(1) Annual ICR Report for 1980
(2) Summary of Activities of ICR During the Past Decade
(3) ICR Goals for the Decade of the Eighties
The year 1980 was the first year of what could well be the most
exciting decade in many centuries. Among other encouraging indicators,
the signs seem favorable for a much stronger worldwide expansion
of creationism than even that which occurred in the seventies.
If so, this will be attributable in considerable measure to the
strong base of scientific creationism established in the past
decade by the wide-ranging activities of the Institute for Creation
Research. Since ICR is planning in 1981 to institute graduate
degree programs in creationist science and education, this is
a good time to review not only the work of the past year but also
that of the entire past decade since ICR's beginning.
Activities in 1980
The ministry of ICR involves three major functions: (1) publications;
(2) research; (3) teaching (including seminars, debates, radio
and all other speaking ministries). The 1980 activities in all
three of these categories are summarized below:
A. Publications:
(1) R.B. Bliss, G.E. Parker, and D.T. Gish, Fossils
Key to the Present (CLP, 1980)
(2) H.M. Morris, King of Creation (CLP, 1980)
(3) H.S. Slusher, Age of the Cosmos (CLP, 1980 p. 74)
(4) G.E. Parker, Creation: The Facts of Life (CLP, 1980)
(5) J.D. Morris, Tracking Those Incredible Dinosaurs
and the People Who Knew Them (CLP, 1980)
(6) H.M. Morris, ed. The Decade of Creation (CLP, 1980)
(7) 12 issues of ICR Acts & Facts, with "Impact Series"
articles
(8) 5 articles in professional journals or anthologies
(9) 8 articles in Christian periodicals
B. Research
(1) Field study of geologic catastrophism in Australia
(2) Laboratory study of catastrophic indicators in coal geology
(3) Field studies in Grand Canyon and Anza-Borrego Desert
(4) Theoretical and library research on numerous creation/evolution
issues
C. Speaking and Teaching
(1) 10 creation/evolution debates, at Charleston, SC;
Kansas City; Iowa State University; Des Moines College, Graceland
College; Princeton University; Humboldt State College; Western
Washington University; University of Wisconsin (Baraboo); and
University of Washington. Total attendance 5500.
(2) 5 Summer Institutes on Scientific Creationism (week-long,
two-credit courses) at Calvary Bible College (Kansas City), Moody
Bible Institute (Chicago), Washington Bible College (Lanham, MD),
Briercrest Bible Institute (Caronport, Saskatchewan), and Christian
Heritage College. Total enrollment 400.
(3) 6 three-credit courses in Scientific Creationism, at Christian
Heritage College. (Total of 270 lecture hours.)
(4) 52 weekly radio broadcasts for ICR program "Science,
Scripture, and Salvation." Now heard on 85 stations in 33
states, plus overseas.
(5) Appearances on more than 20 other radio programs, plus on
6 national telecasts, and at least 10 local television programs,
as well as many interviews for newspaper and magazine articles.
(6) Appearances in 2 Christian motion picture films.
(7) 101 lectures on 32 college and university campuses (in addition
to the debates and summer institutes).
(8) 75 messages in 53 churches representing 15 or more denominations.
(9) 100 lectures at creation seminars in 26 different cities and
19 states.
(10) 50 lectures to educational, scientific, political or civic
groups in 26 cities in 14 states.
(11) International ministries in Canada, and South Korea.
SUMMARY:
Approximately 770 lectures or messages in 23 states plus Canada
and Korea to audiences totaling over 100,000 (not including radio
and television listeners).
Summary of ICR Activities Since 1970
The complex of ministries now associated with the Institute for
Creation Research was originally established in September 1970,
along with Christian Heritage College. It was reorganized in April
1972 under its present name and has continued to grow in stature
and outreach ever since. Thus, in slightly over one decade, a
ministry which began with only one scientist working part-time,
has grown to international proportions, widely recognized (especially
by evolutionists!) as the leading influence in the modern revival
of creationism.
A brief summary of part of its ministry during this period would
include the following:
- Publication of 55 significant books, including 9 technical
monographs and 14 textbooks now widely used in various schools
and colleges. - Publication of numerous slide sets, filmstrips, transparencies
and cassettes, which have also been widely used, as well as
participating or consulting on 5 significant film productions. - Two expeditions to Mount Ararat in search of Noah's Ark, at
least 15 field expeditions for geological or archaeological
research, plus continuing library and analytical research on
a wide-ranging variety of topics. - More than 100 formal creation/evolution debates with leading
evolutionary scientists, usually held on university campuses
(all with favorable results for creationism). - Lectures on at least 400 different college and university
campuses. - Messages in well over 400 different churches.
