‘Give Me Creation or Give Me ... ’

The newest school to stand firm on teaching six-day Creation, based on a literal Genesis, is Patrick Henry College (Virginia, USA). This nondenominational Christian college, founded two years ago by homeschool leader Michael Farris, has a vision to train Christian men and women to apply timeless Biblical truths to transform American government and culture.

The road has not been easy. Last spring we reported that an agency had denied accreditation to Patrick Henry College for requiring biology teachers to teach that Creation took place in six 24–hour days [see Christian College Snubbed for Creation Views]. We’re happy to report that the college stood its ground, and the accreditation agency relented.

The American Academy for Liberal Education (AALE) has reversed its position, granting the college pre–accreditation status in November. During negotiations with AALE, the school changed nothing in its Statement of Biblical Worldview, except to spell out that students will be discussing evolution, too. (The school had been doing this all along, and it had already made it clear to AALE that students get “full and robust discussion of the theory of evolution.’)

The statement now reads:

“Creation. Any biology, Bible or other courses at PHC dealing with creation will teach creation from the understanding of Scripture that God's creative work, as described in Genesis 1:1–31, was completed in six twenty–four hour days. All faculty for such courses will be chosen on the basis of their personal adherence to this view. PHC expects its faculty in these courses, as in all courses, to expose students to alternate theories and the data, if any, which support those theories. In this context, PHC in particular expects its biology faculty to provide a full exposition of the claims of the theory of Darwinian evolution, intelligent design and other major theories while, in the end, teach creation as both biblically true and as the best fit to observed data.”

In the past, Michael Farris has strongly supported AiG’s effort to proclaim the message of Biblical authority. Just a couple of years ago, Mr Farris invited Ken Ham, president of AiG–US, to be the keynote speaker at a national homeschool conference in Tucson, Arizona. Ken had the privilege of speaking to the faculty and students at Patrick Henry College on 3 September (right), and his message about “Six days and the authority of Scripture” was enthusiastically received.

AiG is pleased with the college’s stand. Indeed, the Statement of Biblical Worldview is clearer than ever, and the entire faculty must abide by it. Paul J. Bonicelli, Dean of Academic Affairs at Patrick Henry College, told AiG, “Our faculty has embraced the Board of Trustees changes to the Statement of Biblical Worldview which governs the faculty at PHC. The item on creation … is binding with all contracts.”

It’s interesting—but not surprising—that “six–day Creation” has risen to the forefront of the battle for academic freedom in America. Why should schools face such intense opposition, just because they don’t teach evolution as fact?