Perspective Digest Perspective Digest

Volume 11 Issue 2 Spring Article 6

2006

Concerning Three Items (Faith & Science Update) Concerning Three Items (Faith & Science Update)

John T. Baldwin Andrews University

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Recommended Citation Recommended Citation Baldwin, John T. (2006) "Concerning Three Items (Faith & Science Update)," Perspective Digest: Vol. 11 : Iss. 2 , Article 6. Available at: https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/pd/vol11/iss2/6

This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Adventist Theological Society at Digital Commons @ Andrews University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Perspective Digest by an authorized editor of Digital Commons @ Andrews University. For more information, please contact repository@andrews.edu.

55

Lately, coal samples with conven-tional ages ranging 65 to 350 millionyears have been subjected to Car-bon-14 dating. Surprisingly, eachsample tested showed an age fallingin the relatively young age range of30 to 40 thousand years irrespectiveof their greatly differing conven-tional coal ages.6 Evolutionary scien-tists would have expected these coalsamples to be Carbon-14 dead andthus to have registered no age.

One wonders whether the dino-saur soft tissue would yield resultssimilar to the coal samples were thedinosaur tissue tested by Carbon-14.In other words, would the organicdinosaur samples all register ages inthe thousands of years? This wouldbe in striking contrast with theiralleged evolutionary ages of 68 mil-lion years.

Historic Statement on Creation bythe GC Executive Committee

Every Adventist needs to knowabout and be conversant with the“Response to an Affirmation of Cre-ation,” published on page 11 of theNAD Edition of the AdventistReview (August 2005), one of themost significant statements voted bythe General Conference ExecutiveCommittee because it stands forGod-honoring truth.

After three years (2002-2004) ofchurch-sponsored International Faithand Science conferences, the GeneralConference Executive Committee

voted to reaffirm, now in explicitterms, the historic position of the Ad-ventist Church on the doctrine ofCreation and the Flood. This permitsthe witness of the church to the worldto shine more clearly and convinc-ingly regarding Creation.

Four new terms appear for thefirst time in a voted Adventist docu-ment on Creation. Three of the fourrelate to Creation: “recent, literal,”and “the historicity of Genesis 1–11.”The church now formally states tothe world that the Creation wasrecent and historical, implying thatit literally occurred within actualEarth history a few thousand yearsago. Moreover, because the Creationwas the beginning of all life forms,affirming a recent, historical Cre-ation means that the fossils are alsoof recent origin. This has hugeimplications regarding the Adventistinterpretation of the geologic col-umn. These implications show whythis document is so important forthe future of the Adventist mission,message, education, and scholarlyresearch.

Finally, the fourth term statesthat the Flood was global. Hereagain, the church has articulated awitness to the world that clearlyrepresents the truth, but is veryunpopular. A global flood is neededto account for the formation ofbasic portions of the geologic col-umn after the Fall, thereby estab-lishing the possibility of a six-day,

54

Soft Tissue Recently Foundin Dinosaur Thigh Bone

In a jaw-dropping dis-covery reported in the sum-

three-dimensionality.”2

Because Schweitzer datesthis specimen as originatingin the upper Mesozoic por-

CONCERNINGTHREE ITEMS

F A I T H A N D S C I E N C E U P D A T E

John T. Baldwin

mer of 2005, paleontologists MaryH. Schweitzer, Jack Horner, et al.located soft tissue and vessels pre-served in hind limb elements of aTyrannosaurus rex.1 The specimenlay entombed at the base of HellCreek Formation, Montana, whereother dinosaurs have been excav-ated. The authors interpret the boneas resting in well-sorted sandstoneof estuarine origin. This means thatthe dinosaur was buried underaquatic conditions in sedimentformed in a location where a rivermeets a sea. Although not establish-ing the biblical flood, the aquaticdeposition of this dinosaur is inter-esting because circumstances similarto this would be expected in a floodof global proportions.

Most importantly, the scientistsidentified, as described in their ownwords, “pliable soft-tissue blood ves-sels . . . still retaining their flexibility,resilience, original hollow nature, and

tion of the geologic column, andtherefore about 68 million years oldas reckoned by evolutionary theory,she considers this discovery to be“totally shocking,” because soft tissueis not considered to be a possibility insuch old fossils.3 Her techniciansoaked the fragments in a weak acidsolution, which revealed the elasticvessels. The team also found roundred microstructures inside the bloodvessels that looked like red bloodcells.4 Remarkably, several of the ves-sels were so elastic—like rubberbands—that they rebounded whenrepeatedly stretched by the techni-cian.5

For Creationists, this opens upnew ways of interpreting the age anddecay rates of animals. Can soft tis-sue actually remain pliable for 68million years in fossils? Or does thisdiscovery possibly point to the needfor a more recent and rapid burialand preservation of this dinosaur?

