Did Dinosaurs Roam the Earth? - Lutheran Science Institute...Elijah and the Prophets of Baal: When...

winter 2020

Did Dinosaurs Roam the Earth?Can Witnessing a Miracle

Lead to Faith?Book Review

Clearing a Path for the Gospel

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Vol. 34, no. 1 (winter 2020)

4 Can Witnessing a Miracle Lead to Faith? No —Luke 16:27-31. Yes —Matthew 11:20-24.

A scriptural case for defending the faith using extra-biblical argu-ments (claims from history, science, logic, etc.)

Mark Bergemann

15 Review of Eggert and Kieta’s 2019 book: Clearing a Path for the Gospel –A Lutheran Approach to Apologetics

24 Did Dinosaurs Roam the Earth?–A Critique of the Created Fossil ApologeticDo you agree or disagree, “It is likely that God placed dinosaur bones in rock layers during creation week”? In a 2015 poll of near-ly 1,000 WELS called workers, 7% of pastors and 16% of teachers responded “agree” or “somewhat agree.”

Mark Bergemann

Front Cover: Milwaukee Public Museum exhibit. Signs read, “Dromaeosaurus (drom-ee-uh-SORE-us), or ‘Swift Lizard.’ ...was 6 feet long and weighed less than 100 pounds. ...This meat-eating dinosaur was common in eastern Montana 65 million years ago.” Photo credit: Mark Bergemann 2016.

Scripture quotations from the Holy Bible, Evangelical Heritage Version® (EHV®) © 2019 Wartburg Project, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

4 Witnessing a Miracle

Can Witnessing a Miracle Lead to Faith?

Mark Bergemann

ThisarticleexamineswhatScriptureteachesaboutapologetics―aboutdefendingthefaith.Specifically,wewillmakeacasefromScrip-tureforusingextra-biblicalarguments—argumentsfromhistory,science,logic,etc.—aspartofthatdefenseofthefaith.WewillstartwithastudyofwhatGodrevealsinScriptureabouttherolemiraclescanandcannotplayinanunbeliever’spathtofaith.ThenwewillmovetowhatScripturesaysabouttheroleotherthingsplayinbringingapersontofaith.Thatwilleventuallyleadustoamoregeneraldiscussionofusingextra-biblicalargumentsinourapologetic.

Canwitnessingamiracleleadtofaith?Let’sconsidertwopassag-esthatappeartogiveconflictinganswers.

No ―Luke 16:27-31 “He said, ‘Then I beg you, father, send him to my fa-ther’s home, because I have five brothers—to warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’ “Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets. Let them listen to them.’ “‘No, father Abra-ham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ “Abraham replied to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.’” Luke 16:27-31 (EHV)

ThispassagefromLukerelatesJesus’parableoftherichmanandLazarus. It appears to say thatwitnessing amiracledoesNOT lead tofaith.

5

Yes ―Matthew 11:20-24Then Jesus began to denounce the towns in which most of his miracles were performed, because they did not repent. “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles which were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ash-es. But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. You, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? No, you will go down to hell. For if the miracles performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I tell you that it will be more bearable for the land of Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.” Matthew 11:20-24 (EHV); parallel in Luke 10:10-15.

ThispassagefromtheGospelofMatthewclearlystatesthatwit-nessing a miracle CANleadtofaith.Chorazin,Bethsaida,andCapernaumweretownsinGalilee.Duringhisearthlyministry,CapernaumservedasJesus’hometown.Jesusperformedmanymiraclesinthesetowns.1 Jesus performed“mostofhismiracles” inChorazinandBethsaida,yetmanypeoplelivingthererejectedJesusastheirSavior(“theydidnotrepent”).ThesepeoplewitnessedJesusperformspectacularmiracles,yetremainedintheirunbelief.Forthem,witnessingmiraclesdidNOTleadtofaith.InMatthew11,Jesusrevealssomethingamazing.Hedemonstratesthathiscompleteknowledgeofeverythingpast,present,andfutureevenincludesknowledgeofwhatcouldhavebeen.IfthemiraclesJesusperformedinChorazinandBethsaidahadbeenperformedinTyreandSidon,thosepeo-plewouldhavecometofaith!

Consistent and Truthful Canwitnessingamiracle leadtofaith? Onepassageseemstoanswer“No,”whileanotheranswers“Yes.”Howcanthisbe?Weknowthat“Scripturecannotbebroken”(John10:35,EHV)andthatScripture

1Matthew8:5-16;Mark1:21-33,2:1-12,3:1-6,6:45,8:22-25;Luke9:10-17.

Witnessing a Miracle


istruth(John17:17).Allsixty-sixbooksofScripturepresentaconsistentandtruthfulmessage.ThecentralmessageofScriptureisaboutJesusourRedeemer,andScriptureisconsistentandtruthfulaboutthat,yetScriptureisconsistentandtruthfulineverythingitaddresses.Howcanweunder-standourLuke16andMatthew11passagesinawaywhichisconsistentwiththerestofGod’sWord?WhatisGodtellingusinthesepassages?Tohelpunderstandthesetwopassages,itwillhelpustorecallwhatGodrevealsaboutthemeansofgrace.

Means of Grace ScriptureclearlyteachesthatGodworksonlythroughthegospelinWord (theBible) and sacrament (BaptismandHolyCommunion) tocreateandstrengthenfaith2.WecalltheWordandsacramentsthe“meansofgrace.”ThisinformationcanbeusedtoexplainbothourLuke16andMatthew11passages.

Pagan Cities Miracles are not ameansof grace, but they canhave a role inbringingpeopletofaith.Let’sconsiderhowseeingmiraclescouldhaveresultedinbringingthepeopleofTyreandSidontofaith.ThePhoeniciancitiesofTyreandSidonwerelocatedontheMediterraneancoastroughly35and50milesnorthwestoftheSeaofGalilee.BothwereRomanfreecities. Most people living therewere pagans. They believed inmanygods.[Yetsomebelieversdidlivethere,suchasthewomanwhomJesuscommendsashaving“greatfaith.”SeeMatthew15:21–28].

TrytoimaginehowthesepagansmighthavereactedtoJesus.IfthesepaganscouldwitnessJesusperformingmanyspectacularmiracles,theywouldnotethattheirgodsdidnotdosuchundeniablemiracles.ThisJesusmustbe,oratleastrepresent,agodabovetheirgods.TheymightthenlistentowhatJesussaid,hearthegospel,andcometofaithinthetrueGodthroughthatgospelmessage.Witnessingmiraclescanleadtofaithinthisway.TheHolySpiritdoesnotcreatefaiththroughthemiracles,butthewitnessingofmiraclescanleadtohearingthegospel.TheHolySpiritcanthenworkfaiththroughthegospel.

2Romans10:17,1Corinthians1:21,1Peter3:21,Matthew26:26-28.

7Witnessing a Miracle

Sign Miracles WecallmanyofthemiraclesperformedbyJesus,theApostles,and theprophets“sign miracles.” Thesemiracleswerea signpointingtothetrueGod.Thesesignsconfirmedthemessagebeingspokenasbe-ingfromGod[Exodus4:5,8;Mark16:20].RegardingJesusmiraculouslyturning120ormoregallonsofwater intowineat awedding feast, theApostleJohnreports,“This,thebeginningofhismiraculoussigns,Jesusperformed inCanaofGalilee. He revealedhisglory, andhisdisciplesbelievedinhim”(John2:11,EHV).

Godrevealshowotherpeoplecametofaiththroughsignmiracles.Herearesomeexamples:

Elijah and the Prophets of Baal: WhenElijahconfrontedtheprophetsofBaalonMountCarmel,aspectacularmiraclepointedtothetrueGod.Theresult:“Whenallthepeoplesawthis,theyfellontheirkneesandsaid,‘The Lord,he isGod!TheLord,he isGod!’”(1Kings18:39,EHV).Witnessingamiracleledthesepeopletofaith.

Doubting Thomas: ThomasrefusedtobelievethatJesushadrisenfromthedead(John20:24-29,EHV).Thomassaid,“UnlessIseethenailmarksinhishands,andputmyfingerintothemarkofthenails,andputmyhandintohisside,Iwillneverbelieve.”LaterJesusappearedtoThomas,whosaidtoJesus,“MyLordandmyGod!”Jesusreplied,“Becauseyouhaveseenme,youhavebelieved.Blessedarethosewhohavenotseenandyethavebelieved.”SeeingtherisenLordledThomastofaith.None of the disciplesbelievedJesushadrisenuntil theysawtheirrisenLord(Mark16:9-14).ThomaswassimplythelastofthedisciplestowhomtherisenChristappeared. Thegreatmajorityofpeople inallofhistory,eveninBiblicaltimes,neverwitnessedasignmiracle.Jesuscallsthem,andcallsustoday,“blessed”forbelievingwithoutseeing.

