Institute for Creation Research

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Institute for Creation Research
Established: 1970
Type: Young earth creationist
Chairman: Henry Morris III
President: John D. Morris
Faculty: 4 full time [1]
Students: (online classes) either about 30 or more than 50, depending on source[1][2]
Location: Dallas, Texas, United States
Website: www.icr.org

The Institute for Creation Research (ICR) is a Christian institution specializing in education, research, and media communications dedicated to the study and promotion of creation science and Biblical creationism. The ICR adopts the Bible as an inerrant and literal documentary of scientific and historical fact as well as religious and moral truths, and espouses a Young Earth creationist world view. It strongly rejects the science of evolutionary biology, which it views as a corrupting moral and social influence and threat to religious belief.[3]

The ICR was formed by Henry M. Morris in 1972 following an organizational split with the Creation Science Research Center (CSRC).[4] Originally a creation science research division within the Christian Heritage College, the ICR became an autonomous institution in 1981.[5] Its work in the field of creation science has been thoroughly rejected by most mainstream scientists, but has been significant in shaping anti-evolutionist thought in the United States by introducing creation science through churches and religious schools, and by engaging in provocative public debates against supporters of evolution.[6][7] The ICR also offers graduate level programs in creation science and online distance learning training. They operate a museum and host adventure tours, radio broadcasts, and print publishing.

Contents

[edit] History

Institute for Creation Research in Santee, CA

The ICR was founded as a research institution devoted to challenging the science of biological evolution and developing empirical evidence which would support the Biblical account of the origins of heaven and earth as detailed in Genesis. Its founders and faculty embrace belief in Young Earth Creationism, judging the earth to be no more than 10 thousand years old, and strongly rejecting the scientific community's current estimate of 4.54 billion years. The institute denies the conclusions formed by most current scientists in the disciplines of physics, chemistry, and geology, whose estimates converge and thoroughly refute this young earth age hypothesis. The ICR also denounces the biological concept of descent with modification through evolution via random mutation and natural selection of inherited genetic information. The institute instead asserts that speciation only occurs within the boundaries of a kind as described in the Bible, and argues all variations among living organisms are only differing manifestations of pre-existing genetic information fixed at the moment of the kinds' special creation.

In 1961, Henry Morris and John C. Whitcomb published The Genesis Flood, a seminal work that claimed to provide the scientific rationale for Young Earth creationism. Its authors accept the Bible as a literal account of historical origins, including not only a special, separate creation of humans and all other kinds of plants and animals, but also the historicity of Noah´s Flood. The Genesis Flood was the first significant 20th-century effort to present a scientific rationale for special creationism. The field of creation science has been further developed in later books and pamphlets authored by Morris and others who were inspired by him.

Though the name "Institute for Creation Research" was adopted in 1972,[4] the organization itself and its founder, Henry M. Morris, date its founding to 1970[5][8] with the launch of the Creation Science Research Center (CSRC). Following the Supreme Court ruling in Epperson vs. Arkansas, public schools were no longer allowed to prohibit the teaching of evolution. In response, the California State Board of Education in 1970 approved policy changes which opened the door to the teaching of creationism concurrently with evolution in the sciences.[4] The policy changes passed by the state board of education were the culmination of a several years long campaign first initiated by Nell Segraves, a religious activist motivated by the 1963 Supreme Court ruling in Abington School District v. Schempp which both outlawed officially sanctioned public school prayers and prohibited public schools from either affirming or interfering with religious views. Segraves joined with friend Jean Sumrall in 1966 to petition changes to the way evolution was taught in public schools, and later established Creation Science, Inc. to develop creationist textbooks in anticipation of the successful outcome allowing creationism into the school curriculum.[9]

Creation Science, Inc., merged with the newly planned center for creation studies at Christian Heritage College in San Diego in 1970, forming the CSRC. Segraves and Sumrall were joined by scientist Henry Morris, who had taken a position as vice president of the Christian Heritage College planning to organize the new creation center there. Differences over the political role the center would take led to an organizational split in 1972, and Morris founded ICR that same year.[4] Researcher Dorothy Nelkin suggests disagreements over copyright questions were involved in the split.[10]

