Crosstalk: November 7, 2017

​Dr. Andrew Snelling is the director of research for Answers in Genesis and is editor-in-chief of the online Answers Research Journal. He writes and speaks on topics such as the flood, fossils and the Grand Canyon. He has a PhD in Geology received from the University of Sydney in Australia. He's served as a field, mine, and research geologist with various mining companies. He's authored numerous books, book chapters and articles and has produced a number of DVD's such as 'Recent Rapid Formation of Coal and Oil', 'Circular Reasoning in Dating Methods', and 'Geology: A Biblical Viewpoint on the Age of the Earth'.

Dr. Snelling admitted that as a youngster he was naïve and just looking at the properties of the rocks. When he got into high school, there were things he read from conventional geologists that raised questions because of what he was being told in church.

Aware of this conflict, his mother took him to the Christian bookstore in downtown Sydney and spoke to the proprietor who recommended that Andrew should read 'The Genesis Flood' by Dr. Whitcomb and Dr. Morris. He devoured it, the connections came together, and he began to see how you can understand the geological evidence from the perspective of God's Word being literally true.

Andrew reflected on his experience with the National Park Service on both the discrimination and discovery levels. The park service has a procedure you have to go through that involves submitting an application along with a research proposal that's peer reviewed. If it passes muster, they grant you the permit to collect the samples you want and then you need to report the results. In 2013 Andrew applied (he had previous proposals accepted) for a particular group of samples in particular locations and was turned down. Attorneys from Alliance Defending Freedom became involved and did a freedom of information demand. As it turned out, the denial was all about who he was and what he stood for rather than the nature of the research.

Eventually he revised the proposal, but stipulations were put on it that other scientists didn't have to deal with. A lawsuit was then filed against the Grand Canyon National Park. Included in the lawsuit was the 'back story' that involved the reasoning behind the denial. In fact, even atheist bloggers recognized that there was discrimination going on. Eventually the Park Service attorneys realized that it was a no-win situation for them. They didn't want their bosses dragged into court if the lawsuit was contested and they settled out of court. Andrew indicated he wanted the permit application along with approval to do a research trip through the canyon. Both were granted.

Andrew mentioned this story about the Grand Canyon because there are places where the rock layers (sandstone) have been bent. When it's soft and pliable it's like wet cement. When it hardens, if you try to bend it, it will break. Evolutionists will say that over millions of years, pressure overlaying the layers raised the temperature making the rock pliable and folding occurred. As a young-earth creationist, Andrew believes that the rock was laid down during the flood which was only thousands of years ago. That means the bending took place at the end of the flood which was only months after the rock was laid down so it was still wet and pliable. That's why it was bent without fracturing. He wanted to go into the Grand Canyon to obtain samples in order to look under the microscope and do detailed analysis to see if what they obtained was hard or soft. Obviously, if the material was soft, then there were no millions of years.

This is just the beginning of a fascinating program that peeks into our earth and reveals more of God's amazing handiwork.