What It’s Like Being a Young, Young-Earth Creationist

As one of the editors here at New Creation and working closely with Is Genesis History?, I get to see what kind of people are reading and engaging in our content. I recently saw a statistic that honestly surprised me, but also didn’t (if that makes sense!). 

The main age demographic that our content reaches is 40 years old and older. While it’s so exciting that these generations are actively engaging in creation science education and materials, where are all the teens and twenty and thirty-somethings?

Where are all the Millennials and Gen-Zers?

The views expressed in this article reflect those of the author mentioned, and not necessarily those of New Creation.

The Culture is Changing for Youth

It’s no surprise that the culture has shifted. No longer do we live in a Judeo-Christian society; rather, ours is post-postmodern. What does that mean? From what I’ve come to learn, it means that religion is personal and there is no universal truth. The only knowledge that can be obtained is from empirical observation. Science is the new god. 

As a twenty-something myself, I am no stranger to social media and I am all too aware of its effects. We are constantly bombarded with rhetoric that does not align with Scripture. Truth, we are taught, is relative. We are taught that science is the answer.

Now, I am not saying we should reject science—not at all! I love science and I want to continue to study it for my entire life. Christians can and should do good science. 

But when we cross the line of observational science into the realm of origins science, we must be wary. In a world that rejects God, we have to understand that they must come up with a reasonable alternative. If there is no God, then cosmic evolution is necessary and descent from a common ancestor a must. A reasonable person who rejects God must believe something else. And in our case today, that something else is secular naturalism. 

Leonard Brand, an influential creationist, has defined this framework as such: “the paradigm (or worldview) that explains everything in terms of material, law-bound processes [that] will not accept any miraculous or supernatural processes” (Faith, Reason and Earth History, ch. 3). In effect, this worldview essentially eliminates the need for divine causation or intervention in history. 

Our Task

What does that mean for me, and other people my age? The world around us seems to be unified and loud in their secular evolutionary theory. It often seems like our voice in creationism is small and our task near impossible. I’ve wrestled with the hard questions—and more often than not, they leave me with more questions still unanswered!

But why do I continue to do research in creationism? Why don’t I just let myself get swept away in the powerful tide of the secular naturalism mindset?

My faith.

I’ve struggled with the science. Most honest creationists will tell you that they have, too. But I am confident that Scripture clearly speaks on the origins of the universe—that God created in 6 days only a few thousand years ago. I believe that it is theologically important to hold to this view. There are people who disagree with me, of course. I still love those Christians and will honor them and encourage them in our faith. But—I do believe that a proper view of Genesis is foundational to our understanding of the rest of Scripture. 

And I don’t say all of this to convince you that there is no scientific evidence for creationism—I think there is a lot! However, it is a young field with only a (relatively) small group of scientists who are actively model-building. As a result, the creation model isn’t as well-developed as the evolutionary model. This doesn’t make it wrong—it just means we have more work to do!

And that is what fuels my passion to study. Science is so exciting! We as creationists have a lot of model building to do! (What does that look like? Check out this article.) 

My Experience as a Young Creationist

Childhood

When I was little, I loved dinosaurs. By the time I was 5, I was reading books about dig sites and could name countless species. I love investigating the world around me, and that passion never left me.

As I grew older, my interests changed. I still loved science but was considering different careers, as well. I always, though, have had an interest in apologetics. Through the study of apologetics at my church and through my high school education, I was first exposed to the world of creation science.  

I wanted to know more. I wanted answers. How did the Flood work? Why don’t find human remains in the vast majority of the geologic record? I wanted an explanation for the order of the fossil record. I had questions that I wanted to investigate through a scientific framework. 

Education and Research

From my sister, I learned of Cedarville University (a private, Christian university in Ohio). I actually attended a geology-focused academic summer camp that the university sponsors while I was in high school. It was there that I began to dip my toes into the waters of scientific study through the lens of Scripture. I loved it!

I applied and decided to major in geology. Creation communities were a great asset and I got to have conversations with creationists such as Todd Wood, Marcus Ross, Kurt Wise, and so many more. I studied under John Whitmore, who has done incredible work on the Coconino Sandstone and its implications for Flood geology. Having these scientists encourage me and guide me in this journey was such a blessing and I am so thankful I have been able to learn from them. 

I had opportunities to do creation research. I’ve got to walk beside professors as they have done research, and assist other students in their capstone projects. I’ve studied radiohalos from Ireland and a huge dinosaur bone from Colorado (5-year-old Sara would be so proud!). I get to go out in the field and see huge Flood deposits for myself. I’ve collected rocks and studied them under the microscope. I’ve done hands-on research, and I couldn’t be more excited about it!

Now, four years later, I’ve just graduated from Cedarville University with my degree in geology. I hope to pursue a doctorate in Earth Science, Lord willing, to do research and teach at the college level. I think science education is so important and I want to motivate others in creationism. 

Our Passion as Young Creationists

I encourage people of all ages to investigate and learn more about God’s beautiful world. If you know a young person who is interested in going into a science field and wants to learn more, please encourage them! Young, young-earth creationists exist and are excited to advance the field of creation science. Our whole editotorial team consists of young people with this passion. 

Want to get involved? We have a whole article on ways you can! I personally recommend reading three books: Faith, Reason, and Earth History; The New Creationism; and The Quest. I think they are a great start to understanding why we believe what we believe, and what this journey might look like.

This is our heartbeat. We want more people to step up and get plugged in. We want to develop our models, test them, revise them, and learn more about our Creator and bring Him praise the whole way.