Crossing the Red Sea:TheIsraeliteswereledtofaithbywitnessingGoddrowntheentireEgyptianarmyintheRedSea.“IsraelsawthemightyhandwhichtheLordputintoactionagainsttheEgyptians,andthepeoplefearedtheLordandbelievedintheLordandinMoses,hisservant.”(Ex-odus14:31,EHV)


Miracles can remove barriers to the gospel and even point to the true God.SeeingtheresurrectedJesuscertainlypointedtothetrueGod.SeeingJesusalivedispelledanyreasoningthatJesuswouldbeunabletoraisehimself,eventhoughheraisedothers. Thattemptationandotherswereeliminatedbyseeingamiracle,allowingGodtoworkfaiththroughthemeanshechose—thegospel.

Rich Man and Lazarus TheforgoingalsoexplainsthewordsfromtheparableoftherichmanandLazarus:“IftheydonotlistentoMosesandtheProphets,theywillnotbeconvincedevenifsomeonerisesfromthedead”(Luke16:31,EHV).Ifthesebrotherscontinuedtorejectthegospel,thentheywillnev-erhavefaith.Witnessingamiracle,likesomeonerisingfromthedead,doesnotcreatefaith.Thebestamiraclecandoisbreakdownbarrierstothegospel,andinsomecases,pointtothetrueGod.WitnessingamiracleoftendidNOTleadtofaith.LookatthepeopleofChorazin,Bethsaida,andCapernaum.Theywitnessedmiraclesyetdidnotcometofaith.

Can Witnessing Good Works Lead to Faith?“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its fla-vor, how will it become salty again? Then it is no good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled on by people. You are the light of the world. A city lo-cated on a hill cannot be hidden. People do not light a lamp and put it under a basket. No, they put it on a stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. In the same way let your light shine in people’s presence, so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:13-16 (EHV)

WitnessingthegoodworksofaChristiancanleadanunbelievertofaith.Thatunbelievermayaskhimself,“WhatmakesthisChristiandothesegoodthings?WhatdoeshehavethatIdon’thavethatmakeshimsokindtoothers?”Witnessinggoodworkscouldleadtheunbelievertolistentothegospelmessage,throughwhichGodcanbringthatpersontofaith.GodcanusethegoodworksofaChristiantobreakdownbarrierstothegospel.


DanielDeutschlanderputitthiswayashecommentsonthispas-sageinseveralofhisbooks,

Jesusconnectsourlivestoourdoctrinewhenhetellsus,“Letyourlightshinebeforemen,thattheymayseeyourgooddeedsandpraiseyourFatherinheaven”(Matthew5:16).ThelifethatisseenbyothersasflowingfromtheWordofGodmaywelldrawotherstohearthatWord.3

Jesusremindsusthatalifeofgoodworks,whichbydefi-nitionisalifethatconformstothelaw,isevenatoolbywhichhewoulddrawotherstohearthegospel.Hetellsus,“Letyour lightshinebeforemen, that theymayseeyourgooddeedsandpraiseyourFatherinheaven”(Mat-thew5:16).4

Howmanyhavecometohearthegospelbecauseofthepeaceandtheorder,thedecencyandtheusefulnesstooth-ersthattheysawinthelifeofahumbleandpiousChris-tian? Sucha lifecertainlybroughtpraise to theFatheron those occasions―however rare theymay be―whensomeonewasfirstdrawntohearthegospelbythelightofChristradiatingfromthelifeofaChristian!5

LyleLangecommentsonthisandotherpassages,Christians will want their lives to give testimony to others ofGod’sgrace,sootherswilldesiretoknowwhatGodhasdoneforus.6

ArminPanningwrotea16-pagearticleonthispassage.Inthefol-lowingquotehemakesthepointthat“Gooddeedsareanoutreachtool,”

3DanielM.Deutschlander,Grace Abounds–The Splendor of Christian Doctrine (Milwaukee:NorthwesternPublishingHouse,2015),211.4Deutschlander,GraceAbounds,241.5DanielM.Deutschlander,The Narrow Lutheran Middle–Following the Scrip-tural Road (Milwaukee:NorthwesternPublishingHouse,2011),144.6LyleW.Lange,God So Loved the World–A Study of Christian Doctrine (Mil-waukee:NorthwesternPublishingHouse,2005),382.


Heallowsustobehisagentsinbringingotherstopraisehisname. It is that encouragement especiallywhich is in evi-dencewhenChristurgesus,“Letyourlightshinebeforemen,thattheymayseeyourgooddeedsandpraiseyourFatherinheaven.”RecallthatChristcalledhisdisciples“thelightoftheworld.”Outsidersandworldlingsaretoseethem,likeacitysetonahill,andaretobedrawnandattractedtowhattheyhavetooffer. Thisis truegodlinessforagodlessage. Thereisamissionconsiderationinvolvedinlettingourlightshine.Weperhapsdon’toftenthinkofitinthatway,butJesusisvirtuallysaying,“Gooddeedsareanoutreachtool.”Theyaretobeinstrumentalinbuildingthechurch.7

ThereflectedlightoftheSaviorisapowerfulforce.Paulre-alizedthat,andtospreaditsmightybeamsheenlistedthehelpofothers.Forexample,heurgesthePhilippianstolivetheirfaithtothefullsothat“youmaybeblamelessandharmless,the sonsofGod,without rebuke in themindsof a crookedandperversenation,amongwhomyoushineaslightsintheworld”(Php2:14).Theirwork,andthatofmanyothers,wasnotwithouteffect.Throughouttheagesdedicatedlightbear-ershavereflectedtheirSaviorandtherebyhaveledcountlessthousandstopraiseourgraciousFatherinheaven.Fromgen-eration togeneration therehasbeen truegodliness foreachgodlessage.8

HereisanotherpassageshowingthatwitnessingthegoodworksofaChristiancanleadtofaith,

Live an honorable life among the Gentiles so that even though they slander you as evildoers, when they observe your noble deeds, they may glorify God on the day he visits us. 1 Peter 2:12 (EHV)

7ArminJ.Panning,“‘LETYOURLIGHTSHINEBEFOREMEN’GodlinessforaGodlessAge,”Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly,vol.83no.4(fall1986),287.8Panning,288.


DanielDeutschlandercommentsonthispassage,A Christian neighbor or coworker acts as a priestwhen heseeksandfindsopportunities toshare thegospelwith thosearound him. That sharing may come when someone askshimsomethinglikethis,“Whatmakesyoutickanyway?Youseemdifferent.”9

DavidKuskecommentsonthispassage,Peter urges them (andus) tocling toanoble,praiseworthyway of life―a way of life that is honorable also to thoseliving a life of sin. The purpose/goal of living such a lifeis to turn the tables on those who run Christians down asevildoers. When and if such people take the time to ob-servewhatChristiansaredoing,theymaybegintobedrawnto the God whom Peter’s readers (and we) are thankingby living this kind of life. And they end up praisingGodwhen the Holy Spirit turns them from unbelief to faith.10

Petercontinuesinhisepistlebyapplyingthispointtowiveswithunbelievinghusbands.Petersaysunbelievinghusbands,

...might be won over without a word by the behavior of their wives, as they observe your respectful and holy be-havior. 1 Peter 3:1b-2 (EHV)

DavidKuskecommentsonthis1Peterpassage,Petercontinuestoencouragehisreaderstoliveapraisewor-thy life inorder towinothers forChrist (2:12). HewritestoChristianwiveswhohaveunbelievinghusbandsandtellsthemthattheycanwintheirspouseswithoutsayingaword.11 …Peter,whilereferringparticularlytotheyieldingofChris-tianwivestotheirhusbands,isalsothinkingofotherconduct

9Deutschlander,LutheranMiddle,184.10DavidP.Kuske,A Commentary on 1 & 2 Peter, Jude (Milwaukee: Northwest-ernPublishingHouse,2015),109.11Kuske,156.


theirhusbandsmightobserve.Thingssuchasnotbeingun-faithfultotheirhusbands,notbeingselfish,notusingguiletoget what they want, etc.12

MarkJeskeputsitthisway,God’swayisforthebelievingwifetotreatherhusbandwell—inthiswaythesilenttestimonyofherloveandsubmissionwillmakeJesusChristlookgood,andthehusbandmaylatercometofaithbecauseofthewonderfulwayinwhichshetreatshim.13

TherearemoreScripturepassageswhereGodconnects faith tothingsotherthanthegospel,suchas1Corinthians9:19-23,John2:11,andJohn14:11.Aswiththepassageswealreadyexamined,WELSauthorscommentoneachofthesepassageswithremarksaboutremovingobsta-clestothegospel.

