tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-90854841003909367882012-01-16T07:50:03.148-08:00Views, news and reviews on science and homeschooling from an old earth creation perspective.Child of Godnoreply@blogger.comBlogger5021100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-21968847777935585682012-01-13T21:33:00.000-08:002012-01-13T21:45:59.965-08:00

Why is it that every Christian knows about the Piltdown man fraud, but they don't know about any of the really cool evidences from paleoanthropology that correspond with Genesis? Rather than looking to scientific discovery as a positive thing, many Christians are firmly entrenched in the dubious belief that frauds abound in science. Here is another perspective on the issue. Scientists abide by a

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-83930121848505050522011-12-27T20:36:00.000-08:002011-12-27T20:41:23.619-08:00

For all the discussion about science education and homeschooling, this author offers some of the best advice I've seen in print. I'd like to echo a hearty "Amen!" to his sage advice. "College Professor Critiques Homeschoolers" by Greg Landry I teach sophomore through senior level college students - most of them are "pre-professional" students. They are preparing to go to medical school, dental

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-69995028621326647022011-12-18T19:35:00.001-08:002011-12-19T07:37:18.422-08:00

Announcement: I'm going on a bit of a hiatus. God willing, I'll be back. In the meantime, I'll leave the blog up for reference. Thank you for your understanding.

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-53701284733868206632011-12-13T09:26:00.000-08:002011-12-13T09:26:07.251-08:00

In this episode, Krista Bontrager explores some of the historical and cultural meaning behind the traditional Christmas story. She discusses the shepherds described in Luke 2 and how these unlikely heroes became the first evangelists.

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-27439634206433022352011-12-06T14:04:00.001-08:002011-12-06T14:04:46.222-08:00

In this episode, Krista Bontrager explores some of the historical and cultural meaning behind the traditional Christmas story.

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-31852775026063372042011-11-26T20:40:00.000-08:002011-11-27T19:07:17.420-08:00

If you are interested in fantasy (like Lewis and Tolkien), you might want to check out my daughter's book, The Five Pieces. She wrote it when she was 10. Tonight we had fun recording a Focus on the Family-style radio drama of chapter 6 in our closet. Download coming soon! Here is the full version of the dramatized chapter. It's currently for sale in paperback and on Kindle. Find out more on

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-47289816932313669802011-11-21T19:33:00.000-08:002011-11-21T19:56:06.110-08:00

A series of FREE science (and math) textbooks is available on Kindle (or any other computer with Kindle software installed). Based on the Amazon preview, I would say these look appropriate for a high schooler (or in some cases possibly even a bright middle schooler). CK-12 Earth Science CK-12 21st Century Physics CK-12 Life Science CK-12 Biology I Honors CK-12 Chemistry Although these are

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-20952484821481373922011-11-17T16:51:00.000-08:002011-11-17T16:55:41.071-08:00

I am glad to finally get to tell you about an exciting new resource available through Reasons To Believe: RTB 101. This series of web pages provides concise, straightforward answers to questions that frequently come up in conversations about science-faith issues. You can peruse articles, podcast and even video clips on a variety of topics that perennially come up in the classroom. Here are the

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-88755404138203365472011-11-16T08:15:00.000-08:002011-11-17T20:18:00.140-08:00

Do you have a child who seems to have a bent toward the logical? One who asks a lot of questions? How should Christian parents deal with their kids' need for evidence? In this episode of her teaching series on faith, Krista discusses the third critical point about faith: faith must have the correct object. She discusses the importance of having faith in the "right " Jesus.

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-39487684317300722372011-11-08T06:44:00.000-08:002011-11-17T20:17:35.721-08:00

Do you have a child who seems to have a bent toward the logical? One who asks a lot of questions? How should Christian parents deal with their kids' need for evidence? In this episode of her teaching series on faith, Krista discusses the second critical point about faith: truth claims must be tested. She outlines a number of key ways that Christians are called to put faith claims to the test.

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-61605387953794271152011-10-27T21:35:00.000-07:002011-10-27T21:47:28.662-07:00

Do you have a child who seems to have a bent toward the logical? One who asks a lot of questions? How should Christian parents deal with their kids' need for evidence? In this episode of her teaching series on faith, Krista discusses the counter-example of Mormonism in order to illustrate the connection between history and theology.

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-8584294667870321372011-10-10T21:57:00.000-07:002011-10-27T22:01:05.866-07:00

Do you have a child who seems to have a bent toward the logical? One who asks a lot of questions? How should Christian parents deal with their kids' need for evidence? In this episode of her teaching series on faith, Krista continues making the biblical case that true Christian faith is built on historical events, not merely on personal, private experience.

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-51695302135725491182011-10-06T21:59:00.000-07:002011-10-27T22:01:29.783-07:00

Do you have a child who seems to have a bent toward the logical? One who asks a lot of questions? How should Christian parents deal with their kids' need for evidence? In this episode of her teaching series on faith, Krista starts making the biblical case that true Christian faith is built on evidence, not merely on personal, private experience.

