Jump to content

Ken Ham: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
Undid revision 224514660 by 65.0.252.186 (talk) Reverted inaccurate "literal" addition
Line 54: Line 54:
As a [[Young Earth creationism|young Earth creationist]], Ham believes that the entire [[universe]] was created about 6,000 years ago and that [[Noah]]'s flood occurred about 4,500 years ago. Although rejecting [[evolution]], Ham accepts that [[natural selection]] can give rise to a number of [[species]] from an original population, provided that all of these species are of the same ''kind'' (a term borrowed from the English translation of Genesis 1:11 and elsewhere).{{Fact|date=May 2008}} He believes this explains how a small number of animals carried on Noah's ark could produce the [[Biodiversity|biological diversity]]. Ham also believes that [[dinosaur]]s co-existed with modern humans. He supports this claim wth a cave painting that resembles a brachiosaur.<ref name="Their Own Version">Stephanie Simon, ''Their Own Version of a Big Bang'' LA Times February 11, 2006 </ref>
As a [[Young Earth creationism|young Earth creationist]], Ham believes that the entire [[universe]] was created about 6,000 years ago and that [[Noah]]'s flood occurred about 4,500 years ago. Although rejecting [[evolution]], Ham accepts that [[natural selection]] can give rise to a number of [[species]] from an original population, provided that all of these species are of the same ''kind'' (a term borrowed from the English translation of Genesis 1:11 and elsewhere).{{Fact|date=May 2008}} He believes this explains how a small number of animals carried on Noah's ark could produce the [[Biodiversity|biological diversity]]. Ham also believes that [[dinosaur]]s co-existed with modern humans. He supports this claim wth a cave painting that resembles a brachiosaur.<ref name="Their Own Version">Stephanie Simon, ''Their Own Version of a Big Bang'' LA Times February 11, 2006 </ref>


AiG believes that evolution is the “source” of many kinds of evil, and that rejection of God’s Word as literal and absolute authority and acceptance of evolutionary ideas will affect the way people think and act—and fuel social ills. <ref>(See [http://www.answersingenesis.org/Home/Area/wwtl/chapter8.asp The evolution connection].) </ref>
AiG believes that evolution is the “source” of many kinds of evil, and that rejection of God’s Word as absolute authority and acceptance of evolutionary ideas will affect the way people think and act—and fuel social ills. <ref>(See [http://www.answersingenesis.org/Home/Area/wwtl/chapter8.asp The evolution connection].) </ref>


== Controversy and criticism ==
== Controversy and criticism ==

Revision as of 23:34, 10 July 2008

For the American astronaut, see Kenneth Ham.
Kenneth Ham
Born (1951-10-20) October 20, 1951 (age 72)
Australia
Occupation(s)Evangelist, broadcaster
SpouseMally Ham

Kenneth Alfred Ham (born October 20, 1951) is the president of Answers in Genesis USA and Joint CEO of Answers in Genesis International. A vocal advocate for a literal interpretation of the Book of Genesis, his cross-country speaking tours and many books make him one of the better known young-Earth creationists.

Biography

Ham was born in Queensland, Australia but moved to the United States of America in 1987. He has a bachelor's degree in applied science (with an emphasis on environmental biology) from the Queensland Institute of Technology and also holds a Diploma of Education from the University of Queensland.[2] He is married to Marilyn ("Mally"), whom he describes as a "very, very submissive, supportive wife" who has "always supported me five million percent." The couple have five children.[3] Two are married, and two live with them in Cincinnati. Ham has four grandchildren.

In 1979, Ham co-founded what was to be later known as the Creation Science Foundation (CSF) in Queensland, Australia with John Mackay.[4] [5] Controversy arose when Mackay "was excommunicated in the 1980s after making allegations of witchcraft and necrophilia against a fellow member of the ministry."[6]

Between 1987 and 1993, Ham worked for the Institute for Creation Research (ICR),[chronology citation needed] one of the oldest[7] American Creationist organizations, and a leading young-Earth organisation[8]. In 1994, with the assistance of what is now Creation Ministries International (Australia) he set up Answers in Genesis, a Christian ministry which specialises in Young Earth Creationism, and is primarily devoted to convincing people that the initial chapters in Genesis should be taken as literally true and historically accurate. For his contributions to evangelism, he was given three honorary degrees (Liberty University in 1993,[9], Temple Baptist College in 1997[10], and again from Liberty University in 2004[11]).

