Are Secular Geologists Ready to Consider a Global Flood?

CEH ^ | April 30, 2009

[GodGunsGuts]

Are Secular Geologists Ready to Consider a Global Flood?

April 30, 2009 — Everyone knows the Bible tells the story of a global flood in Noah’s day. Creation scientists argue that its effects would have left visible evidence today – including most of the sedimentary layers and most of the fossil record. Secular geologists have laughed off this story since the 18th century as nothing but myth, of course, but a paper in the Annual Review of Earth and Planetary Sciences suggests that some of them are re-evaluating the role of “megafloods” in earth history. Some megafloods might be considered as “global planetary phenomena”...

[bert]

i have faith

[Nipplemancer]

there doesn’t seem to be any evidence for global flooding in the research presented. very large catastrophic floods yes, but localized nonetheless.

[onedoug]

...the closing of the Mediterranean....

Closing? Or am I confused?

Thanks.

[GodGunsGuts]

I’m double-pinging this one because it’s that important IMHO. Isn’t it interesting that uniformitarianism is giving way to catastrophism?...especially as it relates to megafloods!

[Oztrich Boy]

As non-secular Geologists no longer considered a Global Flood after the 1830s (Before Darwin’s voyage), I’d say the question is to be answered in the negative.

[svcw]

I know there are some who say there is no geological evidence for the flood, but again my uncle who has a PhD in geology says there is.
However, I have been told by a couple of members who are posting now that he is not a real scientist. Oh well.

[tacticalogic]

Megafloods? I thought it was impossible for there to be more than one, since that’s all the Bible records.

[metmom]

It never happened except in the imagination of the Genesis writer

You're pretty sure of yourself. You know this how?

[metmom]

However, I have been told by a couple of members who are posting now that he is not a real scientist. Oh well.

Anyone who disagrees with current scientific consensus on any scientific issue is declared to not be a *REAL* scientist no matter what their credentials and how long they've had them.

Instead of actually addressing the issue, they just shut down the debate with baseless accusations.

[Dog Gone]

The geologic column with its consistent layers of ever-increasingly advanced organisims, along with the radiometric dating which requires tin foil on the head to dispute, rules out a single depostional event.

I don’t doubt that Noah’s Flood refers to some localized event which seemed like the end of civilization, perhaps the Black Sea event.

But there is no serious geology which supports a worldwide deluge. Not to mention that it’s physically impossible and had some wacky results like the same rivers existing before and after the flood, plus requiring Noah to make some pit stops before Ararat to drop off the marsupials and American Bison.

[Cedric]

But there is no serious geology which supports a worldwide deluge.

There's no honest interpretation of geology which refutes it.

[mentor2k]

For the Black Sea to have emptied and flooded the Mediterranean, the Strait of Gibraltar would have had to have been closed. Scholars say this "flood" is exactly how the Strait of Gibraltar was formed. Let's assume it was.

Was the elevation of the land at that point high enough to sustain a "flood"? If so, then yes there could have been a significant rise in seal level, locally. If not, then it would have simply spilled over into the Atlantic.

The thing I cannot be sure of, is a good estimate of where sea level was at the time of Noah.

I am interested in looking into the theory more, though. I think it's important looking at it both in a biblical and scientific sense. Afterall, it is God's hand that has touched and shaped everything throughout the history of this planet. Try GoogleEarth'ing the area and you'll see the outlay. Pretty amazing.

[Cedric]

If you weren't so darn tricky with the way you slipped the word “serious” into your declaration, I'd ask you about polystrate (tree) fossils and the absence of gradual erosion between strata.

But, alas, I just know I'm gonna get busted by the “s” word. So........never mind.

[mentor2k]

"But there is no serious geology which supports a worldwide deluge. Not to mention that it’s physically impossible and had some wacky results like the same rivers existing before and after the flood, plus requiring Noah to make some pit stops before Ararat to drop off the marsupials and American Bison.

OK, that last part was a bit tacky. How large of an area does God need in order to make his point? Maybe, no more than necessary, right? The world of Noah's people at the time was confined to the Mediterranean. God knew what he was doing even if the flood was a local event. At the time of Noah, the Mediterranean was his world.

In such case, one wouldn't expect to find evidence of a "world-wide" flood, would they?

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[varmintman]

I don’t doubt that Noah’s Flood refers to some localized event which seemed like the end of civilization, perhaps the Black Sea event.

But there is no serious geology which supports a worldwide deluge.

Evidence for past catastrophes (INCLUDING the Noachean flood) which were global in scale are pretty much everywhere on our planet. One sort of an interesting flood evidence compendium resides here Things like sedimentary rock which covers most of the world and the Northern muck deposits are just the most obvious examples. To look at that stuff and try to claim there's no evidence of global floods in the world is basically a form of denial.

[ElectricStrawberry]

No.

[Alamo-Girl]

For the discussion, here is a link to another article pointing to a global "natural" catastrophe destroying centers of civilization simultaneously around the world. It is secular archeology and does not associate the evidence to God's revelation in Scripture. No doubt because supernatural causes are excluded on principle of methodological naturalism, it suggests that comets were the cause of the global destruction of civilization.

British Archaeology, no 30, December 1997: Features

The timing, however, of approx 2300 give or take a century or two corresponds well to an approximation of when the Noah Flood occurred. By some estimates, Noah was born in 2944 and the flood occurred when he was 600 years old (Genesis 7:6).

The evidence mentioned in the article would support an understanding of Scripture that the Noah Flood was targeted to destroy a certain type of man, i.e. descendants of Adam, the beings described in Genesis 6:1-7. These may be considered "civilized" by those who interpret the flood as targeted.

The Scripture that the flood was global:

And the waters prevailed, and were increased greatly upon the earth; and the ark went upon the face of the waters. And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills, that [were] under the whole heaven, were covered.

Fifteen cubits upward did the waters prevail; and the mountains were covered. Genesis 7:18-20

And the pseudepigraphal text supporting a targeted flood understanding of the above passage:

Again I saw, and behold, fountains were opened upon the ground of the great enclosed area, and the water began to swell and rise upon the ground; and I saw that enclosed area until the whole ground was (completely) covered with water. – 1 Enoch 89:4

Dating of the ancient manuscript suggests that a targeted flood understanding is also quite old.

In my view, the important part is that the Noah Flood actually happened according to God's will.

[GodGunsGuts]

Thanks for the excellent link, A-G! I will definitely put this one in my favorites. All the best—GGG

[Alamo-Girl]

You're quite welcome, dear brother in Christ!