Morris intended the ICR to be led by scientists engaged in research and education, but viewed the work of the institute as Christian ministry. These early efforts were channeled in three different areas: research, speaking, and writing. Biochemist Duane T. Gish, who joined the ICR before the division in CSRC, focused on researching the scientific literature for findings supportive of creation science, as well as speaking engagements and public debates with evolutionists. Geologist Stephen A. Austin, working as a visiting scientist until taking a full staff position in 1979, conducted most of its archaeological and geological research, though ICR concentrated most of its resources in the first ten years into writing and speaking out about creation science theory.[11]

Ken Ham, a charismatic speaker and sometime biology teacher, worked for the ICR and enjoyed spectacular success with his "Back to Genesis Seminars". In 1994 he left to found what would become Answers in Genesis (AiG).[12] Currently, at least one ICR staff member is also on staff at AiG.[13]

[edit] Research and publications

ICR was established as an organization devoted to research, publication, and the teaching of creation science. For the first nine years the organization remained a research division within the Christian Heritage College, but became separate and autonomous in 1981.[5]

The work of ICR creation science researchers is not published in any mainstream scientific journals, and there is no collaboration in research between these groups. ICR claims to use the same scientific principles and review the same evidence as the wider scientific community. However the wider, mainstream, scientific community generally takes a sharply different view, emphasizing that in true science all hypotheses are tentative and testable, and contrasting this to ICR's research, in which all scientific questions must accept at the outset a given established conclusion and the supernatural processes invoked cannot be tested by empirical evidence and reasoning within the scientific framework of methodological naturalism. As a result, the scientific community says such work conducted at the ICR cannot be called science.

According to Ronald Numbers' history of creationism The Creationists, "[d]espite its name, the institute for years conducted little research outside the confines of its modest library."[14]

The work of the ICR is primarily distributed through religious settings as well as before public audiences in live debates with scientists and other supporters of biological evolution. A listing of their travels, debates, and symposia can be found within the monthly Acts and Facts pamphlet.

[edit] Master Books

Master Books is a division within Creation-Life Publishers, another enterprise Henry M. Morris helped to found. It serves as the publishing arm of the Institute for Creation Research, and specializes in theology and creation science works. Master Books' anti-evolution books are in wide distribution, promoted by most of the large creationist organizations as well as the ICR.[15]

[edit] Move to Dallas

The institute relocated from Santee, California, to Dallas, Texas in 2007.[16] Morris said the move was intended to give the ICR a central national location, Dallas' proximity to a major airport, and a larger population for their ministry.[17]

[edit] School and accreditation

In June 1981, the ICR received formal state approval in California to offer degree programs, and its first graduate level courses were taught in the summer of that year.[5]

In 1988 the ICR sought reapproval, resulting in a visit by a five-man committee (including two flood geology partisans) that found that its graduate school faculty comprised only five full-time staff, made partial reliance on videotaped courses for instruction, had inadequate laboratory instruction and facilities and that the school's doctrinal tenets limited academic freedom. In spite of this, the committee initially voted 3-2 in favour of reapproval, only to reverse itself when a member changed his vote.[18] This resulted in California's Office of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction barring the institute from granting master's degrees in science, threatening their existing graduate degree programs in the teaching of biology, geology, astrogeophysics and science.[19] ICR filed a lawsuit against California's state superintendent, Bill Honig, and was awarded a settlement of $225,000 and given permission to continue its program until 1995 so long as it continued to teach evolution alongside creationism.[20] The original agreement expired in 1995, and California Bureau for Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education granted the ICR religious exemption from postsecondary school requirements in California.[21]

In 1982 the ICR received accreditation from the Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS). According to Henry Morris, TRACS and ICR founder, TRACS is a "product of the ICR Graduate School" and was created "Because of the prejudice against creation-science, outspoken creationist schools such as ICRGS used to stand little or no chance of getting recognition through accreditation."[22] TRACS was officially recognized as an accreditor by the US Department of Education in 1991. Following the ICR's move to Dallas, in November 2007 the TRACS accreditation commission acceded to ICR's request to terminate its accredited status.[23] Texas does not recognize TRACS' accreditation.[17]

Now that the ICR has relocated to Texas, the institute must either obtain Texas state approval or become accredited by a regional accrediting agency, in this case Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).[24] The ICR has applied for a temporary state certification there which, if granted, would allow the institute to operate while it pursues accreditation through SACS.[25] In December 2007, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board received an advisory committee recommendation to allow the ICR to start offering online master’s degrees in science education. The Board originally planned to decide on the issue at their January 2008 meeting.[24] At the time it applied, ICR graduate school had approximately 30 to 50 students, most teachers at private Christian schools or homeschoolers, and four full-time faculty.[1][26][27]

