So there are two main fellows running/creating the group, and both are from Cedarville U: Nicholas Matthews and Evan Felmet. Evan was especially active. Well, they banned me, which I saw coming. But I got interested in the fact that two of the main sponsors of the group are from the same college, and one I'd never heard of, and I thought, "Maybe they're close to the AiG Creation Museum..." [Never mind how ignorant they are with geography regarding their crank museum] I was right -- Cedarville is only an hour and 45 mins, or 98 miles, from it.
I decided to take a closer look at Cedarville U. When I did, I got my laugh; what cracked me up was their biology department,
Biology (B.S.)I am sure. I'm sure a YEC school models itself after programs in biology at Harvard and Stanford. I'm sure many of Cedarville's finest go on to study at those schools. I noticed that in their description of the Cellular and Molecular Biology program that they were careful to point out:
The bachelor of science degree with a major in biology prepares students for graduate study in the biological sciences by including the course requirements prescribed by many of the leading graduate-level biology degree programs in the nation. This major enhances the student's depth of knowledge in biology and increases the breadth of exposure to chemistry, mathematics, and physics.
The bachelor of science degree with a major in molecular and cellular biology will prepare students for graduate-level training in the context of a broad biological background based in a biblical worldview. This degree will allow our students to become holistically thinking molecular biologists, and will enhance the student’s depth of knowledge in this competitive and growing field. [italics/bold emphasis mine]I would love to see if this includes talking about genetics Jacob-style, where in Gen. 30, he influences the heredity of his flocks using shaved sticks?? Perhaps it includes a course on the biocidal activity of bird blood, wherein bacteria and mold are killed via the prescription in Lev. 14? I bet Evan and friends were all participants in their local "Creation Science Fair".
Also, this disclaimer/warning/comforting sentence to idiots is absent from all the other descriptions given...I naturally have to wonder why. I suppose it's a bit harder to use the Bible to base one's astronomy or geology on than one's molecular biology, as the Bible somehow has more of the latter than the former? I guess the fact that the sun and moon are created on Day 4 while plants were made on Day 3 doesn't sit well with them?
My laughed morphed into a chortle/snort at their "origins statement":
Given the fact that this university claims accreditation from HLC, and that belief in YEC impinges upon almost every academic department, from history to biology to astronomy, I decided to write a complaint to the HLC to ask them why they give accreditation to such unorthodox departments. I will keep you posted on that.We believe that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are verbally inspired by God and are inerrant in the original writings. Recognizing that God is effective in his communication to man through the Scriptures, we use a grammatical/historical interpretation of the Bible.God also reveals himself through His creation and commands us to understand his creation and to serve and keep it for His glory. Because our rational abilities are finite and we are affected by sin, we must be careful that our interpretation of natural revelation is consistent with His inspired and written revelation, the Scriptures. Having taken this position on God's revelation we believe that the universe, solar system, earth, and life were all created recently by an omnipotent, omniscient God during six literal 24 hour days, as described in Genesis Chapters 1 and 2, and as referred to in other Biblical passages.
Our approach to science and origins is based on the presupposition that our highest and ultimate authority is the unchanging Word of God. We do not base our position of origins on our current understanding of the theories of science and mathematics which are subject to change. On the other hand we do not want to minimize the importance of scientific laws, such as the laws of motion, laws of thermodynamics, laws of genetics, laws of probability and statistics, law of cause and effect, etc. We feel these laws are well established and strongly support our theological position concerning origins. Studying these laws provides us with an understanding of how God has worked in His creation and allows us to be better stewards of that creation. We also feel that God can use an understanding of origins in the light of scientific laws to prepare an individual to accept by faith the claims of Christ and the Scriptures.
I noticed in their course catalog that the word "evolution" only appears twice, and never in conjunction with an actual biology course! Once in "historical geology" (gods I'd love to attend that lecture and guffaw as the guy tries to explain stratigraphy and paleosols from 'flood geology') and once in a middle-school education course. I mean, this cracks me up -- they refuse to even use the word 'evolution' in any of their course descriptions in the biology department!! Surely they don't deny the undeniable -- that evolution happens!?!?! They can only deny the extent to which it has happened historically, without being certifiably insane.
I find it humorous that kids would think that wasting four years and thousands and thousands of dollars at such a school is the right thing to do. I would say that in most cases, the parents are the ones choosing, and largely out of fear of "secular institutions" -- and for good reason. People like Evan need not worry about or apply to graduate programs in biochemistry or zoology, as he'd be laughed out of the building when he described to them his breadth and depth of knowledge of history, anthropology, stellar evolution, geology, biology, chemistry... Poor sap.
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