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Faith, Form, and Time: What the Bible Teaches and Science Confirms about Creation and the Age of the Universe

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Kurt Wise is a "young earth" creationist with a Ph.D in paleontology from Harvard. Those credentials make him the jewel in the crown of contemporary creationism. That Wise managed to earn those credentials while remaining faithful to a straightforward reading of Scripture is almost miraculous. It shows a steadfast committment to the principle that the study of God's created universe must be subject to the truths revealed in God's Word. Interestingly, Wise's faculty advisor and mentor was none other than the late Stephen Jay Gould, who published so many popular books on science and natural history. Perhaps it was from Gould that Wise gained an appreciation of the need to occasionally write for the typical lay reader.

In this book, Wise brings us up to date on what has been going on in creation science over the past 20 years or so, particulary with regard to the creationists' efforts to construct a comprehensive model of origins. Typically, creationists have limited themselves to criticizing the naturalistic model of origins, especially Darwinism. It has been much more difficult to construct a Biblical model of origins. This effort had to await the emergence of a cadre of well-educated young creation scientists. There still aren't many such people, but the few there are have proceeded with the development of a model of origins that is faithful to the Bible, yet scientifically rigorous.

Wise begins with the fact that God was present at the creation. He is our Eyewitness to the origin of the earth and the universe. Therefore, what He tells us in his Word about those events is truthful and accurate. This truth is the foundation of all efforts to construct a Biblical model of origins. Wise is acutely aware of the theological problems that are created by acceptance of old age (mainstream geology)cronology. "Acceptance of old-age chronology requires a substantial revision of the biblical doctrine of God and His nature. . . . With the acceptance of old-age chronology, God is seen as responsible for introducing death, disease, and suffering into the creation hundreds of millions of years before man sinned."

One of the things that creation biologists are working on, as an alternative to cladistics and other Darwinian schemes of classification, is a creationist systematics known as baraminology. The word "Baramin" was coined from the Hebrew words for "created kind." Creationists do not deny "micro-evolution;" they acknowledge that there has been much diversification and speciation within the created kinds of animals and plants. The aim of baraminology is to determine which living and fossil forms can be grouped together as having descended from a single created kind or "baramin."

Another important development is the theory that there were floating forests in the pre-Flood seas. The types of plants and animals that we would expect to find in a floating forest are the same types we see preserved as fossils in the paleozoic strata. Assuming the Flood began in the pre-Flood oceans, the floating forest theory helps explain the fossil record of the paleozoic. (By the way, Wise calls the paleozoic the "primary" and the Mesozoic the "secondary," thus reverting back to the terms used by geologists before the uniformitarianism of Hutton and Lyell was adopted. It is probably a good idea for creation scientists to discard terminology that comes freighted with evolutionary meanings.)

The piece of the puzzle that seems to have most impressed Dr. Wise is catastrophic plate tectonics. In the last half century, geologists have developed a theory of the earth known as plate tectonics. This theory elegantly explains many facts about earthquakes, volcanoes, volcanic rock, ocean floors, etc. Creationists have developed a variant of plate tectonics, known as catastrophic plate tectonics (CPT). This theory has the continental plates moving at meters per second, miles per hour, during the Genesis Flood. Wise reports that CPT explains everything explained by the conventional theory, and more. Among other things, CPT explains anomalies in mantle circulation, the mottled pattern of magnetical reversals preserved in the volcanic rock, flood basalts, and the extremely violent collisions of continental plates (thus generating the force necessary to raise mountains like the Himalayas). Wise's enthusiasm for CPT theory comes through in his writing. I confess that I'm too ignorant of geology to really appreciate CPT, but in future I will do some reading in this area to bring myself up to speed.

My main criticism of this book relates to Dr. Wise's model of the Edenic and pre-Flood climate. He assumes that the water cycle in place before the Flood is very similar to the one in place today. He even volunteers that "just as lightning plays an important role in the maintenance of quality soil on the present earth, the lightning activity on the original earth was created to optimize early earth soils." Well, okay, but lightning also directly kills people by striking them and starts fires, thus indirectly killing people and animals. To say that it helps the soil seems like an extreme example of finding the silver lining of a dark cloud. I don't think that lightning or other natural phenomena like tornadoes, hurricanes, cyclones -all of which are integral and unavoidable parts of the modern weather regime-- were part of the original creation, and are unlikely to have been part of the pre-Flood world. I have no particular brief for a pre-Flood vapor canopy (which Wise rejects), but it seems to me that the pre-Flood climate differed from the modern weather regime in fundamental ways. Interestingly, Wise states that geological evils like earthquakes and volcanoes can be explained by CPT theory as legacies of the Flood, and biological evils like disease, death, and animal predation are results of the Fall of man. But what about meteorological evil -- tornadoes, hurricanes, the bad aspects of lightning? The origins model described by Wise doesn't seem to have an explanation for them. The other thing I don't like about this book is that it lacks an index.