1

Baldwin: Concerning Three Items (Faith & Science Update)

Published by Digital Commons @ Andrews University, 2006

55

Lately, coal samples with conven-tional ages ranging 65 to 350 millionyears have been subjected to Car-bon-14 dating. Surprisingly, eachsample tested showed an age fallingin the relatively young age range of30 to 40 thousand years irrespectiveof their greatly differing conven-tional coal ages.6 Evolutionary scien-tists would have expected these coalsamples to be Carbon-14 dead andthus to have registered no age.

One wonders whether the dino-saur soft tissue would yield resultssimilar to the coal samples were thedinosaur tissue tested by Carbon-14.In other words, would the organicdinosaur samples all register ages inthe thousands of years? This wouldbe in striking contrast with theiralleged evolutionary ages of 68 mil-lion years.

Historic Statement on Creation bythe GC Executive Committee

Every Adventist needs to knowabout and be conversant with the“Response to an Affirmation of Cre-ation,” published on page 11 of theNAD Edition of the AdventistReview (August 2005), one of themost significant statements voted bythe General Conference ExecutiveCommittee because it stands forGod-honoring truth.

After three years (2002-2004) ofchurch-sponsored International Faithand Science conferences, the GeneralConference Executive Committee

voted to reaffirm, now in explicitterms, the historic position of the Ad-ventist Church on the doctrine ofCreation and the Flood. This permitsthe witness of the church to the worldto shine more clearly and convinc-ingly regarding Creation.

Four new terms appear for thefirst time in a voted Adventist docu-ment on Creation. Three of the fourrelate to Creation: “recent, literal,”and “the historicity of Genesis 1–11.”The church now formally states tothe world that the Creation wasrecent and historical, implying thatit literally occurred within actualEarth history a few thousand yearsago. Moreover, because the Creationwas the beginning of all life forms,affirming a recent, historical Cre-ation means that the fossils are alsoof recent origin. This has hugeimplications regarding the Adventistinterpretation of the geologic col-umn. These implications show whythis document is so important forthe future of the Adventist mission,message, education, and scholarlyresearch.

Finally, the fourth term statesthat the Flood was global. Hereagain, the church has articulated awitness to the world that clearlyrepresents the truth, but is veryunpopular. A global flood is neededto account for the formation ofbasic portions of the geologic col-umn after the Fall, thereby estab-lishing the possibility of a six-day,

54

Soft Tissue Recently Foundin Dinosaur Thigh Bone

In a jaw-dropping dis-covery reported in the sum-

three-dimensionality.”2

Because Schweitzer datesthis specimen as originatingin the upper Mesozoic por-

CONCERNINGTHREE ITEMS

F A I T H A N D S C I E N C E U P D A T E

John T. Baldwin

mer of 2005, paleontologists MaryH. Schweitzer, Jack Horner, et al.located soft tissue and vessels pre-served in hind limb elements of aTyrannosaurus rex.1 The specimenlay entombed at the base of HellCreek Formation, Montana, whereother dinosaurs have been excav-ated. The authors interpret the boneas resting in well-sorted sandstoneof estuarine origin. This means thatthe dinosaur was buried underaquatic conditions in sedimentformed in a location where a rivermeets a sea. Although not establish-ing the biblical flood, the aquaticdeposition of this dinosaur is inter-esting because circumstances similarto this would be expected in a floodof global proportions.

Most importantly, the scientistsidentified, as described in their ownwords, “pliable soft-tissue blood ves-sels . . . still retaining their flexibility,resilience, original hollow nature, and

tion of the geologic column, andtherefore about 68 million years oldas reckoned by evolutionary theory,she considers this discovery to be“totally shocking,” because soft tissueis not considered to be a possibility insuch old fossils.3 Her techniciansoaked the fragments in a weak acidsolution, which revealed the elasticvessels. The team also found roundred microstructures inside the bloodvessels that looked like red bloodcells.4 Remarkably, several of the ves-sels were so elastic—like rubberbands—that they rebounded whenrepeatedly stretched by the techni-cian.5

For Creationists, this opens upnew ways of interpreting the age anddecay rates of animals. Can soft tis-sue actually remain pliable for 68million years in fossils? Or does thisdiscovery possibly point to the needfor a more recent and rapid burialand preservation of this dinosaur?

2

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5756

recent, historical Creation—withoutwhich the authority of Scripture, theSabbath, the atonement, and otheressential truths, are undermined.

Adventists can be deeply gratefulfor the moving of the Holy Spirit inthe formation of the “Response to anAffirmation of Creation,” and forleaders in step with the Spirit. It isnow essential that cordial, open,respectful dialogue and researchregarding origins continue withvigor and enthusiasm among theentire Adventist family.