Answers in Genesis' Creation Museum.

Notably, Answers in Genesis opened its 60,000 square foot Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky on May 28, 2007. the building features sophisticated animatronic dinosaurs alongside humans and depicts young earth creationist ideas.[12] Ham was the major impetus behind the museum, as he explained "This idea came about from when I was a teacher in public schools in Australia . . . I had this embryonic idea 25 years ago in Australia."[13]

He hosts an internet and radio program called Answers…with Ken Ham. It is broadcast daily on over one thousand radio stations worldwide.[14] Each ninety second broadcast features commentary by Ham and presents pro-creationist opinions expressed on the Answers in Genesis website.

Beliefs

As a young Earth creationist, Ham believes that the entire universe was created about 6,000 years ago and that Noah's flood occurred about 4,500 years ago. Although rejecting evolution, Ham accepts that natural selection can give rise to a number of species from an original population, provided that all of these species are of the same kind (a term borrowed from the English translation of Genesis 1:11 and elsewhere).[citation needed] He believes this explains how a small number of animals carried on Noah's ark could produce the biological diversity. Ham also believes that dinosaurs co-existed with modern humans. He supports this claim wth a cave painting that resembles a brachiosaur.[15]

AiG believes that evolution is the “source” of many kinds of evil, and that rejection of God’s Word as absolute authority and acceptance of evolutionary ideas will affect the way people think and act—and fuel social ills. [16]

Controversy and criticism

Creation science arguments, of the type employed by Ham, have not gained acceptance with prominent scientists and major scientific organizations.[17] Biologist PZ Myers is also a vocal critic of Ham, calling his knowledge of science "very, very low" and that Ham is held in "very low esteem by the community of scholars and scientists, and by the even larger community of lay people who have made the effort to learn more about science".[18][19] Additionally, No Answers in Genesis has listed a number of specific criticisms of Ham's teachings on science.[20]

Since 1989 Ham has frequently made the comment, "Were you there?" regarding the origins of life and evolution.[21] The implication being that knowledge of unwitnessed events is inferential and not observational. Responses to this have been made by scientific database Talk.origins, which responds that the evidence for evolution "was there".[22]

Ham's beliefs and tactics have also been criticized by other Christians. Answers in Creation, an Old Earth creationist website, has called Ham willfully ignorant of evidence for an old earth and said he "deliberately misleads" his audiences on matters of both science and theology.[23] Astronomer Hugh Ross, a progressive creationist, has publicly debated Ham on the age of the Earth and the compatibility of an old Earth with the Bible,[24] as well as other Answers In Genesis staff.[25]

In May 2007 Creation Ministries International (CMI) filed a lawsuit against Ham and AiG in Queensland's Supreme Court seeking damages and accusing him of deceptive conduct in his dealings with the Australian organisation. Members of the ministry were "concern[ed] over Mr Ham's domination of the ministries, the amount of money being spent on his fellow executives and a shift away from delivering the creationist message to raising donations."[6]

Some criticisms are addressed in articles posted on the Answers website.[26]

