First published: Creation 17(2):33 March 1995 Browse this issue Subscribe to Creation Magazine

A response to Hugh Ross

This new book answers the widely publicized claims made by ‘progressive creationist’ Dr Hugh Ross, particularly those made in Dr Ross's recent book Creation and Time: A Biblical and Scientific Perspective on the Creation-Date Controversy.

Authors Mark Van Bebber and Paul Taylor note that while the teachings of ‘progressive creationism’ are not new, Dr Ross has become its most high-profile spokesman — through radio, television, magazines, and books.

They applaud Dr Ross for his desire to evangelize, and his effort to show people that life could not have arisen by natural processes. But they say they are distressed by 'his continuing use of various erroneous teachings about the Bible'. These include Dr Ross's claims that the earth is billions of years old, that the days of creation were billions or millions of years long, that death existed before Adam's sin, that Noah's Flood was not world-wide, and many other issues important to a true understanding of the Bible.

Van Bebber and Taylor put dozens of Hugh Ross's major theological and biblical claims under the spotlight, and show the problems inherent in each.

This is an essential book for every Christian bookstore, and for every Christian who doesn't have solid answers to 'progressive creationist' arguments.

What Other Creationists Say

‘This book…is a bold and courageous attempt to attack the roots of Progressive Creationism…. This report has taken claim after claim and refuted it on sound theological grounds…. Christians need to take heed of special revelation that makes it clear that God created heavens and earth in six literal days and that our intelligent and awesome Creator did not need the help of the Big Bang as Hugh Ross promotes to set everything in its place.’

— D. James Kennedy, D.D., D.Sac.Lit., Ph.D., Litt.D., D.Sac. Theol., D. Humane Let., Chancellor, Knox Theological Seminary; Senior Minister, Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church; President, Evangelism Explosion International.

‘This book is a wake-up call to all Christians, warning us about a serious danger within our midst, the teachings of Hugh Ross. The book leaves the discussion of Dr Ross's many scientific errors to other writers, and instead it concentrates on his theology. While being graceful and kind to Dr Ross himself, the authors carefully compare his teachings with those of the Bible, and they clearly point out the very many cases where Dr Ross's teachings are contrary to a straightforward understanding of Scripture.’

— D. Russell Humphreys, Ph.D., physicist and author.

‘The teachings of Hugh Ross, including his beliefs in a local Flood and a race of spiritless men and women before Adam and Eve, are really nothing new, but sadly are permeating through the Christian world…Mark Van Bebber and Paul Taylor, in this comprehensive critique, have pointed out the errors of the Ross teachings, and how an acceptance of them undermines the Gospel message and the authority of the Word of God.’

— Ken Ham, B.App.Sc., Dip.Ed., Director of Creation Science Ministries (USA) and a director of Creation Science Foundation in Australia and the UK.

What is ‘progressive creation’?

The definition of ‘progressive creationism’ given by Hugh Ross is ‘the hypothesis that God has increased the complexity of life on earth by successive creations of new life forms over billions of years while miraculously changing the earth to accommodate the new life.’ (Hugh Ross, Dinosaurs and Hominids, audiotape, Reasons to Believe, Pasadena (California), 1990.)

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