Apologetics

WehavediscussedhowGodcanusemiraclesandgoodworkstobreakdownbarrierstothegospel. Anunbelieverwhowitnessesamir-acle,orseesthegoodworksofaChristian,maybemorelikelytolistentothegospel,andthroughthatgospel,Godcanworkfaith.Apologeticshas something incommonwithmiraclesandgoodworks. Apologeticscanalsoremovebarrierstothegospel,andlikemiracles,apologeticsmayevenpointtothetrueGod.Scriptureshowsaplaceforapologetics(ex-tra-biblicalargumentsfromhistory,science,logic,etc.)inourministrytobelieversandinourministrytounbelievers.

Ministry to Believers: Apologeticscanhelpbelieversbybluntingtemp-tations,helpingthemseelogicalinconsistenciesinunbelief,andhelpingthembetterunderstandspiritualtruths.Inplaceslike1Corinthianschap-ters9and15,Paulusesmanylogicalargumentswhenaddressingbeliev-ers.

12Kuske,144.13MarkA.Jeske,James, Peter, John, Jude–The People’s Bible,2nded.(Mil-waukee:NorthwesternPublishingHouse,2002)102.


Ministry to Unbelievers: While witnessing to unbelievers, apologeticscansometimesbeofvalueifitleadstoanopportunitytosharethegospelmessage.Jesusrepeatedlyusedlogicalargumentstosilenceunbelievers.14 PeterandPaulsometimesprecededtheirgospelmessagewithargumentsfrom reason.15ReasonmayalsobeusefulinsilencingcertainobjectionstothevalidityofScripture,butreasonandnon-biblicalevidenceatbestprovideashortintroductionorapointofcontact.Presentationoflawandgospelshouldnotbedelayed.

Inboththesecases,ministrytobelieversandministrytounbeliev-ers,theroleofapologeticsistoremovebarrierstothegospel.Apologeticsmaybecommonplaceinministrytobelievers. In ministry to unbelievers, apologeticshasamorelimitedrole―thatofleadingtheunbelievertolis-tentothegospelmessage.

SiegbertBeckercommentsthatLuthersupportedusingargumentsfromreason(extra-biblicalclaims)inourapologetic,“Alloftheseexam-plesmakeitabundantlyclearthatLutherisnotaversetotheuseofreasonintheareaofapologetics.”16

DavidValleskeywritesaboutusingapologeticsinministrytoun-believers,

Apologeticscanproperlyserveahelpingroleinevangelism.ItcanassistinclearingawaymisconceptionsthatmayhaveresultedinapersonbeingunwillingtolistenseriouslytowhattheScripturessay.…Itwon’tmakeaChristianofaperson,butitmaywellresultinhiswillingnesstokeeplistening.Ifapologeticshasaccomplishedthat,ithasdoneitsjob.17

AngusMenugementionsanimportantreasonforusingapologetics,Likewise,inaworldbesetbyreligiouspluralism,weneedtogivepeopleareasontothinkthatChristianityalone,andnot

14Matthew 12:9-14, 12:24-29, 21:23-27, 22:15-22; Luke 13:15-16.15Acts 2:14-15; 14:15-17; 17:22,23,28.16SiegbertW.Becker,The Foolishness of God–The Place of Reason in the The-ology of Martin Luther (Milwaukee:NorthwesternPublishingHouse,1982)182.17DavidJ.Valleskey,We Believe–Therefore We Speak, The Theology and Prac-tice of Evangelism (Milwaukee:NorthwesternPublishingHouse,1995),111-113.


itsmanycompetitors,isfaithworthy,sothattheystarttolookatitsclaims.Onlythen,astheyencountertheWord,canwerelinquishresponsibilityandleaveittotheHolySpirittodrawthemtopersonalfaith.Inthecollaborative,communityprojectthatChristianapologeticsshouldbe,scientistscancontributetheirinsightsintohowChristianconvictionsupportsscienceaswellashardevidencethatsupportsaChristianworldview.18

This article will close with a great quote from Lyle Lange, who at thetimewasaprofessoratMartinLutherCollege.HeasksConfessionalLutheranstouse“moreapologetics”andalsodiscussesusingapologeticsinministrytoChristians[bolditalicsinoriginal],

Apologetics is a natural outgrowth of our faith in Christ. Christiansdoapologetics.Apologeticshasoftenbeencalled“pre-evangelism.” Iwould ratherput it thisway:Apologet-icsmayinvolve“pre-evangelism”(removingobstacleswhichpreventusfromsharingthegospel).However,Lutheran(bib-lical)apologeticsisevangelism.…Ibelievethereisaneedformoreapologetics.Ourstudentsarelookingforanswerstothequestionstheyhaveandthequestionsothershaveposedtothem.Thesequestionsmaycomefromparents,siblings,rel-atives,friends,dates,fiancés,spouses,orpeoplewithwhomtheywork.Our students sincerely desire to be able to givepeopleareasonforthehopetheyhave.Arewemeetingtheirneeds,or,arewesendingthemoutintoahostileworldpoorlyequippedtodealwiththebarrageofquestionstheywillface?19

Mark Bergemann is a retired electrical engineer with a B.S. from the Uni-versity of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. He serves as president of the Lutheran Science Institute and as Martin Luther College adjunct instructor for the online courses Creation Apologetics 101 and 102. He is a member of Good Shepherd’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in West Allis, Wisconsin.

18AngusMenuge,“TheVocationofScientist,”inHere We Stand–A Confes-sional Christian Study of Worldviews,editorCurtisA.Jahn(Milwaukee:North-westernPublishingHouse,2010),253.19LyleW.Lange,“LutheranApologetics:FromOurClassroomsandintotheWorld,”Lutheran Synod Quarterly51,no.4(Dec2011):335,369.http://www.blts.edu/wp-content/uploads/lsq/51-4.pdf(accessed1-3-20)

15Review: Clearing a Path for the Gospel

Book Review

Clearing a Path for the Gospel –A Lutheran Approach to Apologetics

by Arthur A. Eggert and Geoffrey A. Kieta. Sun Prairie WI: In Terra Pax Lutheran Publishing, 2019. 353 pages, softcover, $25.00.

ApologeticsisdefendingtheChristianfaith.Thebook’stitleisitsoveralltheme:Thepurposeofapologeticsisto“clearapathforthegos-pel.”Sectionsofthebookexpoundonthenatureoftruth,God’sattributes,thereliabilityofScripture,andthenatureofscience.Manycommonapol-ogetictopicsarehardlymentioned,suchastheproblemofevil,thepersonandtheresurrectionofChrist,andhell,sointhatregard,thisbookisnotan introduction to themajorcategoriesof apologetics. What thisbookdoesisliveuptoitstitle.Itpresents“aLutheranapproachtoapologetics.”

There isadistinctionbetweenLutheranapologeticsand thatofotherChristiansregardingtheplaceofhumanreason.TheauthorspresenttheLutheran(scriptural)positionregardingtheuseofreason,1inascopeandbreadthfoundfewotherplaces,andapplyittovariousaspectsofapol-ogetics.EventhoughourChristianfaithiscreatedandstrengthenedsolelythroughthegospelinWordandsacrament,theauthorsshowhowourapol-ogeticcanuseextra-biblicalargumentsto“clearapathforthegospel.”2

Somuchinthisbookisexcellent.Thethemeofchapter6onmira-clesisgreat.TheauthorsexplainthatGodcontinuouslyusesHispowerinHis“regularway”tokeeptheentireuniverseworking.WhenGodchoosestouseamethodotherthanHisregularway,“wecallitamiracle”[p.139].

1The “ministerial use” versus the “magisterial use” of human reason is covered [p. 10, 11]. The Bible is described as “self-authenticating” [p. 63]. They also write, “We readily acknowledge that we cannot prove that the Bible is the Word of God based on external sources. If we could, then the external sources would be our real standard of belief and not the Bible itself” [p. 64]. 2For example, “The goal of apologetics is to speak and write in defense of the truth using logic as well as Scripture. …Apologetics is a necessary discipline” [p. 6-7]. “The apologist must determine whether the goal should be to impart information, argue the reasonableness of the Christian belief about the Bible or confront the straying with the indefensibility of their position” [p. 63].