But these are minor quibbles with what is otherwise an excellent, even an indispensable book. Dr. Wise has done a great service for all Christian lay people who are interested in keeping up with developments in creation science.

I have long awaited Kurt Wise's book. Dr. Wise is well known in scientific and research circles, but this is the first work he has done for a general audience. It was worth the wait... I love it!

I believe this work is unique in the field of origins in that it presents a positive, broad look at the entire subject. While most books spend their time attacking evolution, this book instead demonstrates how the data observed in biology, astronomy, geology, anthropology, etc. can be interpreted reasonably and compellingly from a worldview that accepts the teaching of Scripture and is still faithful to the observations of science.

While most books deal with a particular area of origins (such as geology, intelligent design, dinosaurs, etc.), this book paints the broad picture in a unified way. Every area of origins study is included here.

Dr. Wise is a truth-teller. He doesn't gloss over challenges to young age creationism. He boldly talks about the areas where more research is needed as well as presents intriguing, cutting-edge scientific observations and theories. He brilliantly reveals (to one who is willing to listen) why young-age creationism is so vitally important to a strong biblical faith and walk.

Dr. Wise does not ridicule evolutionary theory or its proponents. As a Harvard trained paleontologist, his understanding of evolutionary theory is excellent. He presents his theistic interpretations of the scientific information in a compelling, concise manner.

The theology and philosophy revealed in this book is God-honoring and mind-stretching.

The worldview here is unashamedly Christian, and the book is written to Christians. Those who are not Christians would benefit from the scientific information given, but would probably struggle with the theistic teaching throughout. The book is not overly technical, although there are some portions that will be difficult for one who has not studied science. However, I'd encourage him to "hang in there" through the more difficult parts, as the total picture painted in the book is exciting, even if not every page is understood. It is a book that reveals deep thinking, both on the scientific and the theological level. It is not for the faint in heart who merely want to be entertained.

This is a relatively short book with an incredible amount of material packed in. To flesh out all the concepts and have detail on all the intriguing observations would require volumes. Reading this book makes me wish I could sit at this brilliant man's feet and talk about all that his observations have stirred up in me.

If I was looking for one book to give to a thinking Christian on the subject of origins, this would be the book.

I am a theistic evolutionist, and am opposed to the vast majority of the assertions in this book, sometimes vigorously opposed. Even such simple concepts as "God is creator" receive meanings that I do not believe are correct.

So why do I rate it as five stars? There are many young earth creationists (Dr. Wise prefers "young age" since he's speaking of the age of the entire universe), and they have written myriads of books. As a general rule these books vary from inane to deceptive, but are never profound, insightful, or accurate. One of the major problems is that these authors try to pretend that religion doesn't really play a role, that if science were done objectively it would come to their view.

Dr. Wise realizes this is not so, and thus is forthright and open about his religious convictions from the start. He believes in a young universe because of two basic convictions: 1) The Bible must be correct in all it asserts, and 2) The correct interpretation of the first 11 chapters of Genesis is as narrative history and forces one to accept a young universe if one is faithful to the text.

Having reached his conclusion about the age of the universe from scripture, which he believes is the controlling authority, he proceeds to try to find the holes in current scientific undestandings which will allow the formation of a coherent theory of creation, something no young earth creationist has ever done successfully. Dr. Wise believes it will take much work, and he regularly points the way to needed research.

I think his Biblical interpretation is wrong, and his scientific quest is hopeless, but he is open and honest, and by no means stupid or ignorant.

I rate this book very highly as the one young age creationist book which should be read by every opponent of their position. This is the coherent presentation of that position, and unless you understand this presentation, you don't understand Biblical creationism.

I would also recommend that every creationist--young or old age/earth--read this one book because they could see the necessary foundation of creationism. The sale of creationism as a purely scientific idea is a failure, and it is doomed to continue to be a failure. Dr. Wise believes, understands, and openly acknowledges that the necessary foundation (which he believes) is a belief in the Bible and in a particular variety of literal interpretation of it.

