Glacial Intro
Pre-Pleistocene Glaciations were Real, but Flood Geology is Mythology: An Introduction
Kevin R. Henke, Ph.D.
May 4, 2014
Geologists have recognized four major pre-Pleistocene glaciations, which occurred during the Early Proterozoic, Late Proterozoic, the Ordovician in northern Africa and surrounding regions, and the Late Carboniferous-Early Permian in southern Africa, Australia and southern South America. In 1999, I wrote an essay exposing numerous errors and misquotations in Oard (1997) and defending the existence of pre-Pleistocene glaciations. Rather than correcting the numerous errors, outdated concepts and misconceptions in Oard (1997), Oard (2009a) and Oard (2009b) are filled with even more errors and misunderstandings. Furthermore, in response to my 1999 essay, Oard (2009a) and Oard (2009b) too often overlook the serious problems in Oard (1997) and only concentrate on a small number of trivial issues that often deal more with wording than substance. Because of his religious commitments to the Bible, Oard (2009a) wants to believe that submarine landslides from Noah's Flood are “superior” explanations for the origins of poorly sorted Proterozoic and Paleozoic rocks (diamictites and mixtites) than pre-Pleistocene glaciations. The geologic evidence did not support his hopes and dreams in 1997, and the 21st century evidence is even more overwhelming against Mr. Oard's Flood geology.
Try as they might, YECs simply cannot get the structures and other features of the geologic record to fit into the short and wet time frame demanded by their biblical interpretations. YECs need to realize that their efforts have failed. Flood geology was not rejected out of hand. It dominated European geology until the early 19th century. However, early 19th century geologists carefully examined the geologic record and quickly concluded that it was incompatible with Flood geology and a young Earth. (See: “The Birth of Geology and the Decline of Young-Earth Creationism in Europe.”) Reed and Oard (2009a, p. 15) mention that there are myriads of rejected ideas littering the history of science. As early 19th century field geologists discovered, Flood geology and young-Earth creationism are included in that litter.
Reed and Oard (2009a, p. 15) simply hope that somehow new discoveries in the geologic record will resurrect their Flood geology as a viable option. That is, they desire that by some means all of the water-soluble salt minerals, widespread and air-polluting Siberian Permian volcanic rocks, well-sorted sands, quiet-environment rhythmites, diamictites and other rocks that obviously formed in a wide variety of environments could be miraculously squeezed into one violent Flood year. Such hopeful endings are commonly expected in Hollywood movies and television sitcoms, but not in science or anywhere in reality. Geologists are now familiar enough with the basic features of the geologic record to realize that such hopes would have to rely on the elimination of the laws of chemistry and physics so all of these features could supernaturally fit into the ridiculously brief YEC time frames. It other words, it will take a literal miracle to resurrect their Flood geology. Although miracles might be possible, they are definitely not likely and there is no reason to depend on them in science.
As argued in the essays at this website, the sedimentary features in the geologic record are well explained by actualism and often rule out a recent Flood origin. While pre-Pleistocene glacial features have been definitely identified, YECs have not come even close in providing a shred of scientific evidence for the existence of any of the features mentioned in the first 11 chapters of Genesis. YECs need to remove the log from their own eyes before they go after the splinter in the eyes of the pre-Pleistocene glaciologists (Matthew 7:3-5).
References
Oard, M.J. 1997. Ancient Ice Ages or Gigantic Submarine Landsides? Creation Research Society, Monograph No. 5, Chino Valley, AZ.
Oard, M.J. 2009a. “Landslides Win in a Landslide over Ancient 'Ice Ages'“, chapter 7 in M.J. Oard and J.K. Reed (editors). 2009. Rock Solid Answers: The Biblical Truth Behind 14 Geological Questions, Master Books: Green Forest, AR, pp. 111-123.
Oard, M.J. 2009b. “Do Varves Contradict Biblical History?”, chapter 8 in M.J. Oard and J.K. Reed (editors). 2009. Rock Solid Answers: The Biblical Truth Behind 14 Geological Questions, Master Books: Green Forest, AR, pp. 125-148.
Reed, J.K. and M.J. Oard. 2009a. “A Context for the Flood Geology Debate,” chapter 1 in M.J. Oard and J.K. Reed (editors). 2009. Rock Solid Answers: The Biblical Truth Behind 14 Geological Questions, Master Books: Green Forest, AR, pp. 11-17.