SCIENCE AND THE BIBLE, by Henry M. Morris. Chicago: Moody Press, 1986.
128 pages, bibliography, index. Paperback. No price shown.

Imagine a world in which the practice of science is primarily
qualitative. A world where the highest use of science is seen as that
of supporting one group's interpretation of secondary references in an
ancient and honorable book on ethics. A world in which the primary
rule of science, "assume no supernatural," is replaced by its exact
opposite, and "God-of-the-Gaps" is an adequate explanation. A world
where only two concepts of life's origins are thinkable, God-caused
ex-nihilo appearance in six days, or accidental development with no
outside intelligent involvement.

Welcome to Henry's World, the world of Dr. Henry M. Morris, a kind,
gentle and well-meaning man, who has guided the ICR (Institute for
Creation Research) for many years. Welcome to a world in which dissent
implies satanism, skepticism implies evil thinking, where shades of
gray seldom exist. This book, first issued in 1946 as "That You May
Believe," was revised and reissued in 1951 as "The Bible and Modern
Science." Its popularity prompted reprinting in 1956, 1968 and 1979,
and now, again, revised and updated, it is reissued under a new title.
Its purpose is not to explain science, but rather "to win people to a
genuine faith in Jesus Christ... ." And so it may, but not people who
understand science. For these, it may be an excuse to turn away from
our faith, for the science it portrays is myopic, irrational, avoids
the hard questions, and takes little note of real science, either
historically, or in this age.

As the leader of the "Science & Religion" section of Compuserve's
RELIGIOUS ISSUES FORUM, I see, regularly, ICR-trained people come by
to participate, enthusiastically at first. A week or so later, they
generally creep away, bloody and bowed; their ideas on science
severely shattered. Tight definitions, quantification, understanding
of the issues and, in particular, understanding of opposing positions,
all of these are tested in our forum, and ICR-trained people are
continually found wanting. It is because they have come from Henry's
World, and that world does not equip them to compete in the
battlefield of modern ideas!

Mentioning all of the problems in this book is not practical in a
short review, but a few stand out:

Page 8. Morris claims "thousands of scientists" who support an
inerrent Bible. He does not mention that many of these find his ideas
quite fantastic. He claims "multitudes of Christian believers" also in
support, as if this was meaningful (how many people read horoscopes
daily?). In Henry's world, "what most people think" has scientific
validity.


Page 13. "It has only been a few centuries since the scientists and
teachers all believed in a flat earth." Henry's world does not have
the same secular history as ours!

Page 86. The "world population" argument is still cited as support for
a young earth, the author not grasping that it is an argument only for
the possibility of a young earth, not an argument against an old
earth. Logic is not part of science in Henry's world.
Page 87. Morris continues to assert that 80,000 animals could be
herded into the ark in a single day (Gen:7:13-16). No mention of the
problems with insects (1,000,000 species), spiders (35,000 species),
or worms, snails, freshwater fish, corals, sponges, etc. He makes no
mention of the logistical problem for eight (highly motivated)
individuals to herd these life forms aboard the ark and bed them down
for a year-long voyage -- at the rate of about one pair every two
seconds for a 24 hour period! Let's allow him the use of the doomed
townspeople. And give him the full seven days from the Lord's command
(Gen 7:4) to the ark shutting. Still not enough time. In Henry's
world, this is not a problem. Perhaps he should watch a circus set
up/tear down!

The influence of ICR on this country is extensive; their publications
are to be found in thousands of conservative Christian churches. Those
of us who see science differently need to know what Morris is saying.
For when students come to us, whose training in science is limited to
the world of ICR, what shall we tell them? If we are silent, their
faith, not founded on the rock of Christ, but on the sands of Henry's
world, will likely founder.

Put this book on your shelf then -- right next to that of Immanuel
Velikowski. But it is Morris who is the man of influence. Make no
mistake about that. He it is that we will have to deal with in the
hearts and minds of students yet to come.

Reviewed by John W. Burgeson
            IBM Market Research (retired)
            6715 Colina Lane
            Austin, TX 78759
            Compuserve 73531,1501
            internet 73531.1501@compuserve.com

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