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-75430519341972113302011-10-04T19:36:00.000-07:002011-10-04T19:36:47.476-07:00

My friend, Dr. Dr. John Bloom (seriously, the guy has two Ph.D.s) has a great (albeit brief) article in the current issue of the Biola University magazine on the perils of theistic evolution. "Theistic Evolution Isn’t Fit for Survival" Here's his well stated conclusion: This is not the time to be deciding what beliefs we should give up in order to help prop up a failing vision in science. In

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-71508526101639057782011-10-03T07:43:00.000-07:002011-10-04T19:37:13.748-07:00

Krista ("Theology Mom") begins a new teaching series on faith.

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-34368846779705852192011-09-17T01:08:00.000-07:002011-10-04T07:50:49.047-07:00

This is the fourth in a six week study where I am posting a study guide to R.C. Sproul's classic lecture series, Chosen by God. Feel free to use this however you'd like. This would make a great foundation for a unit on theology proper with a middle schooler or high schooler. Lecture 4 - "Man's Radical Fallenness" BEFORE the Lecture: Read John 6. Notice that Jesus says two times (verses 44 and

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-83072879088357122572011-09-15T22:13:00.000-07:002011-09-15T22:42:44.641-07:00

I don't think I'm alone in wondering, when was Noah's flood? Although we can't answer this with precision, it is worth noting that some of the Bible's descriptions of Noah's culture correspond nicely to between 4000 to 3000 B.C. One of those clues that intrigues me personally is the ancient practice of wine-making. The biblical text describes Noah as a vineyard farmer and wine-maker (Gen. 9:20)

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-27225289749486277592011-09-14T06:41:00.000-07:002011-09-14T06:41:00.148-07:00

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-88835477854898921062011-09-13T08:53:00.000-07:002011-09-12T21:41:10.591-07:00

Remember all the hub-bub last spring about those lead codices from Jordan? The ones that supposedly contained early Christian inscriptions? Yeah, well... I hate to say I told you so, but...fake, fake, fake, fake. There are many sound reasons to believe in the Bible, but this is NOT one of them. Please don't promote bad scholarship in the name of Jesus. It's just really not a good idea.

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-34940255268989966192011-09-12T19:49:00.000-07:002011-09-12T19:49:00.693-07:00

This is the third in a six week study where I am posting a study guide to R.C. Sproul's classic lecture series, "Chosen by God." Feel free to use this however you'd like. This would make a great foundation for a unit on theology proper with a middle schooler or high schooler. Lecture 3 - "What is Free Will?" BEFORE the Lecture: Look up the word "determinism" in the dictionary. Write out a short

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-90461191883356745512011-09-10T03:15:00.000-07:002011-09-10T08:08:43.666-07:00

Many of you are no doubt familiar with Jeannie Fulbright's curriculum published by Apologia. Here is a short review that I wrote a while back in the New Reasons To Believe e-zine. I guess I never got around to posting it here. You can download the entire issue here. (.pdf) There are lots of great articles on science-faith issues from the Reasons To Believe scholar team. Click to enlarge this

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-71407741681503847172011-09-09T20:28:00.000-07:002011-09-09T21:01:11.798-07:00

I received yet another inquiry today about a timeline of human history based on an old-earth creation perspective. So thanks to Janice, a lovely Canadian homeschool mom who chatted with me on the phone this morning, I decided to sit down and try to cobble something together. Have fun exploring my new Timeline page. I hope it's helpful.

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-37446395945601977002011-09-07T09:41:00.000-07:002011-09-07T13:51:24.443-07:00

Last days to sign up!!!!! World Religions and Science course from Reasons to Believe. Please visit the Reasons Institute web site or call (800) 482-7836 for more information. Course begins this Monday, September 12. This would make a unique Bible elective for a high school student.

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-1323344143574082932011-09-06T06:53:00.000-07:002011-09-06T06:53:00.082-07:00

Theology Mom gives some helpful tips to teens who want to become a scientist.

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-86742353266115012812011-09-05T05:29:00.000-07:002011-09-05T10:53:19.403-07:00

This is the second in a six week study where I am posting a study guide to R.C. Sproul's classic lecture series, "Chosen by God." Feel free to use this however you'd like. This would make a great foundation for a unit on theology proper with a middle schooler or high schooler. Lecture 2 - "God's Sovereignty" BEFORE the Lecture: Look up the word "sovereignty" in the dictionary. Write out a short

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-69267584675931283032011-08-31T04:39:00.000-07:002011-08-31T04:39:00.503-07:00

Theology Mom tells us why it's a good thing to teach evolution to our kids.

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-30740759116562828272011-08-30T09:19:00.000-07:002011-08-30T09:33:24.328-07:00

Hot off the press! New Reasons To Believe. Download the entire issue here. (.pdf) Lots of great articles on science-faith issues from the Reasons To Believe scholar team. Click to enlarge this image to read my article.

