Answers in Genesis

Answers in Genesis (AiG) is a Christian apologetics organization devoted to the the belief of Young Earth Creationism, specifically a literal interpretation of the first chapters of the Book of Genesis. Its publications are a number of books, videos, and audio programs, as well as a website featuring articles and papers. The organization edits two magazines: Creation and Technical Journal.

AiG was started in the 1980s by Dr. Carl Wieland, Ken Ham (formerly affiliated with the Institute for Creation Research) and others who felt that the church was compromising the Bible in the face of ever-increasing attacks by secularists.

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, AiG started planning and constructing a large Creation museum in Petersburg, Kentucky, USA, which they say will explain the history of the world according to the Bible. The museum is being financed strictly by donations from AiG's supporters; so it will open only when they receive the needed $25 million, which will pay for the building, interior designs and exhibits.

Today AiG have offices in many English-speaking countries, including Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, the UK, Canada and America. Their website is also translated into many foreign languages.

AiG employs a number of staff members with scientific degrees who hold speaking conferences and other events upon request.

Teachings and beliefs

AiG strives to present primarily scientific arguments for Creationism, avoiding many of the rhetorical methods used by many of their contemporaries. However, many of their arguments are arguments against evolution rather than for Creationism, apparently assuming that disproving evolution gives evidence for Creation.

The emphasis AiG puts on historical reasons for abandoning the theory of evolution is somewhat unique among Creationist groups. In particular, the group promotes the idea that that there is a connection between Darwin's theory of evolution and racism. This basic argument is that a hierarchy of nature implies that humans have a hierarchy as well, whereas in their reading of the Bible, all men are equal in the eyes of God (and are also all descended from one man, Adam, a view of human development, they argue, which makes racism clearly a foolish notion). In so doing they are actually, if tacitly, in agreement with modern evolutionists, who believe that the hierarchical taxonomic organization of life results from common descent, and do not assert that it is a hierarchy of merit.

AiG points to the history of scientific racism and eugenics to show that many early practitioners of evolutionary theory were themselves racists, and used evolutionary theory to add a veneer of scientific authority to their claims. They also connect belief in evolutionary theory with the eugenics and racial theories of Nazi Germany and the Holocaust. In response to the violent history of Christianity, the group claims that anyone who used the Bible to justify atrocities (such as during the Crusades or the colonization of the New World) was clearly misinterpreting the Bible's intent (e.g., Jesus says to love your enemies and bless them that curse you [Matthew 5:44]).

Merged with this approach are the conclusions of modern anthropology about the meaninglessness of the category "race" which they see as supporting their interpretation of scripture. Using this line of argument, AiG argues that Creationism, along with other Biblical teachings, is the only true answer to the social problem of racism, and that Evolution has (and still does) promote racism.

Answers in Genesis

Teachings and beliefs

External links