ONE of the latest products from the prolific pen of the foremost defender of Biblical creationism, the book entitled The Troubled Waters of Evolution, by Henry M. Morris, may be expected to enjoy a wide circulation.
The Foreword, by Thomas G. Barnes, president of the Creation Research Society, states the burning desire of Dr. Morris' life, and the purpose of this book to bring everyone a knowledge of the evidence for special creation and the historicity of the Scriptures, in the hope that faith in the true God of Creation will be the result. In the Introduction, Tim La Haye, who is widely known in evangelical circles, places the theory of evolution as the root of each of the various philosophies that are responsible for current social and political problems, a theme that Dr. Morris carries throughout the book.
The first chapter begins with a brief discussion of the Scopes trial, which is described as a nominal legal victory but a public defeat for creationism. Subsequent confusion among creationists and the rapid ascendancy of evolutionary thought are then traced through the following three decades. In presenting the resurgent interest in creationism that began to become conspicuous in the 1960's Dr. Morris describes the back ground and character of the American Scientific Affiliation, the Moody Institute of Science, the Creation Research Society, the Bible-Science Association, and the Institute for Creation Research (ICR). The perceptive reader will wonder why the institute directed by Dr. Morris, ICR, is described as "potentially the most significant development," while another San Diego-based organization the Creation Science Research Center, which has been foremost in preparing educational creation-science material, and with which Dr. Morris was once associated is not mentioned.
In pages 16-48 the author presents a broad survey of the practical philosophical issues that may be related to concepts of origins. He places the evolutionary concept as the cause of amoralism and atheism pervading modern literature, music, drama, and art, and holds it responsible for all undesirable political and social developments, including racism. He cites evidence that the evolutionary viewpoint has tacitly become basic in modern religions, including much of Christianity. This section of the book provides stimulating philosophy and contains much excellent logic. At the close of the book (pp. ITS-184) the author calls attention to the infiltration of evolutionary views into supposedly conservative Christian colleges and periodicals.
The reader will need to seek else where than in this book for a hard, analytical treatment of basic scientific data. The allusions in the second para graph on page 21 involve interpretations that are highly debatable, even among scientists who are just as firmly committed to a short chronology interpretation of the Bible as Dr. Morris is. The discussion in the last paragraph is rather loose and overly generalized.
At the beginning of Chapter III a valuable discussion on the development of evolutionary thought in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries places Charles Darwin in proper scientific perspective. This chapter also develops the thought-provoking suggestion that all ancient cosmogonies, excepting that of the Hebrews, were evolutionary. While this view can be sustained with an appropriate adaptation of the term "evolution," many readers will question the association between ancient myths and a scientific theory of evolution. Dr. Morris suggests that the concept of evolutionary development may have originated in heaven with Lucifer, who may have proposed it in an effort to account for God and deluded himself into believing that only time separated him from God.
Readers who attempt to share with others the views expressed in this book may expect greater success if statements such as "all the real data of science supports creation rather than evolution" (p. 51) are interpreted to mean the basic data of science usually can be understood better from a creation viewpoint than an evolutionary one.
In Chapter IV Dr. Morris accounts for the phenomenal acceptance of Darwinian evolution on the premise that it was an idea whose time had come. Its acceptance was not due to the brilliance or scientific excellence of Charles Darwin (there was lack of both), but rather Darwin's success in presenting a rationale for what people wanted to believe. This chapter provides a good comparison between evolution and creation as scientific models.
The statement in paragraph three on page 94, "massive formations of so-called 'evaporites' may best be explained as precipitates," needs qualification in view of the evidence that some of these features (salt domes and salt beds, e.g.) may be basic mineral formations.
Radiometric dating problems are dis missed in an entirely too cavalier fashion on page 96. The reader should be cautioned against the cheap solutions to radiometric dating problems that are frequently presented in creationist literature, most often by well-meaning individuals who are incapable of recognizing the inconsistencies and inadequacy of the explanations they offer.
On the positive side, the reader will find on pages 97-101 a good non-technical discussion of the probability that the popularly presumed evolutionary development has actually occurred. On pages 93,101-103,131,132, and 185-190 there are excellent discussions of theistic evolution that will be helpful to anyone who seeks to witness among Christians who have been influenced by modern liberal theology.
The reader can better understand and evaluate this book, as well as others by the same author, if he keeps in mind that for Morris, creation means the appearance of the entire universe by divine fiat within six consecutive 24-hour earth days at some point in time between 6,000 and 10,000 years ago (p. 183). Consistent with this view, he places Lucifer's rebellion and expulsion from heaven after the creation of Adam (p. 190). On page 109 he states the view that as a result of Adam's fall "the en tire cosmos" was brought into a state of deterioration leading toward death. Related to this view is the inference that the Second Law of Thermodynamics (the progressive unavailability of energy, the trend toward randomness, the continual loss of "information" in physical systems) is a consequence of sin (p. 158) The reader should know that this concept concerning the Second Law of Thermodynamics is contested by many (probably most) creationist scientists [Emmet L. Williams, "The Fall and Degeneration." Creation Research Society Quarterly, vol. 12, September 1975, pp. 124-126].
Chapter V, "Can Water Run Uphill?" presents a good discussion of thermodynamics-type arguments against evolution, and clearly portrays the extent to which faith is involved in accepting evolutionary models. Individuals who are looking for good quotations to use in discussions concerning evolution will appreciate those on page 135.
The first part of Chapter VI contains a discussion of population growth considerations that shows no more than about 6,000 years of history is necessary to account for the human population, even under stringent assumptions.
Reference to the vapor-canopy model is to be expected in a book of this nature (p. 158). It is unfortunate that Moses was not more specific in describing the "waters which were above the firmament" (Gen. 1:7), and that no physically satisfactory model has yet been devised for holding in position the amount of water required by the usual vapor- canopy hypothesis.
Dr. Morris appears to believe that in all the universe Earth is the only planet that supports life. He is entitled to this view, particularly since there is no Biblical testimony that explicitly contradicts it; but he has overly generalized in saying that the absence of life on the moon and every other planet in the solar system is "exactly as predicted by creationists all along" (p. 169).
In his concluding observations Dr. Morris emphasizes that neither evolution nor creation can be proved or tested; they can only be compared. Accordingly, the public schools should either teach both models, or neither of them. On pages 173-178 he offers excellent counsel to parents, students, and concerned citizens on how to deal with the current situation in the public schools.
Typical of the many choice statements in this book is the following from pages 184, 185: "If the Bible cannot be understood, it is useless as revelation. If it contains scientific fallacies, it could not have been given by inspiration." The evangelistic conclusion presented on pages 190-194 could provide a model for use in a sermon, study, or discussion on Biblical creationism.