After seeking the advice from an independent panel, the Chairman of the Texas Board requested information about the research conducted by the faculty, how an on-line program would expose students to the experimental side of science, and asked why "[t]heir curriculum doesn't line up very well with the curriculum available in conventional master of science programs."[28] Subsequently, the ICR asked the THECB to delay its decision until their next meeting, on April 24, 2008 to give them time to respond.[29] Inside Higher Ed reports that "lobbying — by scientists against the institute, and by others in its favor — is going strong."[30] The Dallas Morning News obtained some of the messages sent to the board and published a number of examples and summaries that illustrate just how intense the debate has become.[31] Following the recent response from the ICR to the Board, Steven Schafersman, of the Texas Citizens for Science, reported that the ICR sent out "prayer requests" and is currently arguing a creationist derived distinction of science in their application for approval.[32]

On April 23, 2008 education board's Academic Excellence and Research Committee unanimously voted against allowing the ICR to issue science degrees citing "the institute’s program is infused with creationism and runs counter to conventions of science that hold that claims of supernatural intervention are not testable and therefore lie outside the realm of science."[33] On the following day the full Board unanimously voted against allowing the ICR to issue science degrees. The decision was "based the recommendation on two considerations: 1) that ICR failed to demonstrate that the proposed degree program meets acceptable standards of science and science education; and 2) that the proposed degree is inconsistent with Coordinating Board rules which require the accurate labeling or designation of programs ... Since the proposed degree program inadequately covers key areas of science, it cannot be properly designated either as 'science' or 'science education.'"[34] The ICR is appealing the decision saying the Education Board is guilty of "viewpoint discrimination."[35]

[edit] Controversy and criticism

[edit] Scientific criticisms

Author and professor of evolution Massimo Pigliucci has criticized ICR for professing to present the same science as that taught in secular universities while at the same time requiring students and faculty to sign a statement of faith to ICR's fundamentalist religious mission, most notably in affirming conformity in all its work to Biblical doctrine. Pigliucci notes that any research conducted within the ICR's policy framework is prescribed at the outset by Biblical literalism, and thus antithetical to the methods and framework used by scientists.[36] As examples, Pigliucci cites ICR scientist Harold Slusher resorting to non-Euclidean and non-Einsteinian explanations of light travel to reconcile the vast distances light travels in space with the brief timescale given in young earth creationism, and the association adopted by the ICR between the second principle of thermodynamics and the Bible's account of the fall of Adam. Pigliucci further claimed that "some of the historical claims found in the ICR museum are also stunning and show how easily ideology gets the better of accuracy."[36]

A 2004 episode of Penn and Teller's television program Bullshit! broadcast video taken of the ICR spokesperson, Duane Gish, stating "neither creation nor evolution are scientific theories. Evolution is no more scientific than creation", and that the Grand Canyon was created in as little as a few days due to the Biblical flood in Genesis. Eugenie Scott of the National Center for Science Education responded, "the Grand Canyon consists of granite and shale and really hard stuff - about 5,000 feet of it. You're not going to cut this very hard rock with just a bunch of water flowing through it at one time."

On January 7, 2007 the National Center for Science Education reported that Grand Canyon: A Different View, edited by Tom Vail and published by Master Books, the publishing arm of the Institute for Creation Research, and described as promoting "a young-earth creationist view of the geology of the Grand Canyon," was facing new scrutiny by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) in December 2006. The Chief of the Park Service's Geologic Resources Division recommended its removal on grounds that it "does not use accurate, professional and scholarly knowledge; is not based on science but a specific religious doctrine; does not further the public's understanding of the Grand Canyon's existence; [and] does not further the mission of the National Park Service".[37]