Bibliography

File:The Lie Evolution.jpg
Ham's 1987 book The Lie: Evolution.
  • A is for Adam Master Books (1995, ISBN 0-89051-207-8) (Children's book)
  • Creation Evangelism for the New Millennium, retitled Why Won't They Listen, Master Books (2002, ISBN 0-89051-378-3) (Online chapters)
  • Did Adam Have a Belly Button? and other tough questions about the Bible Master Books (2000, ISBN 0890512833)
  • Did Eve Really Have an Extra Rib? and other tough questions about the Bible Master Books (2002, ISBN 0890513708)
  • D is for Dinosaur Master Books. (1991, ISBN 0-89051-193-4) (Children's book)
  • Dinosaurs of Eden Master Books. (2000, ISBN 0-89051-340-6) (Children's book)
  • The Great Dinosaur Mystery Solved! A Biblical View of These Amazing Creatures Master books (2000, ISBN 0890512825)
  • One Blood—the Biblical Answer to Racism (with Don Batten and Carl Wieland, 1999, ISBN 0-89051-276-0)
  • Foreword to Refuting Evolution by Jonathan Sarfati (1999, ISBN 0-89051-258-2)
  • The Lie: Evolution Master Books. (July 1987, ISBN 0-89051-158-6)
  • Foreword to All-In-One Curriculum for The Pilgrim's Progress (published by Answers in Genesis, USA)
  • The Revised & Expanded Answers Book (ed. Don Batten; co-authors Jonathan Sarfati and Carl Wieland) ISBN 0890511616
  • Walking through Shadows—Finding Hope in a World of Pain (with Carl Wieland, 2002, ISBN 0-89051-381-3)
  • Foreword to Welcome to Life Welcome to Life After Eden Genesis Publishing. (2003, ISBN 1893345157) (Children's book)
  • What Really Happened to the Dinosaurs? (with John Morris) (1990, ISBN 0890511594)

References

  1. ^ "Charity Navigator Rating". Charity Navigator. Retrieved 2008-07-01.
  2. ^ Ken A. Ham, Answers in Genesis
  3. ^ Interview with Ken Ham, Ron Cooper, ARK Foundation
  4. ^ The History of AiG to the End of 2007, Ken Ham, Answers in Genesis
  5. ^ What we are, Creation Ministries International
  6. ^ a b McKenna, Michael (June 04, 2007). "Biblical battle of creation groups". The Australian. Retrieved 2007-07-17. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  7. ^ A Brief History of the Modern American Creation Movement, Jerry Bergman, Contra Mundum No. 7 Spring 1993
  8. ^ Creationist and Anti-Evolutionist Organizations, TalkOrigins Archive
  9. ^ Liberty University honors AiG speaker with doctorate
  10. ^ Ken A. Ham
  11. ^ Liberty University honors AiG speaker with doctorate, Answers in Genesis
  12. ^ The Creation Museum—a “collective”, Ken Ham, Answers in Genesis, July 2, 2007
  13. ^ Kim Landers, "Museum promotes creationism", AM, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, May 29, 2007.
  14. ^ Radio Station Information, Answers in Genesis
  15. ^ Stephanie Simon, Their Own Version of a Big Bang LA Times February 11, 2006
  16. ^ (See The evolution connection.)
  17. ^ Amicus Curiae Brief of 72 Nobel Laureates, 17 State Academies of Science and 7 Other Scientific Oraganisations, Edwards v. Aguillard
  18. ^ Myers, PZ (June 18, 2008). "Now I'm going to have nightmares". Pharyngula (blog). Retrieved 2008-06-17.
  19. ^ Myers, PZ (June 21, 2008). "In which I have hurt Ken Ham's feelings". Pharyngula (blog). Retrieved 2008-06-17.
  20. ^ Error in Webarchive template: Empty url., John Stear
  21. ^ Were You There?, Kenneth Ham, Institute for Creation Research
  22. ^ "Claim CA221: Were you there?". talk.origins. May 2004. Retrieved 2007-07-17.
  23. ^ Greg Neyman. Ham Can't Tell the Simple Truth!. Answers in Creation. Sept. 12, 2005
  24. ^ Fair and balanced?, Steven McConaughy, Answers in Genesis
  25. ^ Jason Lisle vs. Hugh Ross debate: annotated transcript, Jonathan Sarfati, Answers in Genesis Australia
  26. ^ Get Answers, Answers in Genesis

External links

Official and Pro-Ham

Critical of Ham

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ken_Ham&oldid=224911671"