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-4768272376765684572011-08-29T05:13:00.000-07:002011-08-29T06:55:15.391-07:00

Each Monday for the next six weeks I am going to post a study guide to R.C. Sproul's classic lecture series, "Chosen by God." Feel free to use this however you'd like. This would make a great foundation for a unit on theology proper with a middle schooler or high schooler. We're using it in conjunction with a study that we'll be doing in Galatians after this. It will end up being a

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-22188041660467731302011-08-28T07:33:00.000-07:002011-08-30T09:20:38.171-07:00

Theology Mom provides some helpful guidelines when choosing a science curriculum for your children.

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-40813881812686537602011-08-27T07:39:00.001-07:002011-08-30T09:20:53.488-07:00

Theology Mom gives some helpful guidelines to parents with science-minded kids.

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-81318075223609168712011-08-26T14:27:00.001-07:002011-08-30T09:21:11.630-07:00

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-31844938959046616852011-08-24T21:41:00.000-07:002011-08-27T08:53:40.296-07:00

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-28060207609196321142011-08-23T21:45:00.000-07:002011-08-24T21:46:37.413-07:00

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-88241426600237324072011-08-22T08:35:00.000-07:002011-08-28T20:09:41.721-07:00

Question from a homeschool mother: Have you reviewed Science Shepherd Life Science for middle school (homeschool) and Science Shepherd Biology for high school? This is a new one for me. Thanks for bringing it to my attention. It looks quite interesting. I have requested a review copy from the author. If I'm able to get one, I'll post a review. Anyone know anything about it or have any experience

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-30567595206018696802011-08-21T22:43:00.000-07:002011-08-21T09:31:39.004-07:00

Question from Robin: I homeschool my 11 year old son and we are about to begin the school year. My curriculum begins with creation and ancient Egypt, but I want to do some preliminary studies with him about prehistoric earth, creatures (dinos, hominids, etc.) and eras. The RTB books I'm reading are great, but they are beyond what I can comfortably/intelligently relate to my son. I recently also

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-58817219334113559302011-08-20T08:32:00.000-07:002011-08-20T08:32:29.666-07:00

Reasons To Believe has a new page on their web site summarizing the old-earth creation position on dinosaurs. Since this is one of the most common questions I get, I thought some of you might appreciate this FREE resource. RTB 101: Dinosaurs It even includes a couple of video clips with Hugh Ross and Jeff Zweerink talking about dinosaurs and the Bible.

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-6052464717844125202011-08-19T21:16:00.000-07:002011-08-19T21:16:43.042-07:00

Great FREE resource - Khan Academy offers an extensive series of short videos on a wide array of topics. These would make an excellent supplement to a day's textbook reading. Check them out. Biology Chemistry Physics Cosmology and Astronomy Here's a sample video. This one's called, "Scale of Earth and Sun."

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-7578362754609563972011-08-09T12:02:00.000-07:002011-08-09T12:03:03.229-07:00

Some of you might know my boss, Hugh Ross. You might have even heard him talk about how he read all the books on astronomy in the public library by the age of 7. What you might not know is that Hugh has a form of autism called Asperger's. It's on YouTube so I don't think he's trying to keep it a secret. Here is his advice for parents of children with Asperger's. If your child has Asperger's and

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-40937180432269644352011-08-05T08:47:00.000-07:002011-08-05T08:59:15.237-07:00

A while ago, I made a pivotal post ("My Best Advice") about my view that it is far more important that parents know apologetics than for homeschool parents to search for the "perfect" Christian curriculum for their kids. This week, I encountered a young lady whose life and experience embodies this principle perfectly. I spent the last couple of days in Charlotte, NC meeting with leaders at

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-71134480917479939282011-07-28T00:45:00.000-07:002011-07-28T07:22:57.946-07:00

Here is my friend, biologist and Christian apologist Rick Gerhardt answering the perennial question about dinosaurs and the Bible. By the way, Rick is some kind of expert in raptor paleontology.

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-66358055905689612162011-07-27T19:26:00.000-07:002011-07-28T07:21:39.856-07:00

High school science apologetics program from Reasons to Believe. Please visit reasonsacademy.com or call (800) 482-7836 for more information. Enroll NOW for the fall. The online version of the course begins September 12. It WILL sell out.