16 Review: Clearing a Path for the Gospel

Important truths are taught: “If someone wants to be a skilledapologist,thatpersonneedstobeintheWord.Heorsheneedstoperson-allyreaditregularly”[p.308].Practicalhelpsaretaughtsuchasusingwrittennotestorememberthedetailsofanylong-termapologeticconver-sations [p.241]. Theapologist shouldavoidmixingweakerargumentswithstrongerones,asthatleadstoyourstrongargumentsbeingignoredandyourweakargumentsbeingattacked.Thebookputsitthisway,“Aweakargumentisusuallyworsethannoargumentatall”[page228].Theauthorswrite,“TheapologistneedstostaketheclaimfortheexclusivityofChristianity[p.190].

Manypeople todaybelieve in subjectivemorality. They rejectobjectiverightandwrong.ThebookrecommendsthattheapologistasksuchpeopleifitwasrightforAmericanstoenslaveAfricans.Thismayleadtoanadmissionthatthereisanobjectivestandardofrightandwrong,andthentothesourceofthatstandard(God).“ThisopensthedoortoadiscussionaboutJesus”[p.179].

Twochaptersareespeciallyoutstanding.Theyprovidemanyex-amplesofhowtheapologistcanrespondtospecificquestionsofskeptics.Thechapteronmiraclesliststhirteenbiblicalmiraclesandhowtodiscusseachone.Thechapteronsalvationlistsmanywaysskepticsattackthelawandgospelandhowwemayrespond.

The chapter on archaeology and secular history has some verygoodinformationandsuggestions.The“historicalclaims”ofChristianity“areanessentialpartofthemessageofthegospel”[p.193].“Asapol-ogists,weneed toask theskeptic toarticulatewhy these thingscannotbe true” [p. 205]. “To simply dismiss the biblical account in favor ofnon-biblicalsourcesbecausetheyarenon-biblicalisnotinkeepingwithprinciplesofacademichistory”[p.206].

Appendix I explains 78 logical fallacies “to help the apologistavoidsuchfallaciesinhisorherargumentsandtodetectthemintheargu-mentsofothers”[p.313].ThisandChapter1,“TheNatureofTruth,”canhelptraintheapologistinlogicalthinkingandinlogicallistening.

17

Even though much in this book is praiseworthy, readers may find things with which they disagree. Forinstance,chaptertwoisdevotedtotheclaim“allargumentsthatendeavortoprovetheexistenceofGodareawasteofeffort”(p.46).TheauthorsexplainninetraditionalargumentsfortheexistenceofGodandcommonrebuttals.Theauthorsbelievetheseninetraditionalargumentsarenot“logicallysound”and“leaveusnoclos-ertoproclaimingthemessageofChrist”so“theyareofnovaluetous”(p.52).Justbecausethereisarebuttalforanargumentdoesnotmeanthatargument is “ofnovalue,” since thereare rebuttals forALLapologeticarguments. Also, the weakness of an argument is often in the eye of the beholder.Evenweakargumentscanconvincemany.Personally,IrarelyifeveruseargumentsforGod’sexistence,sinceItendtoseeotherargu-mentsasmoreuseful.Thatsaid,countlessChristianshavesuccessfullyusedsuchargumentsto“clearapathforthegospel.”Thatisourapologet-icgoal.LearningthesecommonargumentsfortheexistenceofGod,andlearningtheirrebuttals,isofgreatvalueforallapologists,eventhoseofuswhodisagreewithsomeoftheauthors’claims. Theauthorssethighstandardsfortheirbook,

Wehavetriedtousethehigheststandardsofscholarship.…We avoided using ad hominem arguments, creating strawmen to avoid our opponents’ real positions or en-gaging in lines of argumentation which they might rea-sonablyrecognizeascontainingfallacies.[p.7,italicsinoriginal]

Unfortunately,thebooksometimesfailsatachievingthesegoals,asthefollowingparagraphsshow.

“Noah’sark,however,wasnotbuilttorestonlandasatouristat-traction,buttofloatonanoceanunderadverseconditions”[p.143].Thisunprofessional jabat the500-footarkinKentuckyisunnecessary. Thecreation apologetic organization “Answers in Genesis” (AIG) employsmanyPh.D.scientists.Theauthorscommitthe“NoTrueScotsman”falla-cy3whentheyimplytheseAIGscientistsarenot“realscientists”[p.312].

3Using a biased definition to make a false claim seem to be true.

Review: Clearing a Path for the Gospel

18

RegardingChristianswho“arguethatweshouldsoftendoctrinalpositionsinlightofsocialchanges,”theauthorssay,“suchpeoplewishtobecalledChristians”[p.65].Thisisanotherformofthe“NoTrueScots-man”fallacy.Moreseriously,itisdoctrinallyfalsetoimplyallsuchpeoplearenotChristians.Whilefalsedoctrineisverydangeroustoone’sfaith,Godcananddoespreserveintheelectmanywhoadheretofalsedoctrine.

The book at times condemns others for doing something while at the same time doing that very thing. Forexample,thebookadvancestheapologeticviewthatGodplacedfossilsofimaginaryanimals(trilobites,dinosaurs,etc.neverexistedaslivingcreatures)andofimaginaryplantsoneverycontinent. Otherpossibleexplanationsforfossils,suchas theFlood,arerejectedwiththewords,“WecannotconstraintheLordtoactinthewaywewouldlikehimtoact,norcanweexplainhowheactswhenhedoesnottellus”[p.122].Itseemstomethatthislineofreasoningcanbeturnedaroundandusedagainsttheauthors’claimthatGodcreatedfossils.Goddoesnottellusanythingaboutfossils,sointheauthors’ownwords,wecannot“explainhowheactswhenhedoesnottellus.”Theauthorsadvancecreatedfossilsastheonlypossibleexplanationforfossils,basedsolelyontheirhumanreasoning.Heretheauthors“constraintheLordtoactinthewaywewouldlikehimtoact,”somethingtheauthorssaywe“cannot”do. Inasimilarway,thebookadvancestheapologeticclaimthatlightfromdistantstarsmaysimplybelightstreamsthatGodcreatedforustoviewandthattheremaybenophysicalstarsontheothersideofthoselightbeams.SomeChristianspreferotherexplanationsfordistantstarlight,4 andsomeofthemdosobecausetheythinkaGod-madevideoofstarsthatdonotactuallyexistseemstobedeceptive.Theauthorsrespondinthesameparagraphratherforcefully,“ItisblasphemytochargetheLordwithdeceivingusifhedidn’tsetuptheuniverseoreventheearthinthewaythatourinvestigationallogictellsusitshouldbe”[p.116].Theauthorshereusetheirown“investigationallogic”toclaimthatdistantstarlightisamovie,yettheirexplanation,justlikethealternativeexplanationstheyreject,maynotbethewaythatGod“setuptheuniverse.”

4Several other creationist explanations are listed on pages 22-23 in the spring 2016 LSI Journal. www.Lutheranscience.org/2016spring (accessed 1-3-20)


19

TheauthorsusetheirownlogictoimaginehowGodcarriedouttheFlood,andthencondemnotherswhodothesamething.Theywrite,“By faithNoah built the ark and got on it, andwe need to accept thebiblicalaccountbyfaith,notintermsofhowwethinkthatitcouldhavebeenpulledoff”[p.145].Onthetwopagesprecedingthisstatement,theauthorsspeculatethatNoah’sarkwas“muchlarger”thanpre-floodships,thatGodgaveNoahadditionaldetailsnotinScriptureonhowtobuild,thatittookamiraclefortheanimalsleavingthearktodiversifyintoto-day’smanyspecies,andthatitrequiredamiracletocarefortheanimalson the ark.

The book also contains factual errors and misleading comments. Forexample:Readersaremisledto thinkthat5millionspeciesof landanimalsdescendedfromthekindsonNoah’sark[p.144].Thisnumberisgrosslyexaggeratedbyincludingkindsthatweremostlikelynot on the ark.Itismorereasonabletocountonlyamphibians,birds,mammals,andreptiles.Thereareanestimated40,7005,6speciesofthosealivetoday.

