Creation Ministries International

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Creation Ministries International (CMI) is a non-profit group of autonomous Christian apologetics ministries [1] with a particular focus on Young Earth Creationism, and a plain (sometimes erroneously called "literal"—see Methodology) interpretation of the first eleven chapters of the Book of Genesis. The autonomous ministries are located in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States of America.

CMI publishes Creation magazine as well as Journal of Creation. Creation has subscribers in 140 countries,[2] with 60,000 copies of each issue produced.[3] Creation is published four times a year. The Journal of Creation is published three times a year.

Contents

[edit] History

In 1977, the Creation Science Association (CSA) was organized in Adelaide, Australia by Carl Wieland. In 1978 the organization began the magazine Ex Nihilo (from the Latin phrase Creatio ex nihilo, meaning "Creation out of nothing"). Soon after, the Creation Science Foundation (CSF)[4] took over production of Ex Nihilo (later renaming it Creation Ex Nihilo, and eventually simply Creation). In 1984, CSF started the Ex Nihilo Technical Journal for more in-depth analysis of creation issues (it was later renamed Creation Ex Nihilo Technical Journal, then simply TJ, and now the Journal of Creation).

In the mid-1990s, Ken Ham, formerly of the Creation Science Foundation and then part of the Institute for Creation Research, formed an autonomous ministry in the United States. This ministry, along with the Australian Creation Science Foundation, were branded Answers in Genesis (AiG); eventually, legally-autonomous Answers in Genesis offices were opened in Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom.

In late 2005/early 2006, the US and UK offices of Answers in Genesis had differences in operating philosophy with the Australian, Canadian, New Zealand, and South African offices. "At that time, in the midst of discussions about this and other differences in operating philosophy (not involving the statement of faith or similar), the Australian office was formally invited to form its own website." To avoid confusion in similarly named websites, the latter four offices had to rebrand under the name Creation Ministries International. [5] While the new direction of AiG involves a focus on "culturally relevant, apologetics-based" ministry "with an enhanced worldview emphasis"[6], CMI retains its scientific and presuppositional (rather than evidential) emphasis.[7]

In late 2006, CMI established offices in the UK and USA. Since then [8] CMI has distributed Creation magazine and the Journal of Creation in the USA itself,[9], while Answers in Genesis distributes its own Answers magazine. [10]

In late 2006, AiG-USA and CMI became engaged in a legal dispute that "alleges that Ken Ham and his evangelical group, Answers in Genesis, violated a 1993 agreement to distribute two magazines produced by the Australian-based Creation Ministries International" using "database containing the names and addresses of 39,000 subscribers to the two Australian-produced magazines — Creation Magazine and The Journal of Creation — to distribute his own magazine, Answers, in December 2005." [11] However, both AiG and CMI stress that they have no doctrinal dispute. [12]

[edit] Approach to Science and Education

CMI claims to use scientific methodology to reach its conclusions. CMI freely admits its religious bias, and points out that all scientists have biases which influence their research, even if they are unwilling to admit this. It notes that all evidence (fossils, genetics etc) must be interpreted, and this is where a bias exerts influence.[13]

"Creationists don’t pretend that any knowledge, science included, can be pursued without presuppositions (i.e., prior religious/philosophical beliefs). Creationists affirm that creation cannot ultimately be divorced from the Bible any more than evolution can ultimately be divorced from its naturalistic starting point that excludes divine creation a priori'". [14]

[edit] Methodology

CMI describes its biblical hermeneutical method as "plain" (or sometimes "Historical-grammatical"), rather than "literal":

Simply put, the bottom line is that the proper interpretation of Scripture is to take it "plainly", meaning "as the author intended it to be understood by the original audience". This incorporates a literal interpretation of a literal context, poetic interpretation of poetic context, etc. This is covered in depth in the article "Should Genesis be taken literally?".[15]
e.g., with Genesis, CMI says it is meant to be historic narrative because it has all the grammatical features of Hebrew narrative, e.g., the first verb is a qatal (historic perfect), and the verbs that move the narrative forward are wayyiqtols (waw consecutives); it contains many "accusative particles" that mark the objects of verbs; and terms are often carefully defined.[16]

CMI notes that its scientists and speakers "consciously spend time interacting with our peers both inside and outside the organisation...".[17] Many of its teachings and beliefs are identical to those of its former sister organization, Answers in Genesis. In the past, much of AiG's articles and intellectual content was written by people who are now part of CMI.

CMI staff includes thirteen speakers with doctorates;[18] for example: Don Batten[19] who has a doctorate in agriculture, and Jonathan Sarfati who has a doctorate in Chemistry.[20]

CMI Australia's managing director is Carl Wieland.[21] CMI also operates with volunteer support.