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-56038987234575511002011-07-20T20:49:00.000-07:002011-07-20T21:00:18.163-07:00

Ken Ham's blog post today highlighted this month's premium at Christian Research Institute. They are highlighting Bill Dembski's new book, The End of Christianity. Hank Hanegraaff interviewed the author and in the process made some comments about his perspectives on the age of the earth. You can hear that interview here: The End of Christianity, part 1 The End of Christianity, part 2 I found

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-52692669607700427682011-07-18T16:10:00.000-07:002011-07-19T15:24:56.275-07:00

10 slots left! Come be a part of Reasons Institute’s next exciting course, Astronomy and Design. Explore the biblical and scientific data about the origin and design of the universe. Topics include: big bang cosmology,  the anthropic principle,  multiverse theory, and  string theory. The course begins July 25, 2011. Space is limited so sign up today! This is great for students, but also for

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-16180266058111731502011-07-07T20:12:00.000-07:002011-07-07T20:37:28.831-07:00

I am trying to write a final exam this week for the "Astronomy and Design" course for Reasons Institute. (Anyone want to help me? I'm feeling woefully uninspired at the moment.) In the course of doing that, I came across this lecture by Jason Lisle from Answers in Genesis, entitled "Creation Astronomy." Fast-forward to about 12:34 minutes into it. Does any of this sound familiar? Frankly, I was

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-11451344430144984762011-06-25T19:44:00.000-07:002011-06-26T09:07:59.693-07:00

Discussions about the relationship between general and special revelation don't just affect the age of the earth. Here is a different spin on the issue. Last Tuesday, Dr. Albert Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, posted some comments about therapy on his blog. I am hopeful that his post does not represent a complete picture of his thoughts on the subject. Even so, I

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-35190113394182440522011-06-22T15:26:00.000-07:002011-06-22T15:37:18.397-07:00

Answers in Genesis is featuring a free video download this week of, "Already Gone," which I assume is based on Ken Ham's book of the same title. Some of you might find this interesting. Ham tries to look into why so many young people are leaving the church. Mac users, I noticed this is a binary file. I'm not sure Macs will know what to do with this. Let me know how it goes. I'm on vacation at

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-40788227323640419532011-06-17T06:42:00.000-07:002011-06-17T06:48:46.501-07:00

This is a beautiful time lapse of the South Dakota skies in May. I think light pollution causes us city dwellers to miss out on a beautiful aspect of God's general revelation. "The glory of God," "the righteousness of God" and many other features of God's character are revealed through the cosmos. Do you want to hear the fullness of God's voice? Then read the Bible AND study His creation.

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-22584017467843640762011-06-14T03:56:00.000-07:002011-06-15T07:47:52.048-07:00

Read part 1, part 2 and part 3 here. Let's review the five major principles concerning divorce and remarriage that I've developed so far. PRINCIPLE #1: God forbids husbands and wives from sending their spouse away or separating themselves from them. PRINCIPLE #2: There is a difference between "sending a spouse away" and a certificate of divorce. A spouse who is only separated and not legally

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-18706279010954029382011-06-13T03:48:00.000-07:002011-06-15T07:27:55.405-07:00

Read part 1 and part 2 here. Is. 50:1–3 (NIV) This is what the LORD says [to Israel]: “Where is your mother’s certificate of divorce (lit. “divorcement”) with which I sent her away? Or to which of my creditors did I sell you? Because of your sins you were sold; because of your transgressions your mother was sent away. Jer. 3:8 (NIV) I gave faithless Israel her certificate of divorce (lit.

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-45970000720803566602011-06-12T15:30:00.000-07:002011-06-12T23:23:14.415-07:00

Read part 1 before this. Deut. 24:1–4 (NIV) If a man marries a woman who becomes displeasing to him because he finds something indecent about her, and he writes her a certificate of divorce (lit. “divorcement”), gives it to her and sends her from his house, and if after she leaves his house she becomes the wife of another man, and her second husband dislikes her and writes her a certificate of

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-36074953921964164232011-06-11T15:08:00.000-07:002011-06-15T07:15:40.206-07:00

As much as we would like to think divorce only happens to "someone else," the reality is, it happens. For many different reasons. Without getting into a super detailed discussion about divorce and remarriage, I thought I might share some things I've been studying lately with the hope that they might be as much of a help to you as they've been to me. A little of my backstory on this topic - I

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.comUpland, CA, USA34.09751 -117.6483875999999834.0650115 -117.69104209999998 34.1300085 -117.60573309999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-85732429741723424442011-06-05T10:54:00.000-07:002011-06-05T11:08:49.310-07:00

Today the Answers in Genesis web site is highlighting a 2008 article by Ken Ham entitled, "Evolving Tactics." I'm linking to it so you can read it in its entirety and in context. This section, in particular, caught my attention. Resorting to such name-calling not only shows that this issue strikes at deep spiritual problems, but that those who can’t prove their position by logic or science are

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-44323229499895850902011-06-04T07:15:00.000-07:002011-06-04T07:31:21.311-07:00

Question from homeschool dad, Tim: As a Christian homeschool father I have been bothered by how to teach my children about cavemen and Neanderthals (and the discovery of fire). How and where do they fit in with human history? Were they human at all? If I knew where to put them into history and how to speak about them then I could confidently teach my children. Any thoughts?Great question, Tim!

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-82628468554460900572011-06-02T07:59:00.000-07:002011-09-09T15:26:22.412-07:00

Question from homeschool mom, Terri: I am trying to make a more accurate timeline of old testament events from an old earth perspective. Many Christian timelines are inaccurate. Where is a good source for accurate dating of Old Testament events as they fit into world history?First of all, I LOVE timelines. I love to use them when I teach and I just plain love them because they help organize my

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-72061196346077714382011-06-02T00:27:00.000-07:002011-06-02T07:16:26.412-07:00

Well, after my previous post, Mr. Ham wrote to me again (within an hour or so). Here is his note in its entirety: What a sad day when the atheists understand Christianity better than so many Christians do. No wonder we are losing most of the next generation from the church (see the book Already Gone, which documents research as to why two thirds of young people are leaving the church). And no

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-58393993832783960722011-06-01T09:59:00.000-07:002011-06-01T11:17:01.867-07:00

Ken Ham posted a response to my review of his book, Already Compromised, on Facebook page several days ago. In the interest of fairness, I am attaching a screenshot of his entry here for those of you who don't have access to Facebook so you can see his comments and the comments of those who follow his page. (Sorry I don't know how to stitch these altogether. CLICK TO ENLARGE.) I find it

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-39998188012977663592011-05-27T15:42:00.000-07:002011-05-27T18:19:28.699-07:00

I just finished reading the cover story for the latest issue of Christianity Today: "The Search for the Historical Adam." It does a good job of talking to all the major players and explaining the core issues of the controversy. Unfortunately, I don't think it's available online so I can't link to it. So you'll have to see it the old-fashioned way and visit your local Christian bookstore. Or maybe

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-55747893840177064702011-05-25T11:25:00.000-07:002011-05-26T21:38:49.216-07:00

Already Compromised is the follow up to Ken Ham's book, Already Gone, that was published a couple years ago. This book is currently making a prominent appearance on the homeschool circuit so it's worthy of an extended comment here. So buckle your seat belt. First, a preliminary comment: I'm the sort of person who honestly tries to go into any new experience with an open mind, sometimes skeptical

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-85602726616616965662011-05-23T01:16:00.000-07:002011-05-23T06:44:51.704-07:00

LESS THAN 10 SPOTS REMAIN... I have given up counting the number of phone calls and emails I get from parents asking how to talk to their kids about evolution. Seldom do I receive calls from parents asking what they can do to equip themselves on this important topic. When I ask parents what steps they have taken to prepare themselves to teach on the subject, the answer is usually, "None. I

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-67639350678752344872011-05-19T15:03:00.000-07:002011-05-19T15:20:01.954-07:00

One of my bosses, Dr. Fuz Rana, appeared recently on a cable access program in Portland, OR. The production value is a little cheesy (the host looks like he's sitting in front of a painted bed sheet), but he has an important message. He is a former evangelical Christian who lost his faith because he couldn't find adequate answers to his penetrating science questions. At first, he gravitated to

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-33854415834403287782011-05-16T09:56:00.000-07:002011-05-16T09:57:03.383-07:00

Hey team: One of my readers (Carrie Piper) is trying to write a summer creation science camp instead of regular VBS. She would love to have some input from you! You can download a rough outline her X-treme Creation Science Camp and then give her feedback at cclpiper@gmail.com. She would especially like some ideas for the opening presentation that might illustrate the main idea of the day.

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-68504656929447534502011-05-02T07:35:00.000-07:002011-05-02T07:39:25.255-07:00

This question was originally posted as a comment a while back: I would like to know more about RTB's inability to get into homeschool conventions. I am aware that Ken Ham and AiG have openly campaigned against old-earth Christians, or those that offer OE materials (such as Sonlight), but I have wondered who else they've managed to exclude. If you could expound on this, and particularly on any

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-69466265739446648592011-04-12T11:46:00.000-07:002011-05-02T07:17:23.840-07:00

I know Hugh Ross. He's been my boss for over 12 years. He's not perfect. He's a human being. But at the end of the day, on some levels I respect Hugh even more today than I did when I was hired. How many times can that be said about a major Christian figure? Not many. This is why stuff like Sarfati's Refuting Compromise makes my blood boil. He attacks Hugh's character, his competence, and his

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-20912820856822664242011-04-10T13:20:00.000-07:002011-04-11T07:09:57.096-07:00

In the late 70s and early 80s, a group of 300 pre-eminant evangelical scholars known as the International Council for Biblical Inerrancy (ICBI) put together the definitive statement on the doctrine of inerrancy. These statements outline the parameters of what it means when we say the Bible is the error-free word of God. A complete archive of events and documents is available on the Dallas

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-82260918042227851382011-04-07T21:08:00.000-07:002011-04-07T21:10:29.806-07:00

One of my listeners, Jessica (age 11) wrote in and wanted some help understanding 1 Kings 13. To tell the truth, I had never noticed this passage before. So I asked my daughter Emily (age 11) to help me out and talk through this very interesting section of Scripture. We had a great time! Thanks, Jessica. "Two Prophets and a Lion (1 Kings 13)" on iTunes RSS feed Direct link to .mp3 file (right