Fossilsareincorrectlydefinedonpage120,“…onlythose[livingthings]whichhaveastructurethatcansomehowbepreservedarecandi-datesforfossilization.”Thisisincorrectsinceanythingthatlivedinthepastcanproduceafossil,evenbacteriaandjellyfish.Theauthors’overlynarrowunderstandingofwhatconstitutesafossilledthemtomakeanoth-ererrorintheirverynextparagraph,“Inreality,thefossilrecorddoesnotreachbacktothetimelifesupposedlybeganbecausethoseearlycreaturesweretooflimsytobefossilized.”Thisstatementisincorrect.Fossilsofmicroorganisms which evolutionists claim as those earliest life forms were discoveredmanydecadesago.7

5This number increases constantly as new species are discovered and the defini-tion of species narrows. The number of bird species recently doubled. MarkOwuorOtieno,“HowManySpeciesofBirdsAreThere?”WorldAtlas,Nov.2,2017.(accessed1-3-20)https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/how-many-species-of-birds-are-there.html6SophyOwuorOtieno,“HowManySpeciesofReptilesAreThere?”WorldAt-las,Jan.14,2019.(accessed1-3-20)https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/how-many-species-of-reptiles-are-there.html7“Fossils of primitive microorganisms show that life had emerged on earth by about 3.8 billion years ago.” NationalAcademyofSciences,Teaching About Evolution and The Nature of Sci-



Verbal Inspiration Thisbookstartsdownadangerouspath.Itstartsinnocentlywiththewords,

Thisforcestheapologisttofacethegeneralissueofwhenis theBible statinganeternal truthandwhen is it onlygivinganexplanationofsomeprincipleintermsthatwereunderstandabletothepeoplewhofirstreadandheardit.[page124]

The book follows thesewords by listing some questions aboutnaturewhichGodaskedtoJob.Jobdidnotknowanyoftheanswers,buttoday,weknowsomeoftheanswers.JesustellsNicodemusthathedoesnotknowwherethewindcomesfromorwhereitgoes,but theauthorsclaimthatmodernmeteorologistsknow.

Twoparagraphslaterweread,“Asdescribedabove,manisnowmanipulatinglifewhichGodcreatedinwaysthatwereunimaginabletomenwhomGodusedtowritetheScriptures”[page125]. Thislineofreasoningisthebuilduptotheauthors’claimthatGod’sGenesis1com-mands limiting reproduction towithinkindmayno longer be enforcedtodaybyGod.WhenusedasareasontoclaimthatGodmayhavealteredsomeofHiscommands,Ithinkthisstartsdownadangerouspath—apathofreasoningwhich,iffollowed,canleadustoquestionmuchofwhatGodrevealsinScripture.

First, the most troubling words are, “…unimaginable to menwhomGodusedtowritetheScriptures.”ItisclearfromScripturethattheprophetssometimesdidnotknowthemeaningofwhattheywrote(1Peter1:10-12).Iftheyhadtoknowthemeaning,thenthedoctrineofver-balinspirationfallsapart.Second,thelimitedscientificunderstandingofJobandNicodemusisnotreasonforustoconcludethatGodchangedHisGenesis1commandsthatlimitreproductiontobewithinkind.IfthelackofunderstandingofpeopleinbiblicaltimeswasreasonforustoclaimthatGodmayhavereversedsomeofHisGenesis1commands,thenthatsame

ence,(WashingtonDC,NationalAcademyPress,1998),11.


lineofreasoningcouldbeusedtoclaimGodreversedmanyofHisothercommands.Thiswouldalsowreakhavocwithdoctrine.

New Kinds

The authors write, Genesis 1 tells us that a specific kind of life can onlycomefromthatspecifickindoflife.…InGenesis1:24,Godstatedthattheanimalshecreatedwouldreproduceaccording to their kind. …The Bible does not say the universe and life could not have evolved through natural processes; it merely says they didn’t.ItisblasphemoustosaythatthealmightyGodcouldnothaveestablishedthelawsofnaturesothatmacroscopicevolutionwaspossi-ble.Perhapshedidn’t,butperhapshedid,yetchosenottousethatmechanismforreasonsknownonlytohim.” [p.123,125,and129,italicsinoriginal.]

Theauthorsdevelopthisclaimonpages122through132.Hereismysummary:GodmaystillbeenforcingHisGenesis1commandslimit-ingreproductiontowithinkind,orGodmayhavesometimeaftercreationmodifiedHisGenesis1commandstopermitanimalsandplantstorepro-duceoutsideoftheirkind(todevelopnewkinds).

ThisisthefirsttimeIhaveencounteredayoungearthcreationistclaimingthatitmaybepossiblefornewkindsofplantsoranimalstode-velopnaturally.Thebookcorrectlyassertsthatpeoplemayeventuallybeabletoproducenewkindsofplantsandanimalsthroughmoderngeneticmanipulation.SuchactivitybymandoesnotviolateGod’sdirectivethatthe “earth produce” plants and animals “according to their kind.” Thebookcorrectlyasserts that theBibledoesnotsaystarsandplanetscan-notformnaturally.YetGodisclearwhenherevealsthathehaslimitedplant and animal reproduction tobe “according to their kind” (Genesis1:11,12,20,21,24,25).


The common (possibly unanimous until now) position in theWELSistounderstandthattheseGenesis1passageslimitnaturalrepro-ductiontostaywithinkind,thatnonewkindseverdevelopnaturally,andthatlimitationisstillbeingenforcedbyGodtoday.Inpreparingthisre-view,IfoundthirteenquotesbyWELSauthorssupportingcreatedkinds(inbooks,WLQarticles, andonewebsite). Notoneeven implied thatnewkindsmaybeabletonaturallydevelop.TheseauthorsincludeDanielDeutschlander8, Lyle Lange9,andJohnJeske10.

OnereasonexplicitlylaidoutinthebookforitsclaimthatGodmayhavechangedsomeofHisGenesis1commands,isthelackofsci-entific knowledge of people in Bible times. An underlying reason forthisclaimseemstobethethemeexpressedinmultiplechapters:Evolu-tionistshavestrongevidencefor“theirmodelofhowtheworldworks”[p.121].

IassumethatGod’sGenesis1commandstoreproducewithinkindarecarriedoutbyGodthroughgenetics,butImaybewrong. Thebookdeclaresthat“Wemustrecognizethatbiblicalstatementsabout‘kind’…arenotstatementsaboutgenetics”[page125]. WhymustwedisconnectGod’s command from genetics? The book implies that our apologeticshoulddo everythingpossible to avoidquestioning the scientific conclu-sionsofevolution,becausethoseevolutionarymodelsaresostronglysup-portedbyevidence. Evolutionaryscienceconcludes thatgeneticsdonotlimitreproductiontobiblicalkinds,sothebookrequiresourChristianapol-ogeticdisconnectGod’sGenesis1commandsaboutkindsfromgenetics.

8Deutschlander wrote in his doctrine book, “Could there be development within a kind? Yes. But one kind cannot successfully interbreed with or become another kind. A bird cannot eventually evolve into a dog or a fungus into a man.” DanielM.Deutschlander,Grace Abounds–The Splendor of Christian Doctrine, (Milwaukee:NorthwesternPublishingHouse,2015),128.9LyleW.Lange,God So Loved the World–A Study of Christian Doctrine, (Mil-waukee:NorthwesternPublishingHouse,2005),152-153.10Jeske wrote in The Peoples Bible commentary on Genesis, “The creator en-dowed each of these new forms of life with the capability of passing on life to the next generation―again, only of its own kind. This divine restriction does not allow for new kinds, as the theory of evolution proposes.”John C. Jeske, Genesis–The Peoples Bible, 2nd ed. (Milwaukee: NorthwesternPublishingHouse,2004),21.


Our default position should be that God has not modified His com-mands, unless God reveals that information to us in Scripture. GodwarnsustonotchangeHisWord(Prov30:5-6;Matt5:18;Deut4:2;Rev22:19).WeoughtnotchangewhatGoddeclaresaboutreproductionwithinkind,justbecauseoursin-darkenedhumanreasonthinksthatmaybethecase.Theauthorswarnagainstsetting“ourmindsovertheWordofGod”byus-ingourhumanreasoninamagisterialway[p.11],yettheauthorsheredotheverythingtheywarnagainst,whentheyclaimGodmayhavechangedHisGenesis1commands.

Science and TruthTheauthorsadmit[p.135]:

1)Scientificconclusionsareonly“provisionallytrue.”2)Thatevenifascientificmodelexplainsallobservations,itstillmay

befalse.3)That all science, including evolution, is based on the unprovable

presuppositionthatthereisnoGod,andthatconclusions(scientificmodels,theories,laws)basedonafalseassumptionare“uncertain.”

Withthesereasonsalone,whywouldtheChristianapologisthavetoacceptcreatedfossilsastheonlyexplanationforfossils?WhyshouldwespeculatethatGodmayhaverescindedHisGenesis1commandsonreproductionwithinkind?

