Creation/evolution debates on University campuses have been an ICR mainstay over the years. Especially early in ICR's history, this was a vehicle to take the creation message into areas normally closed to it. Often the debate sponsors and opponents considered creation a joke and expected an easy victory. Much to their surprise, and the delight of many in the audience, the case for creation is at least as scientific as evolution. Furthermore, evolution was exposed as at least as religious as creation. Much ground was gained in these forums.
All the scientists on ICR's staff, both past and present have participated in these debates. Each has his own style and lecture content, but the facts are on our side, and the debates almost always result in a resounding victory. Dr. Duane Gish has, in particular, made a career of debating. His winsome style, logical answers, and gentlemanly demeanor have carried the day.
For several years it was hard to find an evolution debater, but now they're more frequent. Unfortunately, the tenor of evolutionist's presentations often has changed from the evidence for evolution to debate tricks to cloud the issue and keep the creationist off balance—anything to avoid evolution being exposed as scientifically bankrupt.
Recently Dr. Gish held debate workshops for creation advocates, giving tips on how to prepare lectures, answer questions, and avoid the traps set by modern evolution proponents.
Two of his protégés are now conducting debates with great effectiveness, and I would like to introduce them to you.
Dr. Mark Eastman was a diehard atheist and evolutionist through his medical training at U.C. San Diego, but met Christ as his Savior and Creator several years later. A dynamic speaker, his debate lectures focus on origins of life issues, showing the absolute impossibility of natural origins for life's complexities. He has authored several books, in both scientific creationism, and Christian apologetics and his medical practice is located in southern California.
Dr. Randy Guliuzza started out as a Navy engineer from South Dakota School of Mines, and received his M.S. in Public Health from Harvard as his interests began to change. When he asked Dr. Gish how he could be of help in creation ministry, he was sent back to school for a doctorate which he achieved from the University of Minnesota. He's in the Air Force now stationed in San Antonio researching the effects of high altitude stress on pilots. His typical debate lecture follows Dr. Gish's big-issue format, stressing the lack of transitional forms in the fossil record, the laws of thermodynamics, and the impossibility of a naturalistic origin of life.
ICR regularly schedules each without reservation as invitations and schedules dictate. The point is—the debate's not over.
* Dr. Morris is President of ICR.