I went away continuing to vigorously disagree, but at the same time I must respect the integrity of this author.

As a biologist, I feel that Professor Wise's new book is an excellent attempt to show that the Biblical record can be supported scientifically. More work is needed in this area and this work is an excellent start. The book is very readable and the author explains himself very well. He does not spent much time tearing down the neoDarwinian paradigm, as do so many, but focuses on building a Biblical world view. My only concern is he feels that those scientists who criticize the standard neoDarwinism theory tend to be what he calls evolution bashers. Dr. Wise studied under the worlds leading evolutionists, including the late Stephen J. Gould, and is no doubt ahead of many of us. Most of us did not have that advantage. I had an excellent geology and other professors at the University of Wisconsin but I never had as a professor someone the stature of Gould as did Dr. Wise. Most of my Ph.D. work was done under some well known scientists, and I have come a long way since I began to question the whole Darwinian theory, but I still have some questions left. What Dr. Wise calls evolution bashing is part of an attempt by me and others to evaluate Darwinism and is a needed part of my (and other's) growth on this topic. He may feel that the theory has been completely disproved, but many of us are still trying to hold on to parts, and it may take a while until we reach the point that Dr. Wise has. Dr. Wise has in his own mind proven that Darwinism is dead and thus can be ignored, but many of us are not at this point yet. Many of us did not come from a solid Christian background and want proof before we accept a Christian or any other world view. Dr Wise has in this work helped us to move in that direction, but a diehard agnostic background is hard to shake. Maybe after his 10th book we (or many of us, at least) will be there.

The author studied by Stephen J. Gould in Harvard palaeontology but yet he does not share his opinions. He is an advocate of creation instead evolution. He is professor and director of the Center for Origins Research and Education. In his book he examines the biblical fundamentals for God as the creator and restorer of life as well as his character. He emphasizes that the creator is the only one who can tell how it all started. He must be one hundred percent reliable. He also says that as a scientists it would be very easy to invent any number of theories to explain the age of universe according to the different ideologies, from Theism to Pantheism or Christian concepts.
He says that the status of the word of God, the belief in the nature of God are decisive towards all other models. Scientific explanations are based on a certain understanding. If this understanding is wrong, everything else breaks together. The claims of the Scripture are the starting point. On this our understanding of the world should be based because it is the only reliable source we can have. The creation can only show how it is composed not why or how it started. This can only the creator. No creator no creation.
In his book he presents the picture of a young earth creation model to help creationists to include their special field in the overall frame. The book does not attack evolution theory, but carves out a creational model. It is a comprehensive study on scientific level.

Kurt Wise, a brilliant man whom I have heard speak at the Summit at Bryan College, has truly done something remarkable with Faith, Form, and Time: What the Bible Teaches and Science Confirms About Creation and the Age of the Universe. Unlike other creation scientists, Doctor Wise starts with the premise that God exists in order to structure his arguments and interpret the evidence that he offers. He refrains from "bashing" evolutionary science and instead compares and contrasts the two theories over a wide array of subjects.

I strongly recommend this book to any Christian who is serious about their faith. Apart from the Bible and Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis, I truly feel that this book is the most important and ground-breaking book for the thinking Christian. It gives the reader countless reasons to believe that God and His Word can still be used as the ultimate authority in the field of Science. Creation Science does not require one to abandon intellect in order to adhere to its teachings. Kurt Wise has shown with this book why this statement is true.

Despite its negative aspect, I give this book 5 stars since it is one of the few quality YEC works out there and explains and defends the position quite well. The negative aspect is not enough for me to take a star off the rating.

Positive:
a.) It's easily readable but not dumbed-down.
b.) I love the fact that he starts with God and the Scriptures. Too often, people uncritically accept human autonomy in order to determine their world and life view. Once the colorful wrapping is removed, "Free-Thinker"-ism is no less dogmatic than organized religious belief. That is, it is certainly not devoid of the major presuppositions that everyone brings to their experiences. Although it is the "spirit of the age", history has shown that it is folly to base one's epistemology on science.
c.) It includes a nice discussion of presuppositions in scientific theories. Many people pretend or believe that what scientists say is simply a "brute fact". In reality, the empirical process goes from data to a theory that tries to explain the data.
d.) It goes through a defense of YECism, and not only does he show how YECism can validly reinterpret the evidence to fit Scripture, but also shows that YECism fits the evidence better than other theories. This is especially true when it comes to baraminology. Baraminology explains the strong evidence that a few species are related to each other (and likely had a common ancestor) while explaining the strong evidence that most of life is unrelated (except through its Creator). Rather than being one large tree, life is more like an orchard.
e.) He explains that Creationists still have a lot of research to do with respect to the evidence that doesn't quite fit YECism.