Recommendation Irecommendthisbookforthosewhowishtostudyapologetics.Mostchaptershaveplentyofsolidcontent.Unfortunately,somechaptersalso have contentwithwhich readersmay disagree, especiallyChapter5titled“CreationandScience,”withitsseeminglylooseviewofverbalinspiration,itsclaimthatnewkindsofplantsandanimalsmaynaturallydevelop,anditsclaimthatGodcreatedfossilsofimaginaryanimals(likedinosaursandtrilobites).MayGodusethisbooktospurbrotherlydiscus-sionofapologeticsinourcircles.

Mark Bergemann

24 Did Dinosaurs Roam the Earth?

Did Dinosaurs Roam the Earth?Mark Bergemann

Dinosaurs: Isitlikelythattheyroamedtheearth?Coal and oil: Mightthesehavebeenformedbydecayingplants?Noah’s Flood: Diditmostlikelylaydownfossilbearingrocklayers?Volcanic islands: Weretheylikelyformedbymagmafromtheseafloor?Ice age:IsitpossiblethaticesheetsoncecoveredmuchofNorthAmerica?

Many in the WELS answer “Yes.” TheyprobablyattributemostfossilstotheFlood.

Some in the WELS answer “No.” TheyprobablyattributemostfossilstospecialcreationbyGod.

Flood Apologetic MostChristianswhobelieveina6-daycreationthinkitlikelythattheFlooddrasticallychangedthesurfaceoftheearth.TheFloodprobablylaiddownmostofthegeologiccolumnwithfossilcontainingrocklayersfound on every continent and on the tallestmountains.1 Coal oil, andnaturalgasareprobablytheremainsofprefloodvegetation.MassiveicesheetsprobablysculptedtheNorthAmericanlandscapeduringtheyearsaftertheFlood.TheremayhavebeenasingleprefloodcontinentthatGodbrokeapartduringtheFloodtoformtheAtlanticOcean.SUMMARY: These creationists claim that evolutionists are incorrectly interpretinggeologicalandfossilevidence.Thesecreationistsseethesethingsashappeningquickly,duringtheFloodandintheyearsimmediate-lyfollowingit,whileevolutioniststhinkittook500millionyears.

Created Fossil Apologetic SomeChristianswhobelieve ina6-daycreation think it likelythatGodplacedfossils,coal,oil,naturalgas,andmostorallofthegeo-

1For details, see “Geologic Column” on pages 20-31 of the winter 2018 LSI Journal. www.LutheranScience.org/2018winter (accessed 1-3-20)

25Did Dinosaurs Roam the Earth?

logiccolumnintheground.2MostoftheseChristiansthinkGoddidthisduringcreationweek,whileothersclaimlater timessuchaswhenGodcursedthegroundafterAdamandEvesinned.ManyofthefossilsGodplacedintheearth(suchasdinosaursandtrilobites)representcreaturesthatneverexistedasreal living things. IcesheetsnevercoveredNorthAmerica;Godsimplymadeitlooklikethathappenedbycreatingiceageformations.Theprefloodcontinentswereessentiallythesameshapeandsizeasthecontinentswehavetoday.TheFloodwastranquilsoasnottodisturbthefossilcontainingrocklayers.SUMMARY: These creationists claim that evolutionists are correctly inter-pretinggeologicalandfossilevidence―evidencethatGodplacedinthegroundtogivetheearthappearance of a history that did not take place.

Survey of WELS Pastors and Teachers Do youagreeordisagree:“ItislikelythatGodplaceddinosaurbones in rock layers during creationweek”? In a 2015 poll of nearly1,000WELScalledworkers,7%ofpastorsand16%ofteachersanswered“agree”or“somewhatagree.”3

Thisdegreeofsupportforcreatedfossilswasunexpected,sinceWELSpublicationsrarelyproposecreatedfossilsortherelatedtranquilFloodview.ItiscommonforWELSpublicationstodescribedinosaursasoncelivingcreaturesandtoattributetheirfossilstotheFlood,4 while it is rareforthemtoproposethatGodmayhaveplacedfossilsintheground.5,6

2An idea first proposed in 1857 by Philip Henry Gosse in “Creation (Omphalos) –An Attempt to Untie the Geological Knot.” This was two years before Darwin published his famous book. Free pdf at (accessed 1-3-20)https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/bibliography/147016#/summary3Survey report is at www.LutheranScience.org/survey (accessed 1-3-20)4Some examples are listed at the end of this article including quotes from four books in The People’s Bible series.5 In a single paragraph about fossils, one book seems to mix both apologetic views, “But the flood certainly changed the earth and altered rock formation. …[but by the end of the sixth day of creation] sedimentary rock layers may have already been in existence.” RichardL.Gurgel,This We Believe–Questions and Answers, (Milwaukee: North-westernPublishingHouse,2006),47.6I can recall only one other WELS publication ever advancing created fossils. There were two or three articles in Forward in Christ around a decade ago. In no more than a sentence or two, they briefly mentioned several possible origins for


ItiscommonforWELSpublicationstodescribetheFloodasdestructive,7 whileitisrareforthemtoproposeatranquilFlood.8

A new book self-published by two prominent WELS authors,“Clearing a Path for theGospel,” spends over a dozen pages develop-ingtheclaimthatcreationbyGodistheonly possible origin for fossils.9 ThebookalreadyhaswidecirculationamongfacultiesatourWELShighschoolsandcolleges.ThismaybethemostprominencethatthecreatedfossilapologetichaseverreceivedintheWELS.

Reasonstoembracethecreatedfossilapologeticareprovidedinthatbook,buttherearealsoreasonstorejectthecreatedfossilapologetic.Let’slookatsomeofthetheologicalandscientificissuesinvolved.

Symbols of Sickness and Death Before the Fall MostadvocatesofcreatedfossilsclaimGodplacedfossilsinthegroundduringcreationweek.Fossilsincludetheremainsofdeadanimals.Somefossilsevenshowsignsofcancer. Thismeans therewouldhavebeenuncountabletrillionsofsymbolsofdeathandsufferingintheearthwhenGodsaidcreationwas“verygood.”SomecreatedfossiladvocatesgofartherthanothersandclaimGoddidthisasastatementof law:“Ifyousinyoutoowilldie.”10YetAdamandEvehadasinlessunderstandingofGod’slaw—theirconscienceswerenotyetcorruptedbysin.GodhadalreadygivenAdamandEveaclearunderstandingofthelaw.WhywouldGodadditionallyusealessclear,andmaybeevenunnoticed,conveyanceofthelaw:fossilsburiedinrocklayersbelowtheground,givingtheap-pearanceofpastdeathandsuffering?

fossils, including their creation by God. 7Some examples are listed at the end of this article including quotes from The People’s Bible series. 8I am unaware of any WELS publication which has ever proposed a tranquil Flood. I suppose there may be conference papers where a tranquil Flood is advocated.9“To the Christian, the source of these fossils is also clear; namely, the God of the Bible put them where we are finding them. …What we can be sure of is that it did not happen primarily by the natural processes of which we are now aware.”ArthurA.EggertandGeoffreyA.Kieta,Clearing a Path for The Gospel–A Lu-theran Approach to Apologetics,(SunPrairieWI:TerraPaxLutheranPublishing,2019),120,121.10Multiple Christians have made this claim while discussing the topic with me.


Weknowthatsicknessanddeatharearesultofthefallandcurse(Romans5:12).Allofcreation,animalsincluded,issufferingunderthecurseandits“slaverytocorruption”(Romans8:19-23,EHV).WouldGodplacefossilsintheground―givingtheappearancethatthecurse,anditsslaverytocorruption,hadbeenineffectinthepast―ahistorythatneveractuallytookplace?

The authors of “Clearing a Path for the Gospel” react to thisin a footnote on page 121,mentioning that fruit in Edenwhen pickedwould die, and that soil aswe know it is composed of dead plants, sothereweresymbolsofdeathinasinlessworld. YetScripturedescribesplantsas“withering,”“finishing,”or“dryingup,”notasdying11 (Psalm 90:6, 129:6, Isaiah 15:6,12 19:6-7, 24:7, 40:7-8, Jeremiah 12:4, Ezekiel17:10,Matthew21:19,Luke8:6,andmanymore).Onlypeopleandan-imalshave the“breathof life,”and those thathave the“breathof life”are given plants to eat (Genesis 1:29-30, 6:17-19, 7:15-16, 7:22). Forthisreason,itisclearthatplantsperishing(“withering”)arenotsignsofdeathbeforethefall.Also,soiltodayisproducedthroughbacterialaction(as theauthorsdescribe ina footnoteonpage111). Scripturedoesnotaddress bacteria (other than indirectly through ceremonial laws), but itseemsfromtheprecedingdiscussionthatGodmaynotconsiderbacteriaaslivingorasdyinginthesamewayheconsidersanimalswiththe“breathof life”as livinganddying. Theunfallenworldprobablyrequired thatbacteriaperish (for instance in thedigestiveprocess and in soil). Thatdoes notmean that bacteriawere symbols of death in a sinlessworld.

