There are two additional posts related to this conference. In I do have an advocate before the Fathe

Nathaniel Jeanson of the Institute for Creation Research in Montana, part 1 This is the first post in a multi-part ben e keith foods review of a young-Earth creationist (YEC) presentation given by Dr. Nathaniel ben e keith foods Jeanson of the Institute for Creation Research in Billings, Montana in November 2012.
I am an old-Earth Christian ben e keith foods and strongly disagree with much of what Dr. Jeanson presented. I believe that young-Earth creationism is neither Biblically necessary nor scientifically feasible. Dr. Jeanson is my brother in Christ, and nothing I am writing in this series should be taken as an attack on him or any other YEC believer.
There are two additional posts related to this conference. In I do have an advocate before the Father , I discuss a conversation I had with a fellow attendee at the conference. In There is more than one way to be really wrong about the environment , I critique a video that was shown promoting a radical anti-environmental documentary. This weekend, the Big Sky Worldview Forum is sponsoring several talks by Dr. Nathaniel Jeanson of the Institute for Creation Research , one of the most prominent young-Earth creationist ben e keith foods (YEC) organizations. Dr. Jeanson has a PhD in developmental biology from Harvard Medical School, and has been with ICR since 2009. I attended the Friday night session (11/9/2012) and was blessed by parts of the presentation, and, of course, strongly disagreed ben e keith foods with other parts.
The first portion ben e keith foods of his presentation was about The Relevance of Genesis, asking ben e keith foods what difference it would make if we were to throw out or distort Genesis 1-11. His five reasons why the opening chapters are important were: Genesis is about the beginning, and introduces cosmic themes that run throughout the Scriptures. He traced several Biblical themes that are introduced in Genesis and run throughout the Bible, finding their fulfillment in Christ and being brought to culmination in Revelation. An example is the concept of godly dominion. Adam was given authority to wisely rule the creation in Genesis 1, screwed it up in Genesis 3, and that dominion is restored to its proper place in Revelation 5:10, which says “You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on earth” ben e keith foods (NIV84). That reigning on earth is a restoration of what was mandated back in Genesis 1:26. Genesis is God s Word. That in itself makes it worth listening to. Genesis was written for us . Rom 15:4 says that “everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” ben e keith foods (NIV84). We miss out on something if we ignore ben e keith foods Genesis. Genesis, as all Scripture, is our means to know God. The opening chapters of Genesis lay out some of God s attributes clearly, and if we change Genesis we change the nature of God. Genesis lays the foundation for the Gospel. It reveals to us our problem—rebellion against God—and sets the groundwork for our deliverance in Christ.
I am in complete agreement with these statements. Genesis is a critical book for understanding where we came from and who we are. We are created in the image of God, bearing similarities to God that no other creature has. We are also embedded in and responsible for the rest of creation. But on the negative side, we are also sinful and in rebellion against God. A secular or atheistic worldview would deny all of this: humans are merely evolved apes, different in degree but not in nature from other animals. The Christian view of humanity not only paints a picture that is true to who we are, but is the only one that offers real hope. If we are not fallen, then there is not something better that we could be. In Christ, that which is broken is being restored to that which God intended from the beginning.
Many YECs would say that I as an old-Earth Christian couldn t really agree with Dr. Jeanson s five statements; that somehow I have compromised and have distorted the Word, God s character, or the Gospel. The burden of proof is on them. I ll refer to my Creation Creed to defend my orthodoxy.
Later in the evening, Dr. Jeanson presented a three-point YEC method for investigating origins: Bible First. The Scriptures ben e keith foods take priority over scientific investigation. Big Effects. Expect the events of the Bible, such as Noah s flood, to have left behind signs that they occurred. Bounds of Science. Just say no to knowing about the past through science. There is always an alternative explanation.
In regards to #1 — Yes and no. I was once a YEC and was even a member of the Creation Research Society. I didn’t become an old-Earth Christian until I was convinced from the Scriptures that the planet could indeed be old. I saw the geological evidence for an old Earth, ben e keith foods but I had to have both the Bible and science pointing to an old universe before changing my position. But I also say “no” because we need to be care