Some time ago my colleague Brian Baxter wrote an article about creationist authors straying beyond their fields of expertise. Having now seen copies of Creation Ministries International’s (CMI) two latest periodicals – Creation and Journal of Creation magazines of Dec. 2006, I think Brian probably understated his case.

In Creation mag, CMI Head of Ministry Gary Bates writes an article about fossils. Gary was previously a ‘business proprietor’, a well-known anthropological qualification. David Catchpoole, a plant physiologist, tells us that fish are in no sense related to humans. Jonathan Sarfati, a physical chemist, presents a strange piece about bird-flight. Sean Wieland, ‘an estimator and company IT manager’, writes an anti-evolutionary piece about two-headed snakes. Even Maxwell Brown, the author of an anti-Mormon item turns out to be, not a theologian, but a concert pianist by profession.

Turning to the ‘more technical’ Journal of Creation we find Kenneth Karle, an architect, informing us about ‘paleobiology databases’. Mark Matthews has a BSc in nuclear engineering, but his article deals with ring-growth in bristlecone pines. (Perhaps he should have handed this one over to plant physiologist Catchpoole.)

Lael Weinberger’s piece is called ‘Adam’s brothers? Race, science and Genesis before Darwin’. Lael also contributed two book reviews to this issue of Journal of Creation. All very laudable, but what are Lael’s qualifications? Well, you see, Lael ‘is an avid student of the creation-evolution controversy. He has been homeschooled by his parents in Illinois, USA, and is now in law school.’ Well done, Lael!

Creation and Journal of Creation are completely worthless and CMI should know better than to waste so much paper. Or at least print them on matt rather than glossy so we’ll have something for the birdcage.

Filed in: Creationism