Thorns Before the Fall There are fossils of thorns.CouldthesehavebeeninthegroundwhenGoddeclaredeverything“verygood”?Thornsarearesultofthefallandcurse(Genesis3:18).WouldGodplacethornsintheground―givingtheappearancethatthecursehadpreviouslybeenineffect?

11In John 12:24, Jesus compares His own death and resurrection to a seed dy-ing as the new plant grows from that seed. No plant perished in that metaphor. Only the seed husk perished, and that is simply a part of a “living” thing, not the living thing itself.12The EHV translation of Isaiah 15:6 applies both the words “withered” and “died” to plants. A literal translation of the Hebrew would be “finished” or “done,” which the EHV renders as “died,” reflecting modern English usage.


Eating Meat Before the Fall Fossils show toothmarks,indicatingthatanimalsateeachother.People and animalswere vegetarians before the fall (Genesis 1:29-30).CouldboneswithtoothmarkshavebeeninthegroundwhenGoddeclaredeverything“verygood”? WouldGodplaceevidenceofanimalskillingandeatingeachotherintheground―givingtheappearancethatthecursehadpreviouslybeenineffect?

Extra-Biblical Miracles Godtellsusnothingaboutfossils.ProposingthatGodplacedfos-silsinthegroundduringcreationweekevokesanextra-biblicalmiracle.Oncewegodownthepathofinventingextra-biblicalmiracles,anythinggoes.Forexample:WeknowGodprovidedforAdamandEvebymakingagardenforthem.Edenprovidedthemwithfoodandaplacetoworship(thetreeoftheknowledgeofgoodandevil).CouldweproposethatGodalsoprovidedAdamandEvewithahouseandasoftbedonwhichtheycouldsleep?HowisthisconjectureanylessvalidthanspeculatingthatGod created fossils? The authors of “Clearing a Path for theGospel”demonstratethatanythinggoeswhentheywrite,

We mightbefurthercurioustolearnwhenGodburiedthefossilsaroundtheearth.TheBibledoesnottellus;there-fore, it isnot importantforoursalvation. Certainly,hecouldhavedoneitatcreation;hecouldhavedoneitafterthefall,hecouldhavedoneitinconjunctionwiththeFlood.Orhecouldhavedoneitoveraperiodofmanyyears.13

Bones of Imaginary Animals Manyfossilsintheearthareofextinctmarinecreaturessuchastrilobites,ammonites,andorthoceras.Manyfossilsarefoundofotherex-tinctcreatureslikedinosaurs.IfGodplacedfossilsintothegroundduringcreationweek,thenthesehundredsofanimalkinds[trilobites,dinosaurs,etc.]neverexistedasreallivingcreatures.WhywouldGodincludethefos-silsofimaginarycreatureswiththefossilsofactualcreatures?Theauthorsof“ClearingaPathfortheGospel”addressthisquestionwhentheywrite,

13EggertandKieta,121.


…perhapshe[God]wantedtoshowuswhatothercrea-tureshecouldhavegivenustodealwithinourlifetimes;perhapshedid it to testus to see ifwe trusthisWord;perhapshehadsomereasonthatwewouldneverguessonthissideofeternity.…theLordisthesetdirectorforthehumansaga,thenthereisnoneedthatthepropswhichheprovidedforusmustbereal,onlythattheymustlookreal.14

Tranquil Flood SomeadvocatesofcreatedfossilsclaimthatScripturedescribesa“tranquil”Flood thatwouldnotdisturb thefossilbearingrock layers.TheirclaimiscontrarytotheveryviolentFlooddescribedinWELSpub-lications.SeequotesfromWELSpublicationsattheendofthisarticle.TheviolentFloodrevealedinScripturewouldbeexpectedtodramaticallychangethesurfaceoftheearthasthewaterscomeandagainasthewatersrecede.Tidalactionwouldmovethewatersconstantly.Fossilsofmarinecreaturesarefoundeverywhereonearth, includingonthetallestmoun-tains.Thatisexactlywhatwouldbeexpectedfromaplanetaryfloodthatkilledallbutahandfulofthepeopleandanimalsonearth.15SupportersofcreatedfossilsdenythattheFloodlaiddownthecontinentalsizedsed-imentary rock layers16 that cover the entire earth.

IfGodplacedfossilsintheearthduringcreationweekorjustafterthefall,thenthesefossilsandtherocklayersbearingthemwouldhavetobepreservedduringtheFlood.Inaddition,somemechanismwouldhavetopreventtheFloodfromdepositingmassivenewfossilcontainingrocklayers.ItisapparentthatGodwouldhavetomiraculouslydothis.Thiscallsforanadditionalextra-biblicalmiracle.

14EggertandKieta,121,122.15For details, see “Geologic Column” on pages 20-31 (especially page 27) of the winter 2018 LSI Journal. www.LutheranScience.org/2018winter (accessed 1-3-20).16“Rock that has formed through the deposition and solidification of sediment, especially sediment transported by water (rivers, lakes, and oceans), ice (gla-ciers), and wind. Sedimentary rocks are often deposited in layers, and frequent-ly contain fossils.” https://www.dictionary.com/browse/sedimentary-rock (ac-cessed 1-3-20).


Apparent Age TheclaimofcreatedfossilsisoftendefendedbypointingoutthatGodcreatedaworldwithapparentage:Adamandtheanimalswerecre-atedasadults,theearth’ssoilandatmospherewerefullydeveloped,andthestarlightwasvisibleeventhoughthosestarsweretoofarawayforthatlighttotraveltotheearthinafewhours.Thoseadvancingcreatedfossilsask(oratleastimply):Sincethesehadapparentage,mightGodalsohaveplacedfossilsintheearthtoshowapparentage?

Thedefectinthislineofreasoningisthatpeople,animals,soil,atmosphere,andstarlighthadtobematuretofulfilltheirGodgivenroles.Adam,theanimals,andthetreesandplantsneededair.Plantsneededsoil.Adamandtheanimalsneededtreesbearingfruitandothervegetationforfood.StarlighthadtobevisiblefromearthtoserveitsGodgivenpurposeforseparatingdayfromnightandtoserveassignsforseasons,days,andyears(Gen1:14).ToarguethatGodplacedfossilsinthegroundtogivetheearthapparentagedoesnoteasilyfollowfromGodgivingapparentagetopeople,animals,soil,air,andstarlight;sincepeople,animals,soil,air,andstarlighthadtobemature tofulfill theirGodgivenroles. GodrevealsnothinginScriptureaboutfossils.Godrevealsnopurposeforfos-sils.ItispureconjecturetoclaimGodplacedfossilsintheearth.WecaneasilyreasonfromScripture thatpeople,animals,soil,air,andstarlightwerematureondaysevenofcreationweek.WecannotsoarguethatGodplacedfossilsintheground.

Furthermore,canyouimagineawaythatGodcouldhavecreatedwithoutapparentage?ImaginethatGodmadeallthevegetationstartfromseed.Thoseseedswouldhaveanapparentage,becauseasweallknow,seedscomefromplants.ImaginethatGodmadeallthebirdsgrowfromeggs.Thoseeggswouldhaveanapparentage,becauseasweallknow,birdeggscomefromamatedpairofbirds.ThecreatedfossilapologeticclaimsthatsinceGodchosetocreateapparentage,maybeGodalsomadefossilswithapparentage. ButitseemsthatGodhad tocreatewithap-parentage,sincewecaninterpretanythingandeverythingashavinganapparentage.Goddidnothavetocreatefossils,asthereareotherpossiblereasonsfortheexistenceoffossils,suchastheFlood.The“apparentage”

31

reasonforcreatedfossilsfallsapartinthisway.

