Dr. David Menton was an entertaining and extremely informative speaker, writer, and researcher with Answers in Genesis for two decades. Thousands of families have learned about God’s incredible design, the impossibility of evolution, the uniqueness of man, and the precious nature of an unborn baby from Dr. Menton’s presentations and special workshops at the Creation Museum—and in years past, he often spoke at AiG conferences with Ken Ham across America.
Dr. Menton earned a PhD in biology from Brown University and served as an award-winning professor (and known creationist) at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis for 34 years. During his professional life, Dr. Menton was a consulting editor in histology for Stedman’s Medical Dictionary, a standard medical reference work. He was also involved with creation ministry during this time. When he retired as an Associate Professor Emeritus, he came to serve with Answers in Genesis as a speaker, writer, and researcher.
During his 20 years at AiG, Dr. Menton produced many projects that had resounding impact on the Answers in Genesis community. He was instrumental in preparing a striking museum exhibit on the so-called “ape-men,” which was based on decades of his research on the fossil record. Other exhibits benefited from his years of scientific research, including one on homology (using laser technology) and how this field of science is carelessly used by evolutionists to proclaim their worldview. Dr. Menton’s remarkable knowledge of anatomy and an ability to use such information (along with his phenomenal sense of humor) made him a talented communicator. Most recently, Fearfully and Wonderfully Made, a pro-life exhibit at the Creation Museum, opened under his direction. It was largely based on his amazing talk on life before birth. Several videos featuring Dr. Menton throughout his career have been recorded and will preserve his legacy of remarkable research.
As a biblical apologist, Dr. Menton understood from Genesis why we have death and suffering in this world.
Many people have said that he was the finest science lecturer they had ever heard. People also enjoyed the humor he sprinkled throughout his talks. Dr. Menton was well known around the US and at the Creation Museum for his stimulating talks, such as “The Hearing Ear and the Seeing Eye” (on the remarkable complexity of the human body), “Three Ways to Make an Ape-Man” (comparing the anatomy of apelike creatures in the fossil record to humans), “Evolution: Not a Chance” (the improbability of life arising from nonlife), and several other apologetics talks, including one on the famous Scopes trial of 1925 and how it has been greatly misrepresented in the culture.
Dr. Menton was a lover of music. In fact, many years ago he was a professional musician. He was especially fond of Handel’s Messiah and would sometimes lead an AiG staff meeting at Christmastime to play clips of the famous oratorio for the staff to hear and then comment on them. So, as we conclude this tribute to Dr. Menton, it’s appropriate to direct you to the famous “Hallelujah Chorus” from the Messiah—led by a conductor he greatly admired, John Rutter. Rejoice with us that Dr. Menton is with his Savior shouting, “Hallelujah!”
The survival of living species depends on its ability to pass on its genetic instructions, from generation to generation, without significant alteration.
Dr. Menton was born in Mankato, Minnesota, in 1938 and was baptized at a local conservative Lutheran church. Like many people who were baptized and raised by Christian parents, he had no recollection of the precise moment he became a Christian, nor did he recall a time when he was an unbeliever. As Paul said of Timothy, “from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15, KJV).
By the grace of God and through the power of the Holy Spirit, Dr. Menton grew in the knowledge of God’s Word during his youth. He was especially blessed by two years of intensive confirmation instruction where he was given a firm foundation in the Scriptures and Christian doctrine. “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them” (Ecclesiastes 12:1, KJV). He came to treasure the gospel-filled hymns of his church, its abundant offering of the means of grace through the Word and sacraments, and its beautiful and meaningful liturgy.
Dr. David Menton was born in Mankato, Minnesota, and grew up as an only child in a Christian family. He was blessed to share God’s Word as a Sunday school teacher, church elder, and president of the congregation.
Since early grades, Dr. Menton had a strong interest in science of all kinds. While in grade school, he converted a small room in the basement into a well-equipped chemistry laboratory. Many of the birthday and Christmas gifts he received during childhood were of a scientific nature, including a chemistry set, mineralogy collection, microscope, telescope, and binoculars.
This lifelong interest in science led to his study of biology and chemistry at Minnesota State University in Mankato, where he graduated with a BS degree in 1959. After a six-month tour of active duty in the Army Reserves, Dr. Menton worked two years as a research laboratory technician at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. He left Mayo to do graduate work at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, where he received a PhD in biology in 1966. His thesis research dealt with the effects of essential fatty acid deficiency on the structure and epidermal barrier function of skin.
Following graduation from Brown, Dr. Menton accepted a position in the department of anatomy at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. At Washington University, he did research and taught human gross anatomy and histology. He received awards both for his research and teaching, including twice being awarded Professor of the Year by the senior class.
During his tenure at Washington University, Dr. Menton served as the histology consultant for five editions of Stedman’s Medical Dictionary and was a guest lecturer in histology at Stanford University Medical School. He spent two summers studying an unusual wound healing mechanism in sea cucumbers (a marine invertebrate) at Woods Hole Marine Biology Laboratory on Cape Cod in Massachusetts. Dr. Menton retired in the year 2000 as an associate professor emeritus after 34 years on the faculty.
Shortly after retirement, Dr. Menton joined Answers in Genesis as a speaker and researcher. He traveled and spoke for AiG throughout much of the U.S. as well as overseas, including events in Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, Trinidad, Peru, and Turkey. He also contributed numerous articles to Answers magazine and book chapters to The New Answers Book 2.
Dr. Menton was also very involved with the Creation Museum, where he worked on new exhibits and gave workshops four days a week. He also conducted special workshops for school and church groups of all ages. In the workshops, he employed photographs, anatomical models, and a special video microscope to cover a wide variety of topics on life science.
Dr. Menton wrote numerous articles in technical and scientific journals dealing with bone, wound healing, and the epidermal barrier function and biomechanics of skin.
Answers in Genesis is an apologetics ministry, dedicated to helping Christians defend their faith and proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ.