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Index to Creationist Claims,  edited by Mark Isaak,    Copyright © 2004
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Claim CD103:

The entire geologic column is based on the assumption of evolution.

Source:

Huse, Scott, M., 1983. The Collapse of Evolution. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, p. 14.

Response:

  1. The geologic column was outlined by creationist geologists. For example, Adam Sedgwick, who described and named the Cambrian era, referred to the theory of evolution as "no better than a phrensied dream" (Ritland 1982). The geologic column is based on the observation of faunal succession, the fact that organisms vary across strata, and that they do so in a consistent order from place to place. William "Strata" Smith (1769-1839) recognized faunal succession years before Darwin published his ideas on biological evolution.

  2. The geologic column is validated in great detail by radiometric dating, which is based on principles of physics, not evolution. Furthermore, different dating techniques are consistent, and they are consistent with the order established by the early pioneers of stratigraphy.

Links:

Ritland, Richard, 1982. Historical development of the current understanding of the geologic column: part II. Origins 9(1): 28-50. http://www.grisda.org/origins/09028.htm

Matson, Dave E., 1994. How good are those young-earth arguments? http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/hovind/howgood-gc.html#G2

References:

  1. Ritland, R. 1982. (see above).

Further Reading:

Schneer, Cecil J., n.d. William "Strata" Smith on the web. http://www.unh.edu/esci/wmsmith.html

Young, Davis A., 1988. Christianity and the Age of the Earth. Thousand Oaks, CA: Artisan Sales.
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created 2003-3-27, modified 2004-9-8