Created Fossils: Our Only Option Manywhoadvancecreatedfossilssaythatitisouronlyoption.They reject all other explanations, such as fossils being a result of theFlood.IhavefoundsuchChristiansinvariablyhavetoohigharegardforscienceingeneralandforevolutionaryscienceinparticular.17 Evolution-istsclaimthat3.5billionyearsofcommondescent,drivenbymutations,18 producedalltheearth’splantsandanimalsfromabacteria-likeancestor.Christiansadvancingcreatedfossilsseetheevidenceforbillionsofyearsassoextremelysolid, thatourexplanation for fossilsmustbe thatGodcreatedthem.

TheseChristiansaskustoacceptcreatedfossilsastheonlyexpla-nationforfossils,eventhoughtherearemanytheologicalreasonstorejectcreatedfossils.Theyaskustoacceptcreatedfossilsontheirreason-basedclaimthattheevolutionarymodelissosolidandcompelling.Prominentscientists, includingthosewhochampionevolution,describeallscienceasabiasedandsubjectiveprocessthatdoesnotproducefinaltruth,andevolutionaryscienceasespeciallyquestionableinthemodelsitcreates.19

Evolution is based on countless unprovable presuppositions.ThreeprimaryassumptionsarenoGod,noFlood,anddeeptime(millionsandbillionsofyears).Theseassumptionsandothersforcetheevolution-isttorejectanyconclusionthatwouldimplyacreatororayoungearth.Theseassumptionsevenchangethewaymeasurementsandobservations

17 For example, the authors of “Clearing a Path for the Gospel” write, “What we can be sure of is that it did not happen primarily by the natural processes of which we are now aware. Geologists have gathered evidence from many thou-sands of sites and have been able to create a model of how the world works which is consistent with the fossils being buried naturally over the course of almost a billion years. Obviously, God did not use this process, so he must have used a supernatural process or changed the rules of nature.” EggertandKieta,121.18In this context, a mutation is a change in inheritable genes (inheritable DNA). Mutation causes include radiation and chemicals.19For six extensive quotes from leading evolutionary scientists see “The Nature of Science” on pages 26-30 in the fall 2018 LSI Journal (www.LutheranScience.org/2018fall). More quotes by evolutionist champions are on page 23, 24, and 32 in the winter 2017 LSI Journal at www.LutheranScience.org/2017winter).

Did Dinosaurs Roam the Earth?


aretaken.See“AssumptionsofEvolutionists”onpages7-16ofthefall2017 LSI Journal (www.LutheranScience.org/2017fall).

TheChristianapologistcanalsopointoutthatsomemajormodelsof evolutionarebeingquestionedand somearebeing revised. After acenturyofstability,thecommondescentfamilytreefordinosaursisprob-ablychanging.Therearenowthreeverydifferentdinosaurfamilytreesand thesameevidencefitseach (www.LutheranScience.org/2018spring, pages22-24). Thehuman family tree isalso indisarray. Manyof theleadingpaleoanthropologistsnowviewallknownhumanancestorfossilsaseitherfullyhumanorfullyape(similartothecreationistview).Thesepaleoanthropologistscannotagreeonhowtodrawthehuman/apefamilytree (www.LutheranScience.org/2018spring,pages25-27).

The evidence for the truth of common descent andmillions ofyears is ratherweak inmany places. TheChristian apologist can alsopointthisout.Forexample,championsofevolutionoftenprovideveryweakevidencethatnaturalselectioncanproducenewkindsofplantsandanimals. See thearticle,“EvolutionistsandCreationistsOftenAgree–Therearemanypointsofagreementonnaturalselection”onpages17-32at www.LutheranScience.org/2019spring.

Withallthisinourcreationapologetic,whyresorttocreatedfos-silswithallitstheologicalproblems?

Mypersonalviewisthatthecreatedfossilapologeticistheleastlikelyexplanationforfossils.Nevertheless,ifsomeonefindsthatbeliev-ingincreatedfossilsbluntsthetemptationofevolutionforthem,thenletthembelieveincreatedfossils.Theyshouldthough,becomeacquaintedwiththemanytheologicalproblemsposedbycreatedfossils.

Mark Bergemann is a retired electrical engineer with a B.S. from the Uni-versity of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. He serves as president of the Lutheran Science Institute and as Martin Luther College adjunct instructor for the online courses Creation Apologetics 101 and 102. He is a member of Good Shepherd’s Evangelical Lutheran Church in West Allis, Wisconsin.


Appendix

WELS authors describing dinosaurs as once living creaturesThereareskeletalremainsofdinosaurs,andthoseremainsareproofthatsuchlargeanimalsexistedforaperiodoftime after creation.20

TheevolutionisttalksasthoughGodwasnotyetpresentwhendinosaurswalkedontheearth.21

Buteveniftheydidnotdieoutbeforetheflood,thearkwaslargeenoughtoaccommodateyoung,smallersizeddinosaurssothattheycouldrideoutthefloodinsafety.22

ThereisnoreasoninScripturetorejectdinosaurs.Ourfailure to recognize dinosaurs as possible extinct crea-turesisunnecessaryandunwise.23

WELS authors attributing fossils to the Flood (most also describe the Flood as very destructive)

ThegreatfloodatthetimeofNoahproducedchangesinthe earth’s crust. …totally rearrangingwater and landmasses. …It appears that ocean basins were lowered,bringingaboutcorrespondingshiftsofhugelandmasses.This may very well account for the formation of our high-estmountains,most ofwhich are fossil bearing, strongevidencethattheywereformedbytheactionofwater.24

Thedestructionwroughtbythisfloodisataleverylikelyreflectedby thesedimentary layersand fossils found in

20RudolphE.Honsey,Job–People’s Bible,2nded.(Milwaukee:NorthwesternPublishingHouse,2000),324.21ArnoJ.Wolfgramm,Kings–People’s Bible,2nded.(Milwaukee:NorthwesternPublishingHouse,2001),59.22JohnA.Braun,Noah–Obedient Builder(Milwaukee:NorthwesternPublish-ingHouse,2004),28.23PaulR.Boehlke,DINOSAURS,GOD’SCREATURES,The Lutheran Educa-tor,31no.3(February1991)53,54.24JohnC.Jeske,Genesis–The People’s Bible,2nded.(Milwaukee:NorthwesternPublishingHouse,2001),16,85,87.


therocksaroundtheworld.…Whathappenedtothelandunderthepoundingofthisdestructiveflood?…Thesed-imentary layers testify todisastrous lavaflows. …Fos-silstellusthattheworlddestroyedbythefloodcontainedmanydinosaurs.25

When estimating the number of kinds on the ark, weshouldallow“forpossiblyextinctfamilieswhosefossilremainsmaynotyethavebeendiscoveredorwhichmayneverbediscovered.…ItwasnotedpreviouslythatwhenMosesdescribedtheonsetoftheflood,heusedanumberofstrikingverbconstructions toaccentuate the increaseandtheviolenceofthewaters.…Itmayhavebeenatthistime also that the continents took their present shape.26

NegativeBiblecriticsandunbelievingscientists…ignorethepowerfulevidenceoftheFloodfurnishedbythefossilfindsandthecoaldeposits.27

This must have created imbalances in the earth’s crusteffectingtectonicmovements,bywhichthelandmasseswerethrustupwardtoformourpresenthighmountains.Thisisnotfantasy,sinceourhighermountainsareprin-cipallyfossilbearingrockformations;butthevastfossil-iferousrocklayersdonotliehorizontallybutaretiltedinvaryingdegrees.Thisseemstoindicatethatwhilethefos-silswereimbeddedinmoltenrockmassesandlaiddowninsedimentarylayersduringthedurationoftheflood,thepresentposition inwhichwefind themmusthavebeenbroughtaboutaftertheserockformationshadbeenhard-ened.28

25 Cleone H.Weigand,Creation–God Made All Things–The People’s Bible Teachings(Milwaukee:NorthwesternPublishingHouse,2000),68,69,77.26CarlJ.LawrenzandJohnC.Jeske,A Commentary on Genesis 1-11 (Milwau-kee:NorthwesternPublishingHouse,2004),253,266.27WernerH.Franzmann,Bible History Commentary–Old Testament, (Milwau-kee:WELSBoardforParishEducation,1980),footnoteonpage77.28CarlLawrenz,“God’sUniqueJudgmentofTheFlood,”Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly,71,no.4(Oct.1974):290.

35

ThefossilquarryexhibitatDinosaurNationalMonument inUtahshowssauropoddinosaurneckvertebraesections(above)andfrontlegs(below)partiallyquarriedoutofthesandstonesedimentaryrockswheretheywerefound.Parkwebsite:https://www.nps.gov/dino/index.htm(accessed1-3-20).Photocredit(both):JamesSt.John,2012,cc-by-2.0.

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