[edit] Criticism from creationists

Some creationists are opposed to the ICR. Gary North "opposes the ICR on the grounds that they" acknowledge the second principle of thermodynamics, and John W. Robbins considers the ICR's activities a "fraud."[36] Another creationist opponent of ICR and its doctrine is Hugh Ross, who supports an ancient age of the Earth similar to mainstream scientists. Ross's type of Creationism is termed Progressive Creationism, which posits that while the earth is billions of years old, life did not appear by natural forces alone but that a supernatural agent formed different lifeforms in incremental (progressive) stages. He rejects the Young Earth Creationist (YEC) position that the earth is younger than 10,000 years, or that the creation "days" of Genesis 1 represent literal 24-hour periods. Ross instead asserts that these days (translated from the Hebrew word yom[38]) are historic, distinct, and sequential, but not literally 24 hours in length nor equal in length. He agrees with the mainstream scientific community that almost all Young Earth Creationist arguments are pseudoscience, and finds any version of intelligent design inadequate that doesn't provide a testable hypothesis which can make verifiable and falsifiable prediction about the identity of the Designer.[39] Except for the details of their respective Creationist doctrines, Hugh Ross's and ICR's ministries are very similar: both write books, publish newsletters, and travel the country giving presentations to church groups and public conferences about their versions of Creationism.

[edit] Criticism over awarding degrees

The ICR has attracted much opposition as it seeks approval to operate a master's degree program in the field of science education in Texas.[40] An April 2008 survey by Texas Freedom Network showed the majority of science faculty in Texas is opposed to ICR's request to issue science degrees with 185 (95% of respondents) opposed to certifying the program and 6 (3%) in favor.[41] Officials of the institute state their goal is to integrate Biblical creationism with science. Since their program is intended to prepare students who are or will become teachers, the developing program is controversial. In public statements ICR officials say that scientific literacy will be emphasized, but science advocates critical of the ICR say the institute's true goal is to restore religious creationism to science classes in the public schools. It is unlawful to incorporate creationism in any form into the science curriculum in any public school anywhere in the United States.[25]

[edit] Museum

Museum of Creation and Earth History at the Institute for Creation Research
Museum of Creation and Earth History at the Institute for Creation Research
Garden of Eden exhibit at the Museum of Creation and Earth History
Garden of Eden exhibit at the Museum of Creation and Earth History

ICR maintains the Museum of Creation and Earth History at its headquarters in Santee, California, USA. The museum is open to the public from Monday through Saturday with free admission.[42] It features exhibits such as:

  • An interpreted walk through the Garden of Eden, with descriptions of what happened on each of the six days in the Genesis accounts of creation.
  • A dark room with pictures of the planets and stars discussing the view of modern astronomy and areas where ICR has a different view.
  • Scale models of Noah's Ark and the Tower of Babel.
  • An Ice Age room explaining how Ice Ages could have occurred after the Flood, just a few thousand years ago.
  • The Canyon Wall, describing how the Grand Canyon was formed in a matter of weeks or months, rather than the millions of years posited by mainstream geologists.
  • A Mt St Helens exhibit, which explains why the catastrophic events at this volcano support a young-earth interpretation of earth history.
  • The Hall of Scholars, with pictures and biographies of famous scientists who believed in creationism on one side and scientists who accepted evolution on the other.
  • A final room devoted to showing the findings of ICR's recent RATE project, a multi-year collaboration with other Young Earth creationist organizations to test for evidences of a young earth.

The museum also has a gift shop with books, magazines, videos, and other items supporting the Young Earth creationist worldview.