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-84717117063723105982011-04-04T08:12:00.000-07:002011-04-05T08:13:11.347-07:00

I have been getting questions about the metal plates that have been in the news, but delayed making a post because I wanted to let the dust settle a bit. I thought it best at this point to tell the story by posting a series of links. Here is the original story that got the whole thing going. Looking back, I can't believe that this story was linked on the BAR web site. Not good. In the beginning,

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-89104210558247992912011-04-02T07:24:00.000-07:002011-04-02T15:34:56.877-07:00

You know how you sometimes need to have a "hard" conversation with someone and you know going into it that it's probably not going to be a fun time because it's probably not what the other person wants to hear? This might be one of those conversations. But as a mother, homeschool mom, wife, theologian and educator, here is my pointed advice - parent to parent. I've mentioned before how the

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-29669067325802911342011-03-31T21:21:00.000-07:002011-03-31T21:22:40.897-07:00

Kenneth Samples and I, along with Dr. Dave Rogstad, continue our series on the most commonly misquoted Bible verses. It was another great discussion. Top Ten (or so) Misquoted Bible Verses, part 4 In this episode, we cover the following verses: Matt 7:1 "Do not judge, or you too will be judged." Mark 16:18 "They will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison,

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-66238645417413765312011-03-30T18:27:00.000-07:002011-03-30T18:27:35.614-07:00

Well, I learned something today. Jay Wile, who wrote and founded Apologia publishing is no longer with them. See the full story here. Here are a couple excerpts: Apologia Educational Ministries was started in the early 1990s when the modern homeschooling community was young and in need of high-quality, creation-based science curriculum. Dr. Jay Wile authored or co-authored several outstanding

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-27573141634294940782011-03-28T18:30:00.000-07:002011-03-28T21:54:28.188-07:00

The one person who possibly holds more clout than Ken Ham in the homeschool community on the issue of science is Jay Wile. It goes without saying that Wile's curriculum is practically ubiquitous. I really WANT to like Wile's curriculum. Really, I do. I'd love to recommend it to everyone I know. But I have taken issue with his misstatements about the old-earth position and the subtle (and

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-87043168338291249462011-03-25T21:06:00.000-07:002011-03-26T07:35:58.038-07:00

AiG has been disinvited to two upcoming homeschool conventions where AiG President Ken Ham had been scheduled to speak, including the one in Cincinnati - their own "backyard." "Kicked Out of Two Homeschool Conferences" Here is an excerpt from the letter informing AiG of the board's decision: Our expression of sacrifice and extraordinary kindness towards Ken and AIG has been returned to us

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-18388807592310007342011-03-24T15:33:00.000-07:002011-03-28T19:27:30.255-07:00

Kenneth Samples and I, along with Dr. Dave Rogstad, continue our series on the most commonly misquoted Bible verses. It was another great discussion. Top Ten (or so) Misquoted Bible Verses, part 3 In this episode, we cover the following verses: Mark 11:22-24 "Have faith in God," Jesus answered. "I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-25927528072324743822011-03-23T21:09:00.000-07:002011-03-25T16:25:25.872-07:00

I posted a comments policy a while back. Unfortunately, I still receive comments like this one. It was in response to this post from a few years ago. Wow...thank you. Now I know who to completely avoid. The whole foundation of Truth is found in a literal view of Genesis and it would seem foolish to read these authors points on many thoughts if THAT is out of line. Again, a hearty thanks.I have no

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-5607222711308425542011-03-17T21:39:00.000-07:002011-03-18T20:55:39.337-07:00

Kenneth Samples and I, along with Dr. Dave Rogstad, continue our series on the most commonly misquoted Bible verses. It was another great discussion. Top Ten (or so) Misquoted Bible Verses, part 2 In this episode, we cover the following verses: 2 Chronicles 7:14 "if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-39778683614699093322011-03-14T05:14:00.000-07:002011-03-13T14:22:02.127-07:00

This is either the best publicity stunt ever by a publisher for a Christian book or Bell's on the fast-track out of orthodoxy. Rob Bell: Universalist? Watching the video clip is kinda scary...unless Bell is playing Devil's Advocate. Reserving my opinions for after I read the book. UPDATE 3/4/11: Ok, I'm still thinking about Rob Bell. Here is what bothers me about this whole situation. If the

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-57723128755350870392011-03-13T19:59:00.000-07:002011-03-13T14:06:43.349-07:00

Lately, it seems like I have had a number of people ask me about curriculum options for elementary age students. Here is one way of tackling this issue that might appeal to some. This is actually quite similar to what I did with my own girls. My major goal at this age is to engage them with a spirit of discovery. Ok, here we go... 1. Visit the education supply store and choose some kind of

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-16525620310284782342011-03-12T00:54:00.000-08:002011-03-12T08:52:54.072-08:00

