Special Feature: Hugh Ross Exposé

Introduction by Ken Ham

21 August 2002
(Full article posted on this Web site, 23 August 2002)

As I have traveled across the USA and other parts of the world, I have been asked many times as to my response to the teachings of Dr Hugh Ross—probably the world’s leading Progressive Creationist.

In summary, Dr Ross accepts Astronomical Evolution (Big Bang and billions of years) and Geological Evolution (evolutionary geological time scale encompassing billions of years). He does not accept Biological Evolution per se, but teaches that God created millions of creatures (species) in ‘batches’ over billions of years (but using the basic evolutionary time scale and order of events), with death, struggle, extinction and disease occurring all along the way. He does not accept the clear Biblical teaching of a global Flood, but instead teaches it was ‘universal’ with respect to mankind (which Ross sometimes calls ‘worldwide’), which was living only in a limited geographical area in the Middle East. He also advocates soulless hominids (who exhibited human characteristics of painting, burying dead, etc.) before Adam and Eve.

When Dr Ross was first thrust to considerable prominence as a result of his books being published by NavPress and particularly his appearances on Focus on the Family, many Christian leaders embraced or endorsed his teachings.

At first, Dr Ross appeared to be an answer to many an academic who wanted to maintain belief in billions of years, but did not want to be classed as an ‘evolutionist.’ (Because of the phenomenal influence of the mainstream creation movement (e.g., AiG, ICR), many in the church were aware of the inconsistency of positions such as Theistic Evolution —‘God used evolution’).

The teachings of Dr Ross seemingly allowed Christians to use the term ‘creationist,’ but still give them supposed academic respectability in the eyes of the world, by rejecting six literal days of creation and maintaining acceptance of billions of years.

However, AiG speakers and writers have spent considerable time alerting Christians to the fact that in reality, Ross’s position still has the same basic compromise of evolutionary theory with Scripture as does Theistic Evolution, and ultimately undermines the authority of the Word of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Through such efforts, I have noticed in recent times that many who previously embraced Ross’s teachings are now realizing how bankrupt they are—how much they undermine God’s Holy Word—and how such teaching can lead people away from the Gospel.

AiG staff researcher and writer, Dr Terry Mortenson, worked with Campus Crusade for twenty-six years. During that time, Dr Mortenson challenged (with gentleness but boldness), without success, the leaders of this commendable evangelistic organization to withdraw a major article by Dr Ross posted on one of CCC’s Web sites.

Because of AiG’s concern for those who have been publicly led astray by teaching that compromises God’s Word, Dr Mortenson has written a detailed critique of this article.

Dr Mortenson’s article will not only help the readers to understand more about the compromise teachings of Hugh Ross, but will assist them to learn to be ‘Bereans’ and thus to search the Scriptures to see if these teachings are true. It will also help readers to see the importance of philosophical assumptions in science.

This special feature article will equip and challenge—but most of all, what Dr Mortenson has written shows clearly AiG’s position, that we must submit man’s fallible ideas to the authority of God’s infallible Word.

E-mail any of your friends and acquaintances (pastors and other Christian leaders) to challenge them to read this article, which deals with an issue of compromise that has contributed greatly to weakening the church in this increasingly anti-God culture.

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