parts, and many readers would find this tedious, the material is well presented. The book is about a half a century old but still holds up in the 21st century. Use this as a primer for introducing yourself to a broad range of topics in the field.

[Joshua Oliver · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good arguments for consideration, obviously from a 6 day creationism view and rebuttals to the opposing alternative, from a doctor in the scientific discipline. Although one should consider the philosophical underpinnings of his model. It assumes the 6 day creationist model, which is debated within Christian circles itself and a young earth theory as well. If one understands many of these things going into it, it is very enjoyable information as a viable model of scientific creationism.

[Jerimy Stoll · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best argument for Creationism I have ever read. This book bows evolution out of the water, and it is done in a straightforward, scientific, academic, and intelligent way. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in exploring scientific postulations for or against creationism. I also believe Christians interested in science would love this book.

[Bethany Delgado · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really well-grounded research in science and logical reasoning. Doesn't mention the Bible at all to "prove" his points until the last chapter as a "in conclusion, this is the most reasonable explanation given all facts." Kinda older book but astonishingly similar arguments are still being made and can therefore, still be refuted using his methods.

[Candace · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly technical, but worth it. Some claim the information is out of date, but while some of the arguments are no longer made by intelligent human beings I do still see them in textbooks and in conversations with ordinary human beings. Good info to know.

[Justin DeWitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the most extensive book I have ever read on the subject. I would recommend this to anyone who claims Christianity as their faith. Children are the next generation, and they should be taught both sides of the argument equally and without bias. Not indoctrinated.

[Michael Powers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic book! I remember reading this book when I was a teenager back in the 80's. It is amazing how well the information in this book has held up to time and scrutiny. If you are willing to let the facts lead you to the truth, then this book is for you. I highly recommend it!

[Sean Showalter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. Answers a lot of questions for the non-Christian and Christian alike. Provides solid arguments for why the Universe is around 6000 years old, as indicated by Genesis.

[Joseph Picos · Rating 5 out of 5]

good overview of creationism

Creationism is the true meaning of the Bible. Any book that presents this is valuable. More books like this one are needed. Good read.

[Robert L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book re-oriented my understanding of earth history and biological science. If you've been taught the earth is billions of years old, and that plant and animal life evolved from chemicals, even that stars and planets evolved, so to speak, from plasma from the big bang, yet you have some notion that these ideas are contrary to the story of creation by God and the Bible, then this book - full of clear reasoning based on known facts and guided by historical statements from the Bible - will help you realize that the facts on the ground - or under the ground as it were - are especially in accord with the Biblical record. Not with the so-called science popularized in academia and assumed by the media (evolution of life, evolution of stars, planets, earth). This realization is a great benefit to one's understanding of the Bible, and of our place in history.

[Matthew Giffin · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is just a quick summary of what I think about this book:

1. 60% trustworthy as far as science goes, but that’s only because of this book’s age. The astronomy section was especially obvious. Useful as a reference in some cases.

2. It refutes an argument that New Atheists and Neo Darwinians don’t even make, disproving a model they don’t even propose. Some areas were helpful, however, like the sections regarding the origin of life.

Overall, this work is indeed helpful, a classic in young-Earth creationism apologetics, but it’s obviously obsolete in terms of scientific data in many places. This book would not be my first choice for an apologetic reference, but it is definitely helpful and insightful as far as what the creationist movement used to be like.

[S. Runyan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very good explanations of how the Creation account of Scripture is consistent, authoritative, and sovereign from a scientific perspective. Modern science, being flawed and oftentimes baseless, the Reader is reminded of the plain, empirical truths before us that support biblical teaching.

[Denton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great book for Creationism...although browsing www.answersingenesis.org would probably be better today...