From: SCOTT FAUST                             Posted: 13 Oct 94  00:12
To  : ALL
Subj: CREATION OATH - CRS

 All members of the Creation Research Society must sign a statement
 of faith.  This statement does not restrict itself to religious
 issues, but covers scientific ones as well.  Here is the text taken
 from their membership application:

    1. The Bible is the written word of God, and because we believe
    it to be inspired throughout, all of its assertions are
    historically and scientifically true in all the original
    autographs.  To the students of nature, this means that the
    account of origins in Genesis is a factual presentation of
    simple historical truths.

    2. All basic types of living things, including man, were made by
    direct creative acts of God during Creation Week as described in
    Genesis.  Whatever biological changes have occurred since
    Creation have accomplished only changes within the original
    created kinds.

    3. The great Flood described in Genesis, commonly referred to as
    the Noachian Deluge, was an historical event, worldwide in its
    extent and effect.

    4. Finally, we are an organization of Christian men of science,
    who accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.  The account of
    the special creation of Adam and Eve as one man and one woman,
    and their subsequent fall into sin, is the basis for our belief
    in the necessity of a Savior for all mankind.  Therefore,
    salvation can come only through accepting Jesus Christ as
    Savior.

 Henry Morris gives an account of the establishment of the CRS in
 his book _History of Modern Creationism_ (Master Book Publishers,
 1984).  Morris himself figured in these events, along with about
 nine other members of the American Scientific Affiliation (an
 organization of evangelical christians with scientific backgrounds,
 founded in 1941 and still in existence).

 Both Morris and Walter Lammerts (the later being the dominant
 figure in the founding and early years of the society) were
 distressed by the ASA's "drift" towards tolerance of evolution and
 acceptance of the theory by many of its members.

 In his _History_, Morris discusses the various creationist
 organizations which appeared during the time between the Scopes
 trial in 1925, and the emergence of today's "creation science"
 during and after the 1960's.  A major theme of his treatment is to
 note that every group which did not formally establish a clear and
 irrevocable commitment to "strict biblical creationism" eventually
 failed.  They either disbanded entirely (often due to internal
 disagreements or infighting), or ended up accepting evolution, or
 at least conventional geology, in some substantial degree.

 I think that Morris makes his case fairly well.  He convinced me
 that "creation science" cannot flourish in an atmosphere of open
 inquiry.  It only seems to work when it is settled up-front what
 "scientific conclusions" are biblically acceptable, and which are
 verboten.

 In giving his account of the meeting (in 1963) at which the CRS was
 organized, Morris writes that:  "The most important decision was to
 set forth a firmly creationist statement of faith to which all
 members must subscribe and which could never be changed."  (p.186)
 This is exactly what was done, and Morris notes approvingly that:
 "At this writing (1984), the Society has continued for over 20
 years as a strong creationist organization, which is in itself a
 clear testimony to the wisdom of this initial action."  (p.187)

 Morris, however, could not be present at this meeting.  Believe it
 not -- and those familiar with Morris will have little trouble
 believing it -- Morris found the doctrinal statement above not to
 be strict enough!

 "Because of my experiences with the Creation-Deluge Society and the
 American Scientific Affiliation, as well as all of our contacts,
 studies, and feed back in connection with _The Genesis Flood_, both
 John Whitcomb and I had hoped that the new Society would take a
 clear and firm stand on the recent literal six-day creation of all
 things, as well as flood geology.  We were disappointed when these
 were not spelled out more clearly in the statement of faith adopted
 at Midland.  Nevertheless, the statement as adopted at least
 *implied* these truths and was a tremendous improvement over
 anything previously used by any similar organization."  (pp.
 191-92)

 [John Whitcomb co-authored _The Genesis Flood_ (Baker Books, 1961)
 with Morris.  This book is generally seen as heralding and
 stimulating the modern revival of young earth flood geology among
 fundamentalists.]

 At the first board meeting he did attend (in 1965), Morris tried to
 have the statement amended, but was foiled by the constitutional
 provision specifying that the statement could never be changed.

 "I was still very sensitive," Morris writes, "to the dangers of
 leaving these vital issues open to future accommodationist
 'interpretations.'  Finally, the Board did go on record with an
 understanding (one that would remain unwritten, however) that no
 publication of the Society, including articles published in the
 _Quarterly_, would ever advocate the 'old earth,' geological-ages
 position.  Of course, this unwritten understanding will probably
 maintain this doctrinal integrity just as long as the Society
 president and _Quarterly_ editor agree with it.  So far, this has
 been the case (as of 1984)."  (p.192)