Nature Testifies to Its Creator: TheMarch of the Penguins

In discussing faith and science, itseems important not only to con-sider the evidence of correspon-dence between the two realms, butalso to consider the beauty of natureitself and how nature still speaks ofthe goodness of God.7

If you have not seen it, by allmeans watch The March of the Pen-guins, a DVD documentary con-cerning Antarctic Emperor pen-guins. These flightless birds walk 70miles to breeding grounds in orderto raise their fuzzy chicks. In fierceblizzard conditions the devoted par-ents alternately trek back to theocean for food. Their heroic behav-ior represents a stunning display ofGod’s wisdom and faithfulness inproviding these creatures with suffi-cient strength and instinctual wis-

dom to survive successfully in theharshest conditions found on thisplanet. If God equips the penguinsin such a way, how much more willHe provide wisdom and direction inour lives (Matt. 6:30; Prov. 4:11).

Esthetically, the sleek, long, thinorange stripe on the black bill of theadult Emperor penguin matches theorange area shading into white justbehind its black eye areas. This mustbe an example of intentional colorcoordination by an Artist who origi-nally selected these color relation-ships, thereby illustrating His loveand sense of the beautiful. “His workis perfect” (Deut. 32:4, KJV).

REFERENCES1 Mary H. Schweitzer, et al., “Soft-Tissue

Vessels and Cellular Preservation in Tyran-nosaurus rex,” Science, vol. 307 (March 15,2005), pp. 1952-1955.

2 Ibid., p. 1,995.3 Erik Stokstad, “Tyrannosaurus rex Soft

Tissue Raises Tantalizing Prospects,” Science,vol. 307 (March 25, 2005), p. 1,852.

4 Ibid., p. 1,953.5 Ibid., p. 1,954.6 Paul Geim, “Carbon-14 Content of Fos-

sil Carbon,” Origins 51 (2001), pp. 6-30; JohnBaumgardner, Andrew Snelling, et al., “Mea-surable C-14 in Fossilized Organic Materials:Confirming the Young Earth Creation-FloodModel,” in Proceedings of the Fifth Interna-tional Conference on Creationism, TechnicalSymposium Sessions, Robert L. Ivey, Jr., ed.(Pittsburgh: Creation Science Fellowship,Inc., 2003), pp. 127-154.

7 Education, p. 101.

Getty Images

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Baldwin: Concerning Three Items (Faith & Science Update)

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5756

recent, historical Creation—withoutwhich the authority of Scripture, theSabbath, the atonement, and otheressential truths, are undermined.

Adventists can be deeply gratefulfor the moving of the Holy Spirit inthe formation of the “Response to anAffirmation of Creation,” and forleaders in step with the Spirit. It isnow essential that cordial, open,respectful dialogue and researchregarding origins continue withvigor and enthusiasm among theentire Adventist family.

Nature Testifies to Its Creator: TheMarch of the Penguins

In discussing faith and science, itseems important not only to con-sider the evidence of correspon-dence between the two realms, butalso to consider the beauty of natureitself and how nature still speaks ofthe goodness of God.7

If you have not seen it, by allmeans watch The March of the Pen-guins, a DVD documentary con-cerning Antarctic Emperor pen-guins. These flightless birds walk 70miles to breeding grounds in orderto raise their fuzzy chicks. In fierceblizzard conditions the devoted par-ents alternately trek back to theocean for food. Their heroic behav-ior represents a stunning display ofGod’s wisdom and faithfulness inproviding these creatures with suffi-cient strength and instinctual wis-

dom to survive successfully in theharshest conditions found on thisplanet. If God equips the penguinsin such a way, how much more willHe provide wisdom and direction inour lives (Matt. 6:30; Prov. 4:11).

Esthetically, the sleek, long, thinorange stripe on the black bill of theadult Emperor penguin matches theorange area shading into white justbehind its black eye areas. This mustbe an example of intentional colorcoordination by an Artist who origi-nally selected these color relation-ships, thereby illustrating His loveand sense of the beautiful. “His workis perfect” (Deut. 32:4, KJV).

REFERENCES1 Mary H. Schweitzer, et al., “Soft-Tissue

Vessels and Cellular Preservation in Tyran-nosaurus rex,” Science, vol. 307 (March 15,2005), pp. 1952-1955.

2 Ibid., p. 1,995.3 Erik Stokstad, “Tyrannosaurus rex Soft

Tissue Raises Tantalizing Prospects,” Science,vol. 307 (March 25, 2005), p. 1,852.

4 Ibid., p. 1,953.5 Ibid., p. 1,954.6 Paul Geim, “Carbon-14 Content of Fos-

sil Carbon,” Origins 51 (2001), pp. 6-30; JohnBaumgardner, Andrew Snelling, et al., “Mea-surable C-14 in Fossilized Organic Materials:Confirming the Young Earth Creation-FloodModel,” in Proceedings of the Fifth Interna-tional Conference on Creationism, TechnicalSymposium Sessions, Robert L. Ivey, Jr., ed.(Pittsburgh: Creation Science Fellowship,Inc., 2003), pp. 127-154.

7 Education, p. 101.

Getty Images

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