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ a b c Hacker, Holly. "Creation college seeks state's OK to train teachers", Dallas Morning News, 2007-12-15. Retrieved on 2008-01-04. 
  2. ^ Eileen E. Flynn, Scott (December 15, 2007). Creationist institute seeks certificate to operate master's program in Texas. Austin American-Statesman. Retrieved on 2008-01-07.
  3. ^ FAQ. Institute for Creation Research. Retrieved on 2008-01-04.
  4. ^ a b c d "The 'Evolution' of Creationism:The Creationism 'Science' Period". People for the American Way. Retrieved on 2007-11-26.
  5. ^ a b c d "Institute for Creation Research-History". Institute for Creation Research. Retrieved on Nov 26, 2007.
  6. ^ Larson, Edward J., Evolution, Modern Library (published 2006), pp. 368, ISBN 978-0812968491 
  7. ^ Numbers(2006) pp 316-317
  8. ^ Schudel, Matt (2006-03-01). "Henry Morris; Intellectual Father of 'Creation Science'". Washington Post. Retrieved on 2007-11-25.
  9. ^ Numbers(2006) pp 270-272
  10. ^ Nelkin, Dorothy (1982,2000). The Creation Controversy. Lincoln, Nebraska: toExcel, p 80. ISBN 0-595-00197-7. 
  11. ^ Numbers(2006) pp313-315
  12. ^ Numbers(2006) p401
  13. ^ Andrew Snelling biography, Answers in Genesis
  14. ^ Numbers(2006) p315
  15. ^ Scott, Eugenie (2004). Evolution vs. Creationism: An Introduction. Westport Connecticut-London: Greenwood Press. ISBN 0313321221. 
  16. ^ "ICR seeks to grant degrees in Texas", National Center for Science Education, 2007-12-21. Retrieved on 2008-01-03. 
  17. ^ a b Schafersman, Steven (2008-1-6), The Institute for Creation Research and Its Quest for Official Texas Certification to Award Masters Degrees in Science Education, A Report by Texas Citizens for Science, <http://www.texscience.org/reviews/icr-thecb-certification.htm>. Retrieved on 9 January 2008 
  18. ^ Numbers(2006) p318
  19. ^ Sandra Blakeslee. "California Bars Degrees at Creationist School", New York Times, 1988-12-8. Retrieved on 2007-11-26. 
  20. ^ Delos B. McKown, The Mythmaker's Magic, Prometheus Books, 1993.
  21. ^ Guide to California Colleges and Universities-Institute For Creation Research, Retrieved on 2007-11-26 [1]
  22. ^ Sandra Blakeslee. "The ICR Graduates", Institute for Creation Research, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-11-26. 
  23. ^ Accreditation Commission Meeting (PDF). Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools. Retrieved on 2008-01-09.
  24. ^ a b Jaschik, Scott (2007-12-17). Creationist College advances in Texas. Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved on 2008-01-04.
  25. ^ a b Ludwig, Melissa. "Institute proposes online degrees in creationism", San Antonio: Express News, 2007-12-19. Retrieved on 2008-01-03. 
  26. ^ Eileen E. Flynn, Scott (December 15, 2007). Creationist institute seeks certificate to operate master's program in Texas. Austin American-Statesman. Retrieved on 2008-01-07.
  27. ^ "Texas-Based Creationism Institute Seeks to Offer Science Education Degree", Fox News, 2007-12-19. Retrieved on 2008-01-09. 
  28. ^ "Decision on ICR's graduate school deferred", National Center for Science Education, January 17, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-01-17. 
  29. ^ "Decision on ICR's graduate school deferred", National Center for Science Education, January 17, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-01-17. 
  30. ^ Inside Higher Ed, January 25, 2008.
  31. ^ "Creationist institute's master's science degree proposal creates debate," Dallas Morning News, January 23, 2008.
  32. ^ Schafersman, Steven. "The Disjunctive Duality of Science Distinction", Texas Citizens for Science, January 15, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-01-17. 
  33. ^ "Panel rejects creation institute's proposal", Austin American-Statesman, April 22, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-05-09. 
  34. ^ "ICR fails to obtain certification in Texas", National Center for Science Education, April 24, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-05-09. 
  35. ^ "Creationist school fights ruling", Houston Chronicle , June 2, 2008. Retrieved on 2007-11-26. 
  36. ^ a b c Pigliucci, Massimo (2002). Denying Evolution: Creationism, Scientism, and the Nature of Science. Sunderland, Massachusetts: Sinauer, p 46. ISBN 0-87893-659-9. 
  37. ^ "Renewed concern about creationism at Grand Canyon National Park", National Center for Science Education, January 7, 2007. Retrieved on 2007-01-19. 
  38. ^ Brown, Driver, Briggs and Gesenius. "Yowm". The Old Testament Hebrew Lexicon. Retrieved on 2006-10-18.
  39. ^ Hugh Ross. "More Than Intelligent Design". Facts for Faith, Issue 10. Retrieved on 2006-10-18.
  40. ^ Schafersman, Steven. "The Disjunctive Duality of Science Distinction", Texas Citizens for Science, January 15, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-01-17. 
  41. ^ "Survey shows overwhelming opposition to ICR certification", National Center for Science Education, April 24, 2008. Retrieved on 2008-05-09. 
  42. ^ Museum information. Museum of Creation and Earth History. Retrieved on 2008-01-12.

[edit] References

[edit] External links

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