Traditional scientists and Christian creationists have lined up on either side of a dispute over sales of a new book at Grand Canyon National Park that claims the canyon dates to the biblical flood of Genesis rather than millions of years ago.
Presidents of such organizations as the American Geological Institute and the American Institute of Biological Sciences have written or signed letters to the park’s superintendent expressing concerns that the book’s presence could leave visitors with the impression it is endorsed by the National Park Service.
Answers in Genesis, a ministry whose president wrote an essay in the book, is urging supporters to ask park service officials to permit “Grand Canyon: A Different View” to remain on the shelves of the park’s three bookstores.
Officials at the Grand Canyon National Park have ordered additional copies of the book, citing the book’s popularity.
“Now that the book has become quite popular, we don’t want to remove it,” said Elaine Sevy, National Park Service spokesperson.
Tom Vail, the book’s compiler, told Baptist Press the park had ordered more than 300 additional copies.
The book features colorful photographs of the canyon and essays reflecting a creationist’s view of its development.
The debate has reached the point that a Washington policy office of the National Park Service is considering how to handle the matter, officials said. “We’re looking at (the book) with our attorneys to try to get a policy statement out,” said David Barna, spokesman for the National Park Service. “It’s not so much about this book as it is about what we do with the other views of the way geologic features in parks were created.”
He said interpreters who guide visitors through the park are “instructed in the current scientific and geological explanation, which means very, very old, as in hundreds of millions of years.
“I’m certain park interpretative rangers get stopped frequently by people who believe the creationist view or maybe the Native American view. … Our explanation is that we recognize that there are a variety of opinions,” Barna said.
“The Grand Canyon was formed millions of years ago,” said William Ausich, president of the Paleontological Society, who signed a letter about the issue at hand along with presidents of six other scientific organizations.
“It is the job of the National Park Service to present the best scientific information possible to the public, and the book is complete pseudoscience,” Ausich said.
Mark Looy, vice president of Answers in Genesis, said four staff members contributed essays and believe the canyon was formed as a result of Noah’s flood and is much newer than contemporary scientists say. (RNS)
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