[edit] Legal controversy with Answers In Genesis

Main article: Legal controversy between Answers in Genesis and Creation Ministries International

CMI's history is closely linked with that of its daughter ministry in the United States, Answers In Genesis (AIG), founded by former Australian colleague Ken Ham. A legal and personal dispute broke out between the Australian and US arms of AIG in 2005, involving claims of unethical dealing in the handling of magazine subscriptions and autocratic leadership on Ham's part. AIG, in return, accused the leaders of the Australian ministry of "spiritual problems",[22] asking, in correspondence to the Australian CEO Carl Wieland, if he had issues with immorality, and enlisting a former enemy to exhume decades old allegations[23] of witchcraft and necrophilia against a CMI staffer (now Wieland's wife). A more involved analysis of the situation is described in an account in the Reports of the National Center for Science Education.[24]

In March 2006, the ministries split, and the offices in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa, "by unanimous vote of their respective Boards, rebranded" as CMI[25]. Only the US and UK offices still retain the AIG brand.

A lawsuit was filed on 31 May 2007, by CMI in Queensland's Supreme Court against Ken Ham and Answers in Genesis, seeking damages and accusing "unbiblical/unethical/unlawful behaviour" in Ham's dealings with the Australian organisation.[26]

CMI produces Creation Magazine and the Journal of Creation, formerly distributed by the US and UK AIG offices to their respective countries prior to the split. The Australian group maintains tit was disconnected from all its American subscribers when the US office "announced on its web site (without telling us, the publishers) that it was ceasing to distribute both of these publications (and simultaneously announced its own magazine)." [27] CMI further alleges in the lawsuit that AIG misrepresented their own magazine to subscribers as a replacement of Creation. CMI is claiming $252,000(US) in damages for lost revenue by misleading and deceptive conduct in relating to lost subscriptions[28]. The case also concerns use of the trademark "Answers in Genesis" within Australia, and alleged misuse by Ken Ham of his position as a director for the Australian group to cause it detriment.

Answers in Genesis has had little to say in public to these accusations, but in comments to news reporters Ken Ham dismisses them all as "totally preposterous and untrue"[26]. When a Christian publication attempted a telephone interview of Ken Ham and mentioned the dispute, he hung up. When the editor of that publication attempted to meet Ham at the opening of the Creation Museum, the response was "abrupt and aggressive" and the matter was again shut down[29].

Creation Ministries had made a large collection of documents available detailing its side of the case [30], but has since removed much of this material as part of pending settlement terms (see below).

In July 2007, CMI posted an addendum on its website, stating "settlement meetings [will be] taking place... in Hawaii on August 14 and 15, 2007." CMI went on to comment that the meetings were "the first time that [CMI] have been permitted [to meet] with no restrictions on any of [their] director’s participation" since the dispute started.[31]

In November 2007, CMI again updated their website to inform readers that, although the Hawaii talks resulted in a verbal settlement acceptable to both parties, AiG had subsequently reneged by substantially modifying the written result of the talks through the omission of major planks of the verbal agreement and the insertion of new, unagreed clauses (which were not specified) in a new written proposed contract.[32]

This leaves the matter where it stood prior to the Hawaii meetings, with CMI likely to commence court action in early 2008 and AiG only offering commentary through proxies like Mackay.

[edit] References

  1. ^ What we are
  2. ^ Creation magazine
  3. ^ Australia Post : Priority Magazine
  4. ^ Main Page - CreationWiki, the encyclopedia of creation science
  5. ^ What we are
  6. ^ The History of AiG to the End of 2007 - Answers in Genesis
  7. ^ Presuppositionalism vs evidentialism, and is the human genome simple?
  8. ^ What we are
  9. ^ USA subscribers
  10. ^ Answers Magazine - Building a Biblical Worldview - Answers in Genesis
  11. ^ [1]
  12. ^ Creation Ministries International
  13. ^ 'It's not science'
  14. ^ Chapter 1: Evolution & creation, science & religion, facts & bias
  15. ^ Should Genesis be taken literally? - Creation Magazine
  16. ^ Answer to philosophy/religion professor on biblical exegesis and the problem of evil
  17. ^ What we do
  18. ^ Who we are: the people involved
  19. ^ Dr Donald James Batten
  20. ^ Dr Jonathan D. Sarfati
  21. ^ Dr Carl Wieland
  22. ^ Creation Ministries International
  23. ^ http://www.creationontheweb.com/images/pdfs/mackay/information_package.pdf
  24. ^ Trouble in Paradise: Answers in Genesis Splinters, Jim Lippard, Reports of the National Center for Science Education, 26 (6): 4-7, November 2006.
  25. ^ Creation magazine and Journal of Creation
  26. ^ a b Biblical battle of creation groups | The Australian
  27. ^ Creation magazine and Journal of Creation
  28. ^ Photocopy supplied at the CMI website; Official court files listing
  29. ^ Christian Faith and Reason - the online magazine for Christian Defenders and Skeptical Seekers
  30. ^ Creation Ministries International
  31. ^ Briese Committee Menu
  32. ^ Breakdown

[edit] External links