It’s not all atheists and evolutionists that are publicly displaying their disapproval of the Answers in Genesis Ark Encounter theme park. Apparently fellow creationist Todd Wood is not happy with AiG spending money that doesn’t belong to him (despite his claim to the contrary):
AIG’s latest project is indeed the Ark Encounter theme park, with a life-sized model of Noah’s Ark as the centerpiece.
What do I think? Personally, I don’t really care. I can easily think of dozens hundreds thousands of more important projects to spend $150 million on, but it’s not my money. What is curious though is why they think they ought to do this. Clearly the governor and the investors are excited about the economic impact. But what’s in it for the rest of creationism? We still don’t have a comprehensive model to understand Flood geology, a topic that creationists often bitterly and angrily debate. We’re also deeply divided in our approach to biological problems (witness the tempest over hominid baraminology), and we don’t have a generally-accepted (among creationists) young-age creationist cosmogony. So what should we do? Let’s build a theme park!
In all seriousness, I do hope that these endeavors of AIG (both the Creation Museum and the Ark Encounter) will be used by God to inspire a new generation of creationist researchers. I also hope that God will bless the endeavors of those of us trying to make a place in academia for these up-and-comers.
Perhaps Wood’s view of Christianity and the creationist movement is too narrow. Perhaps he doesn’t really understand, or believe, that Answers in Genesis is also about the Gospel, not just creation “science” research. Implicit in Wood’s short posting is that no research is done at Answers in Genesis–the Creation Museum and the Ark Encounter are distractions at the very least. (That seems to be the impression he wishes to leave his readers…)
Yes, Todd, the various Answers in Genesis projects and programs will (and does) inspire and encourage a new generation…of researchers, pastors, teachers, parents, Sunday school teachers, laypeople, and professionals. The Ark Encounter project is more than a theme park!
Thank God for the vision of AiG leaders!
Where there is no vision, the people perish… Proverbs 29:18
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