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Religion

From years of Darwinism evolved the divine

A college professor, once firmly rooted in evolutionary science, now promotes a different view: This is God's creation.

By GAIL HOLLENBECK
Published January 28, 2006

INVERNESS - Dr. Gary Parker started his college teaching career as an enthusiastic evolutionist.

"I'd been convinced that as a science professor it was part of my duty to help my students get past outmoded ideas and superstitions like the Bible and the Christian faith," Parker, 65, said.

Evolution wasn't an appealing theory, but Parker believed it was the right one. "I realized that evolution is millions of years of struggle and death until death wins," Parker said. "It's not exactly a happy theory, and it's not exactly one that presents the best relationship among people or the highest form of morality. Nevertheless, I was so convinced it was true that those facts didn't really mean much. That was what science was all about, and I was a science nut."

Three years into his vocation, Parker became convinced that scientific evidence strongly favors creation, not evolution.

"It was just tremendously liberating and greatly enriched my interest in science," he said. "I felt I wanted to share the good news with other people. Science is basically a search for the truth about nature, so scientists want to tell everybody else what they've discovered and what it means."

Parker has been sharing his discoveries in lectures and seminars all over the world during the past 40 years. He has written a dozen science books, teaches graduate school at the Institute for Creation Research and operates the Creation Adventures Museum in Arcadia with his wife, Mary.

Parker received a master's degree and a doctor of education degree from Ball State University, having majored in biology with additional work in physiology and paleontology. He has earned several academic awards, including admission to Phi Beta Kappa, election to the American Society of Zoologists and a 15-month fellowship award from the National Science Foundation.

He taught at Eastern College in Pennsylvania, Dordt College in Iowa, Christian Heritage in California and Clearwater Christian College.

This weekend, Parker will lecture at Calvary Bible Church. Pastor Tom Frazier has read Parker's books and even been on a fossil-hunting canoe trip with him. "His presentation style is great. He is accessible, and his story of how he was an evolutionist and became a creation scientist is fascinating."

The first lecture is 7 p.m. today and will be about dinosaurs and the Bible.

"That's one of my personal favorites," Parker said. "It's real easy to follow and appeals to people from 5 to 105. It's very family-friendly, and lots of questions come up about dinosaurs."

The second lecture today is "Design vs. Darwin." Sunday's lectures include "Australia, God's Wonder Down Under" and "Time and Intelligent Design."

"During the morning service (10:30 a.m. Sunday), I will talk about what changed me from being an evolutionist to a creation scientist," Parker said.

Parker said people can ask questions throughout the seminar, but interaction is especially encouraged during the last lecture, which is 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday.

"We encourage people from any background to come," he said. "And we treat every question with respect. Each session will stand on its own. You don't have to come for the whole series."

Frazier is hoping many people from the community will attend.

"Most of the talk I have heard about intelligent design lately has been from the evolutionist's perspective," he said. "We would love to give our community the chance to hear the other side and then make up their own minds about this critical issue."

Parker said he is hoping to whet people's appetites for the subject and that they will go home wanting to learn more.

"Evolution's kind of unusual," he said. "It's the only theory that's claimed to be scientific, yet demands legal protection against contrary evidence. Most scientists defend their theory by evidence. So I don't mind if I light a few fires. There's still some places where ideas can be freely exchanged. I want to encourage parents and students to make sure it keeps going well."

Calvary Bible Church, 5335 Jasmine Lane, will host Dr. Gary Parker for a conference at 7 and 8:30 p.m. today and 9:30 and 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Sunday. A love offering will be taken. Call 344-8331.

For information on workshops, seminars and creation education vacations, visit www.creationadventuresmuseum.org

To obtain books on creation science by Parker and other authors, call Master Books at 1-800-999-3777, Institute for Creation Research at 1-800-628-7640 or Answers In Genesis at 1-800-350-3232.

[Last modified January 28, 2006, 01:37:10]