The earthquake in Japan reportedly moved the entire island eight feet and shifted the planet on its axis by nearly 4 inches. Doesn't the mass devastation caused by such an event sort of go against the whole young-earth idea that the continents broke apart in a global flood five thousand years ago? I mean, how could there be that much tectonic activity and Noah be able to survive? Yes, I know,

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-89188522530838003072011-03-10T22:28:00.000-08:002011-03-11T06:55:36.429-08:00

My colleague, Kenneth Samples, invited me to be a guest on his Straight Thinking podcast. Part one of our series on the most commonly misquoted Bible verses is now available. It was a great discussion. Top Ten (or so) Misquoted Bible Verses, part 1 I have known Ken for over 17 years. We met just as I was starting seminary (literally). He is largely responsible for bringing me to Reasons To

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-53646082997377896452011-03-07T07:42:00.000-08:002011-03-07T07:42:09.538-08:00

Something just for fun today... Creation Decal on Cafepress

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-79561253544670954372011-03-01T19:09:00.000-08:002011-03-02T07:01:46.201-08:00

Well, here is what Answers in Genesis is doing this year on the homeschool convention circuit. Homeschool Ready?  Meanwhile, at Reasons To Believe, we are being flooded with students in Reasons Institute. I don't know what's happening, but it seems like God is moving. Please pray for us as we experience some growing pains - a wonderful "problem" to have.

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-55727198526177452462011-02-28T16:45:00.000-08:002011-02-28T16:48:31.707-08:00

I have been waiting to write this article for three years. Probably more. I'm sooooo glad that it's out now. New Reasons To Believe, 2011 Volume 3, Number 1 "Science Fair/Term Paper Ideas for Creation vs. Evolution" Click on the images to the right to read the article. (You'll probably need to zoom in a bit. Sorry the links within the body of the article don't work. Those were lost when I

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-41675615025641205252011-02-25T13:32:00.000-08:002011-02-26T08:36:43.581-08:00

New Reasons To Believe, 2011 Volume 3, Number 1 My new article, "Who's Your Mommy?" is now available. Click on the image to the right to read the article. (You'll probably need to zoom in a bit. Sorry the links within the body of the article don't work. Those were lost when I saved it as a .jpg. But if you download the original PDF (link below), then you can access the embedded links as well.)

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-15794701813873089452011-02-12T11:55:00.000-08:002011-02-12T13:21:41.145-08:00

Esther asks: I'm very concerned, from both a pastoral and an evangelistic perspective, about the tendency in many young-earth creationist circles to equate YEC with authentic Christian faith. My question is this: What are the theological implications, and perhaps complications, of suggesting a gap between "in the beginning" and the first, "and God said..." So far, I've suggested to my kids

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-55689666053209668782011-01-30T15:55:00.000-08:002011-01-30T20:17:26.444-08:00

If this study is accurate, Christian parents have a 1 in 3 shot that their high schooler's biology teacher is a creationist. They also have about the same odds that their teen's teacher will actively teach evolution. "Science Creationism Still Advocated in H.S. Biology Classes, Study Finds" (Fox News) Here is a link to a discussion of the research in this week's Science mag: "Defeating

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-31270015608168135062011-01-11T21:50:00.000-08:002011-01-30T20:18:46.057-08:00

I seem to have a "thing" about ancient alcoholic beverages. I don't even drink alcohol, but I find these these stories fascinating. In that vein, here is another one: UCLA News Release: "Chemical analysis confirms discovery of oldest wine-making equipment ever found." This ancient wine-making facility carbon dates to around 4000 BC. This fits with previous data showing that the culture of wine

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-88870285138213027702011-01-08T09:18:00.000-08:002011-01-08T09:56:04.761-08:00

Remember the whole splash in the news last April about the discovery of Noah's ark by a Chinese team? "Science News: Noah's Ark Discovered...Again?" "A Thoughtful Statement on the Supposed "Discovery" of Noah's Ark" Your faithful blogger took the position of "No so fast..." Turns out, I was right to take caution. Randall Price from Liberty University was briefly caught up in this group, but

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-66235634155840900822011-01-07T13:48:00.000-08:002011-01-07T13:50:52.556-08:00

I am the guest blogger today at Reasons To Believe: Reconsidering the James Ossuary. Check it out!

