In Journal of Creation 30 (1): 76-82, April 2016
Recent creationist literature has been filled with papers critical of catastrophic plate tectonics, even suggesting that a schism has divided Flood geology. Creation scientists who accept the validity of plate motion have been accused of ‘naturalism’ and have been labelled as ‘remodellers’. However, creationist acceptance of plate tectonics does not entail any sort of acquiescence to naturalism. Six types of empirical data are presented which imply significant horizontal movement of coherent lithospheric plates during the Flood. Much of these data are independent of the secular geologic timescale, including heat flow in the ocean crust and seismic tomography data which illustrate the presence of subducted oceanic lithosphere within the mantle. Unfortunately, most of these data supporting catastrophic plate tectonics are rarely discussed by critics. In contrast, this paper suggests that the best explanation of all available geologic data supports rapid horizontal plate movement during the Flood. The catastrophic plate tectonics model further offers a mechanism for the flooding of the continents, the subsequent lowering and draining of the floodwaters, and a cause for the post-Flood Ice Age. The only ‘schism’ in Flood geology is one perceived by the scientists who fail to acknowledge all of the empirical data.
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