Creation Science Reviews
Creation Ministries International Daily Feature
Biogeography Against Evolution?
23 September 2013
Review by Greg Neyman
Old Earth Ministries
Review Published 24 September 2013
In a recent article on the Creation Ministries International website, author Dominic Statham argues that there is "No evidence of evolution and 'deep time.'1
The author shows that there are many similar plants and animals found in eastern Asia and eastern North America, but not the regions in between them (i.e. the western half of North America). As he notes, evolutionists have offered an explanation based on climate, but which is of course rejected by the author. He goes on to give several examples of plants, with pictures, showing the similarities between the American version and the Asian variety. Then he states,
The remarkable similarities between the plants and fungi of these two regions present a serious problem for evolutionists and their belief in ‘deep time’. This is because, over millions of years, sister species, living on different continents and separated by huge distances over land/ocean, would be expected to evolve different characteristics.
This statement shows a complete misunderstanding of evolution, which could be innocent on the author's part (perhaps he doesn't understand evolution), or could be intentionally omitted from the article (he understands evolution, but omits the parts of evolutionary theory that would invalidate his argument).
In evolutionary theory, one does not automatically expect species to evolve different characteristics over time. If there is no need to evolve, then no evolution takes place. This is called evolutionary stasis, or by its better known term, punctuated equilibrium. This states that "most species will exhibit little net evolutionary change for most of their geological history, remaining in an extended state called stasis." The examples he gives did not have to evolve after they seperated geographically...he merely plants the idea in the minds of his readers that they should have, which isn't true.
According to the author's bio, he is an engineer, not a biologist. I'm sure he has studied evolution, since he is writing about it, so I would assume he decided to omit anything related to punctuated equilibrium. This is a curious choice, since his bio states he has a "particular interest in Christian ethics." Ethics would demand that he give his readers ALL the information...not just the information that supports his claim. If he knows that his claim would be invalidated by the very theory he is attacking, yet he still makes the claim, how is this an "ethical choice" on his part?
Conclusion
| Because evolution fits with Biblical theology, there is no need to try to disprove it. One can accept evolution, and believe in God. About half of Christians who believe in an old earth believe in evolution. Still other old earth creationists reject evolution, in favor of Progressive Creationism, or the Gap Theory. To learn more, see our Comparison Chart for old earth beliefs. |
As a scientist, the author should understand that his article is flawed, in that it omits items which would invalidate his claims. This is not uncommon with young earth arguments...you spoon feed your readers, only giving them information that supports your side of the story.
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1 Biogeography against evolution by Dominic Statham, Creation Ministries International Daily Article, 23 September 2013. Also from Creation Magazine, pp. 40-41, October 2013.
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