ABSTRACTS
The Crab Nebula
Don B. DeYoung
The Crab Nebula is a vast cloud of gas and dust located about 6,000 light years from Earth. This nebula results from a supernova star explosion that was observed and documented in AD 1054. The supernova remnant continues to expand outward today, more than nine centuries later. At the center is a neutron star, or pulsar, with a rapid rotation of 30 cycles per second. The Crab Nebula is an intense emitter of radio waves, x-rays, and gamma rays. Thousands of research papers, books, and symposiums have appeared on this well-known object. The history of the Crab Nebula and current research findings provide several insights and research opportunities for creationist astronomy.The Current Status of Baraminology
Todd Charles Wood
The creationist biosystematic method of baraminology has grown significantly in the past decade. Its conceptual foundations were discussed in the evolution/creation debates of the nineteenth century, long before Frank Lewis Marsh coined the term baramin in 1941. Currently, baraminology has been applied to dozens of groups, and the results of 66 baraminology studies are summarized and evaluated here. Though bias in group and character selection prevents firm conclusions, it appears at this time that Price’s suggestion that the family is an approximation of the “created kind” may be correct. Criticisms of baraminology from evolutionists and creationists alike can be resolved with further research. Whatever its future, baraminology is at present a useful tool for investigating God’s biological creation.
Did Death Occur Before the Fall? A Further Critique of the Progressive Creationism of Hugh Ross
Jonathan Henry
Dr. Hugh Ross is presently a key advocate of what is called “progressive creationism.” In a previous paper (Henry, 2006) I challenged nine claims of the progressive creationists (PCists) by which they have attempted to establish (1) that cosmic and biological development have occurred by means of evolution, with or without Divine intervention, and (2) that the universe and earth are very old. PCists make additional claims that further imply evolution occurring over vast ages. I focus here on their belief that Genesis chapter 1 is poetic, not historical. They also maintain that death occurred before the Fall of man (Gen. 3). PCists try to buttress their claim of pre-Fall death with several corollary claims that will also be discussed.
Charles Darwin’s Faulty Scholarship—A Review
Jerry Bergman
Many have suggested that Charles Darwin was one of the greatest scientists in history. However, in reviewing some of Darwin’s scholarship, I have identified numerous examples of fraudulent, unethical, and sloppy work. Many more examples of Darwin’s faulty research exist, but the few instances cited in this review indicate that the high level of trust still put in Darwin’s work is misplaced.
A Large Cliff Scarp Exposure of Beach-Nourished Sands Along the St. Andrew Bay Channel, Florida: Evidence for the Rapid Formation of Siliciclastic Stratigraphy
Carl R. Froede Jr.
Naturalists define Earth history from the stratigraphic record. Modern settings and processes are used to construct the geologic column. Every sedimentary layer purports to convey the passage of time, usually immense periods, and the features within the sediments are used to explain their long depositional history. Conversely, the young-Earth creation/Flood framework proposes that the majority of the rock record is the result of the global Flood of Genesis. Support for this approach has come from highly energetic volcanic settings and laboratory studies of sedimentary deposition. Another setting offers additional supporting evidence for the Flood depositional framework. Beach nourishment activities along Florida’s coastline have been ongoing for many years. A nourished dune escarpment occurs along the western side of the St. Andrew Bay Channel at Panama City Beach, Florida. Along this sidewall, the siliciclastic sediments, bedding structures, and fossil content can be closely examined. This quartz-rich sand-particle-size material was naturally segregated and rapidly deposited into bed forms that correspond to siliciclastic strata observed in the rock record. This locale effectively demonstrates the rapid formation of siliciclastic strata within conditions likely analogous to the Flood.