Negative:
Wise states: "If God provided man with everything he needed in order to come to God by logic and/or physical evidence, man would be able to come to Him without faith" (p.13). There are several problems with this statement: 1.) In Romans 1 and elsewhere, it is stated that the existence of God is obvious to everyone, but that men suppress this obvious truth due to their sinful nature. It is God's *promises* that are to be accepted on faith (i.e. belief in something that is hoped for but not seen and this belief can be confirmed by evidence or deductive logic), not His existence. 2.) Many people have seen God and His wondrous works. Do they need to accept God's existence on faith? Take, for example, Adam and Eve. Both had seen God and His wonders, and Adam had seen God make Eve out of his rib. However, the reason that they sinned was that they doubted and disbelieved in God's promises, not His existence.

Kurt Wise has a B.A. in geophysical science from the University of Chicago and an M.A. and Ph.D. in paleontology from Harvard University, where he studied under Stephen Jay Gould. He is an associate professor of science and director of the Center for Origins Research and Education at Bryan College. Wise is one of the leading thinkers among young-age creationists and has long been known in that circle for his impatience with sloppy science.

Faith, Form and Time: What the Bible Teaches and Science Confirms About Creation and the Age of the Universe (Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 2002) is a nicely bound and printed 287-page paperback, excluding the 16 pages of prefatory material. It retails for [$]. Included in the 287 pages are 5 pages of selected bibliography, 26 pages of endnotes, and 11 pages of glossary. The book's 16 chapters are distributed through the following 5 parts: (1) God's Word on the Matter, (2) The Dating Game, (3) Creation Week, (4) From the Garden to the Grave, (5) From Noah to the New Earth. Twelve sidebars on various items of bio-evolutionary evidence are scattered throughout the book.

This book is an outline of Wise's current conception of a recent-creation model. It is an introduction to the present state of the subject, not a detailed and thorough presentation, but it is loaded with information and insight. Wise combines broad knowledge with a refreshing willingness to think "outside the box." Everyone interested in the Bible and creation, except perhaps those closed to the possibility of a young creation, will want to read this book.

Dr. Wise is a learned man and presents his case well. There is, however one point on which he contradicts himself because of his incorrect use of one word," penultimate." Sadly, it is a critical point in his discourse, because this one incident casts a shadow over what otherwise is probably excellent scholarship. His misuse of the word is neither inconsequential nor accidental, as he uses it with emphasis in two places. On page 76 he states, "Man is the last (the penultimate) creation," and again on page 139, set off under its own heading, "What's Next?" he writes, " And now, the penultimate creation--the origin of man." He may mean "last," but uses a word which unequivocally means "next to last."

Whatever your beliefs, atheistic or theistic 'evolution', it really is worth reading this book and reflecting. Unfortunately some reviewers appear to have failed to either read or reflect. The fact that animals of a certain type change over time into different forms reflects observation. That animals change from 'simpler forms' to 'more complex ones' from one progenitor of everything through to the homo sapiens form of man is a theory. Kurt Wise is quite clear on what he believes to have happened. To those who believe that the Bible is quite happy with carnivorous animals always existing, you have to ask how a world where a human could be attacked and devoured by a fierce carnivore could be 'very good'. Also the restitution at the end envisages the lion lying down with the lamb and children able to play safely with snakes. None of this makes any sense if all these things were the same as now before the fall with 'nature red in tooth and claw'. Kurt Wise also refers to climate and weather systems as well as earthquakes and volcanos. Can an evangelical Christian believe that the violent destructive 'natural disasters' (which kill many many thousands of people) were part of a 'very good' original creation? The views on ice covering, polar magnetic change and distribution of peoples and languages are fascinating and deserve great thought not tacit dismissal. To the reviewer who claimed that it has taken 2000 years to change from Latin to modern Latin based languages, I suggest more study of the history of languages and more study of Kurt Wise's book. There really are no sound theories for the development of the completely different groups of languages other than the direct intervention of God as in the scriptural Tower of Babel.