- Creation seminars or conferences held in 350 cities.
- 35 Summer Institutes on Scientific Creationism held at 23
different colleges. - ICR radio broadcast, "Science, Scripture, and Salvation,"
produced and distributed weekly since May 1972, plus appearances
on at least 300 other radio programs and 200 television programs
(including more than 20 network telecasts). - Lecture ministries in many other countries (Canada, Australia,
New Zealand, England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Holland, Germany,
Sweden, Norway, Denmark, South Korea, etc.). - Translations of ICR publications into at least 10 other languages.
- Lectures to more than 200 significant gatherings of scientists,
teachers, legislators, or other important secular groups. - Teaching regular six semester-hour courses in Scientific Creationism
and regular six semester-hour courses in Practical Christian
Evidences at Christian Heritage College every year since 1970.
In addition, ICR staff members have served as Adjunct Professors
at Christian Heritage College teaching most of its courses in
the various sciences. - Teaching credit courses in creationism for eight or more other
colleges on a visiting-faculty basis.
As a result, there are many more churches, Christian schools,
and other institutions today which are teaching creationism to
their constituents than was true a decade ago. Many local creationist
organizations have been formed all over the country, and in many
foreign countries, largely as a result of ICR's impact and publications.
The news media, on the other hand, are also widely publicizing
these activities now, and often opposing them. The same is true
of many humanistically oriented scientific and educational associations,
as well as the evolutionary establishment in general.
Over the past decade, ICR speakers have lectured in almost every
state, and in at least 15 other countries. The combined attendance
at these meetings has exceeded 600,000, not including radio and
television audiences. Over a million copies of books by ICR scientists
have been distributed.
Hundreds of people have told us during these past ten years,
either in person or by letter, that their lives have been changed
by this ministry. Many have been brought to saving faith in Christ
and many more have been strengthened in their Christian life and
witness.
When we contrast the situation at the end of this decade with
ICR's fragile foundation at its beginning (or, even more, the
almost complete dearth of scientific creationist literature 40
years ago, at the time the writer first became a creationist and
began to try to develop a sound scientific case for creation),
the prospects for the future with our present strong base look
strong and exciting.
ICR Goals for the Future
First of all, we believe that every one of the present activities
of ICR, Lord willing, should be continued and expanded. Its unique
combination of commitment to creationism in every discipline,
and simultaneous commitment to high scientific and personal integrity
in all its activities is a much needed emphasis in today's hurting
world. However, our present activities, even expanded, will not
be enough. A repudiation of evolutionary humanism, and a return
to true belief in God as Creator and Sovereign of the Universe
is prerequisite to any real solution of human problems, whether
those problems are personal, social, or trans-national in scope.
Since today's dominant belief in evolutionism stems mostly from
the schools, and since the teachers in the schools are determined
largely by the training of their teachers and the material in
their textbooks, it is of first importance that creationist textbooks
and training somehow be provided. It is futile and counter-productive
to try to force schools by political or other means to teach creationism,
when there are no creationist textbooks or graduate schools with
which to equip their teachers to do so.
The following goals are, therefore, of transcendent importance.
They may well be beyond the reach of ICR or of any other single
organization, but we do believe it is essential that we try.
- Development of an entire spectrum of sound creationist text
and reference books, in every subject and at every level, for
Christian schools, and of corresponding "two-model"
books for non-Christian schools. - Development of a true Christian creationist university system,
with graduate and professional schools, and with research and
extension programs, all oriented toward a real creationist,
Christian, Biblical world view.
These may seem like impossible goals, but "with God nothing
shall be impossible." There are already an abundance of qualified
creationist professionals whom God has raised up, men and women
representing all fields of the sciences, and other relevant disciplines,
who would be well able to write the needed textbooks and develop
the needed graduate and professional programs if they had the
opportunity.
In order to do this, however, such people need to be recognized
and brought together with their efforts all properly coordinated
and underwritten financially. However, the necessary finances
have seemed an insurmountable obstacle so far.
But the hour is late, and there will never be a better time than
now to trust God to remove the barriers and supply the need. There
seems to be no other organization better prepared to attempt this
mission (or at least none with a greater burden and sense of the
need) than ICR and so, as the Lord leads and enables, we plan
to move as rapidly as possible toward these goals in 1981 and
the critical decade ahead. This decision has been based on much
prayer and study extending over several years, as well as clear
evidence of the Lord's leading at this time. But the continuing
prayers and support of all concerned Christian people everywhere
are urgently needed if the goals are to be attained.
* Dr. Henry M. Morris is the Founder and President
Emeritus of the Institute for Creation Research and the author
of numerous articles and books.