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-44088546894520883562011-01-06T22:17:00.000-08:002011-01-06T22:24:24.435-08:00

What better way for Pope Benedict to celebrate Epiphany (the day marking the arrival of the wise men to worship Jesus) than by making some comments related to astronomy? "God was behind Big Bang, universe no accident: Pope" God's mind was behind complex scientific theories such as the Big Bang, and Christians should reject the idea that the universe came into being by accident, Pope Benedict

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-26670564911468830062010-12-29T14:08:00.000-08:002010-12-29T14:29:12.584-08:00

Israeli researchers announced Monday they may have found the earliest evidence yet for the existence of modern man. A team excavating a cave in central Israel said teeth found in the cave are about 400,000 years old. These remains are said to be the remains of "near anatomically modern humans," known scientifically as Homo sapiens (which is not the same species as modern humans or Homo sapiens

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-8155562845112170222010-12-23T21:53:00.000-08:002010-12-24T09:28:24.798-08:00

We finally got a reprieve today after a week long, non-stop downpour. I've lived in southern CA my entire life and I don't remember anything like this. Oh sure, we get rain. But day after day after day? Not really. Of course, once the rain stops and the sun starts emerging, that's when it's prime time to see a rainbow. Sure enough, this picture was in the local paper. A quarter rainbow is seen

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-35616922423204480442010-12-16T07:38:00.000-08:002010-12-22T16:27:34.885-08:00

New podcast! My husband, Bob, and I discuss Luke 2 and some of the recent research into the historical background of this famous passage. You'll get a whole new perspective on the traditional nativity scene. Enjoy! "Was Jesus Born in a Barn?" on iTunes RSS feed Direct link to .mp3 file (right click to download) UPDATE (12/22/10): Question from Charley: How is the apparent contradiction

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-5168962647968679262010-12-13T20:50:00.000-08:002010-12-13T20:50:29.880-08:00

A total lunar eclipse is coming on December 21. The NASA web site has a good write up explaining the science behind the event. High school students might benefit from watching the documentary, If We Had No Moon, which talks about the importance of the moon for human life. Although the moon has been worshiped since the dawn of human culture, the Bible also has some interesting things to say

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-67272231830986988882010-12-04T08:28:00.000-08:002010-12-04T08:30:44.780-08:00

We're taking sign-ups right now for a brand new online course in "Biblical Archaeology" at Reasons Institute. It's 15 weeks and costs $150. I'll be moderating the course. The main lecturer is Dr. John Bloom from Biola University, but students will also hear from leading scholars and field archaeologists as well. I'm so excited! If you homeschool a high school student, they might really enjoy

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-50869561832243858902010-12-02T08:34:00.000-08:002010-12-16T12:12:03.302-08:00

Well, here they go again. Answers in Genesis announced this week that it's going to build a Noah's ark-themed amusement park. "In Kentucky, Noah’s Ark Theme Park Is Planned" It's expected to open in 2014. The official site of Ark Encounter is now up and Answers in Genesis has issued a press release about the new venture. There are several images available here. Meanwhile, it was also announced

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-60017938171073830142010-12-01T07:13:00.000-08:002010-12-01T07:13:38.167-08:00

Just for fun, I wanted to repost a link to the informal review I wrote two years ago on the increasingly popular DVD, The Star of Bethlehem.

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-28108671399374005312010-11-11T08:13:00.000-08:002010-11-12T21:33:44.000-08:00

One of my Facebook friends (a Christian brother) recently made the following post: Are you doing what you were created to do?Personally, I think this question is incredibly provocative. And the responses were quite revealing... Girl #1: "if it was plan a Woody's Roundup party, then I'm right on track...(cough)" Guy #1: "Apparently not...and thank you for pointing out the pathetic uselessness

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-2782855000768731542010-11-10T07:50:00.000-08:002010-11-10T08:08:28.926-08:00

A couple months ago, I commented on an article in Biblical Archaeology Review about beer in the Bible. Now, along comes this article. "Beer Lubricated the Rise of Civilization, Study Suggests" While there are some aspects to this article that are sensationalistic, the core idea here is probably valid. Something happened about 10,000 to 12,000 years ago where humans in eastern Europe and the

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-39638319829413344102010-11-07T16:22:00.000-08:002010-11-10T08:10:34.396-08:00

Scientists have used various methods to speculate what the universe was like in the moments immediately after its creation. Soon, they may be able to move from speculation to true knowledge. Researchers are gearing up to use the world's biggest particle accelerator (the Large Hadron Collider) to create, essentially, mini-Big Bangs that will help them study early matter. How cool is that? Article

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-78310377076897988022010-11-05T21:25:00.000-07:002010-11-06T08:29:03.125-07:00

I've been on vacation for the last couple of weeks, trying to get a break from things. I wanted to ask a question and see what you guys think. This is a 3D spect scan of a normal brain, looking from the top down. Here is the same view, but of the brain of a bipolar person. Here is another bipolar patient. How does this emerging arena of research fit into the broader Christian worldview

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9085484100390936788.post-29512163891101486662010-10-14T08:37:00.000-07:002010-10-14T13:16:10.699-07:00

After five years and more witnesses than live in the state of Rhode Island, the trial over the alleged forgery of the James ossuary is FINALLY over. The verdict? The IAA failed to prove its case. No one disputed that this is a first century Jewish ossuary. No one even disputed the inscription, "James, the son of Joseph." The whole debate was about whether the second half of the inscription, "...

Child of Godnoreply@blogger.com0