Refuting Compromise: A Biblical and Scientific Refutation of "Progressive Creationism" (Billions of Years) As Popularized by Astronomer Hugh Ross

Refuting Evolution #3

by Jonathan Sarfati

With brilliant clarity, Jonathan Sarfati, author of the best-selling Refuting Evolution (1 and 2) has produced a comprehensive and ringing refutation of the position of progressive creationist Hugh Ross, whose views are causing massive confusion about science and the Bible. This book is one of the most powerful biblical and scientific defenses of a straightforward view of Genesis creation ever written. Updated & Expanded in 2011.

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Theology, Christian, Religion, Reference

411 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2004

About the author

Dr Jonathan D. Sarfati is a renowned creationist, physical chemist, spectroscopist, and chess master. He is most famous for taking an uncompromising stance on the origins of the universe, the earth, and life, and defending Scripture in a straightforward manner against any attempt to "reconcile" it with "scientific data" that contradict it.
Life and career

Jonathan Sarfati was born in Ararat, Australia in 1964. He moved to New Zealand as a child and received his early education there.[1] He graduated from Victoria University of Wellington with a B.Sc. (Hons.) in Chemistry with two physics papers substituted, and a Ph.D. in Chemistry, based on his thesis: A Spectroscopic Study of some Chalcogenide Ring and Cage Molecules. He has also had papers published in peer-reviewed scientific journals including co-authoring in the journal Nature on high-temperature superconductors in 1987, when he was 22 [2].

Reviews

[Kyle Grindberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great, will be returning to this one.

[Peter Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid refutation of Hugh Ross's Progressive Creationism. Sarfati covers a lot of ground and addresses many arguments from Ross through direct quotes of Ross. I took away one star because he is too snarky at times. He should just let his arguments speak for themselves without throwing the barbs. Still an excellent resource for addressing Ross's claims, as well as many other Christian old-earthers. He can be rather technical in places, but I think that is a positive for the book.

[Barry · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book makes me sad. In the name of defending the authority of the Bible, the author tries to force Christians into making a false choice between accepting his rigid interpretation of Genesis, or abandoning orthodox Christianity altogether. Insisting on this dogmatism is precarious when most of the scientific evidence contradicts his view, and results in adherents with a fragile theological and scientific outlook. But this is not the only legitimate reading of Genesis 1-3. “The Lost World of Genesis One” by John Walton offers an alternative interpretation – one that allows you to accept the authority of scripture, and does not demand that you deny the findings of science.

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book focuses on Hugh Ross and his theory of "Progressive Creationism". Sarfati does a great job showing that the Bible does not allow for millions of years between days of creation. He does this with clarity and a great amount of scientific data. A very interesting read.

[Tintinrulz · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Refuting Compromise" (Updated and Expanded) by Jonathan Sarfati is a comprehensive refutation of Hugh Ross' so-called 'progressive' creationist beliefs. He rebukes Ross' strange (but highly popular) teachings in a loving but firm manner, in pursuit of God's Truth. I found the book very well-written and heavily researched (there are copious footnotes throughout). That said, I don't believe this book is aimed at the layman, as I found some sections/concepts difficult to understand, though the author seems to have done a great job communicating scientific truths and providing answers. An incredibly important tome for professionals and people particularly interested in Physics, Chemistry and Biology.

7.5/10
9/10 (if you're able to understand everything herein)

[Justin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not an easy read, it's pretty technical in a lot of places. But it offers a great apologetic for the young earth view and offers a refutation to the leading progressive creationist Hugh Ross. It's worth a read , but without a solid science background you'll be lost in a few spots. Genesis is a foundational book to our faith, every doctrine relies upon it, I think the right view is to take it at face value rather than try to reinterpret it via outside influences. Review the history when people/denominations start questioning, changing, allegorizing genesis, other sound doctrines quickly fall as well. And pretty soon the Bible is meaningless.

[Chris Frost · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I am certain this book is an excellent resource for some, I must admit that a majority of it was well over my head. I suspect that its intended audience was not the average layperson, but fellow scientists with lofty degrees. If one can truly understand the science behind the arguments, I would venture to guess this book would rate a solid 5 stars.

[David Batten · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book detailing the refutation of Progressive (Long Age) Creationism that takes a number of complex subjects and gives solid, evidence-based arguments for 6x 24-hour day creation (and a 7th 24-hour day of rest), an Earth no older than 6,000 years and a world-wide Flood.

Though written specifically to counter Canadian astronomer Dr Hugh Ross’s ‘Reasons to Believe’ ministry, which posits long-age creationism, the book does much more than that and gives the reader a plethora of evidence for young-earth belief. Although complex at times, it is generally readable and understandable, with helpful summaries, and is a book that can be used as a resource for study and returned to again and again.

The subjects it covers are quite wide-ranging and in many cases very technical, needing experts in their respective fields to provide the necessary background data and evidence to support the arguments. But those arguments are clearly presented and the book is a powerful statement of why, as Christians, we must hold the Bible as the ultimate authority, interpreting science in light of scripture and not the other way around.

[Travis Bow · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read about 80% of this, skimmed the last few chapters. Filled with information and a pretty organized point-by-point argument against "Progressive Creationism," but had a pedantic & sometimes downright nasty tone it was hard to get past, and often stretched arguments very thin in an effort to not give any ground.

[Janet · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was very disapointed in the tone of this book, which was sometimes sarcastic and demeaning. It did provide a fair overview of young-earth creationist perspectives and the hermeneutics were well thought-out. Scientific explanations were weak (overuse of jargon and self-citing and a lack of acknowledgement of competing theories) and at leat one typo (4cm does not equal 12 inches) which made me second-guess all the other numerical calculations. On several points, this book seemed to be written to affirm a young-earth creationist perspective not by giving them solid refutations, but by dumping jargon or citing general comments that make it seem as though such refutations exist; I don't see this book actually swaying or refuting alternative perspectives.

[John Waldrip · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an astonishing book that needs to be on the library shelf of every pastor, theologian, professor, and Christian who has a science and/or engineering background. I admittedly did not understand everything written in this book, but I grasped enough of it with my mechanical engineering training to recognize its potential as a valuable resource when interacting with college students and scientists. Sarfati does a masterful job taking on and demolishing (with Christian grace, of course) the heterodox positions of Hugh Ross and Gleason Archer. Give this book as a gift to your pastor, to a seminary student, and to any church member whose formal training is in science and/or engineering.