Most agree that the modern creation movement began in 1961 with the publication of The Genesis Flood, the classic work on flood geology. God has marvelously blessed in succeeding decades, and now there are scores of creationist organizations worldwide, with books and videos and seminars and websites multiplying rapidly. Not only has creation information become widely available, but the face of science has swung dramatically toward creation positions (i.e., recognition of the lack of transitional fossils, the acceptance of catastrophism in geology, etc.).
Recently, two new players have entered the field. Long-time creationist colleague, Dr. D. James Kennedy, has backed the new Creation Studies Institute in Coral Ridge, Florida, under the leadership of my good friend Tom DeRosa. CSI will focus on producing creation-based teaching materials and the promotion of creation museums around the country. Let it be known that ICR fully backs this idea and offers its assistance. There is plenty of work to do, and God, through His people, has enough resources to support a multiplicity of organizations.
ICR remains distinct from other creation groups in its graduate-degree programs and staff of research scientists researching and gathering information made available to all the groups. Sometimes I wonder what could be accomplished if we had access to the huge government grants available to our evolutionary colleagues at universities, but we're winning without these grants.
The rather new Intelligent Design (ID) movement has also emerged, and has been quite effective in demonstrating the exquisite design in living things, quite beyond the ability of natural processes to produce, and the religious, naturalist underpinnings of evolution. Their membership spans a wide spectrum of viewpoints, from evolutionists, to New Agers, to Bible-believing Christians. As a tactical strategy, ID has chosen to be scrupulously secular in their presentation.
While ICR applauds the work of ID, sells their materials, and supports their efforts, we cannot join them. As a Christian, Bible-based organization, our goals are different. It is not enough to see the design in living things, as Christians we want to see the Bible championed, the Creator glorified, and creation restored to fellowship with the Creator. We dare not even be "ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth" (Romans 1:16).
