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Facts and Fallacies of the Fossil Record:
Re-Evaluating the Supposed Evidences for Human Evolution

By Brett A. Rutherford

Lesson Four

The Problems of Geochronology

The chemical and radioactive dating methods employed by the evolutionists were evaluated in the prior lesson. From an analysis of each of these dating methods it became obvious that neither is reliable. Those who believe in human morphology also use a non-chemical, non-radioactive system to date fossils known as geochronology. The basis for geochronological dating is stratigraphy (or geological layering). If it can be proven that stratigraphy is inconsistent, then it can be proven that geochronological dating is inaccurate. Therefore, it will be necessary to define stratigraphy, and to analyze its use as a dating method. It will also be essential to define and evaluate the reliability of the theory of geological uniformitarianism which has been a vital aspect of evolutionary theory in the past.

Even if geochronology proved that the earth, and life on it, were billions of years old, it does not necessarily threaten the creationist’s view of origins. The four billion year old appearance of the earth does not mean that it is four billion years old. In fact, if the earth, and life on it, were proven by geochronology to be millions, or even billions of years old, this would actually be consistent with the Biblical record. Initially, the student may think that this latter statement infers that the author is promoting theistic evolution. But as this lesson will reveal, the author is, in fact, showing that apparent age does not necessarily prove that evolution took place!

Stratigraphy

Dating by stratigraphy is based upon the law of superposition. Nicolaus Steno (1638-1687) was the first to formulate a law of superposition. Steno’s law states that “...any pile of sedimentary rocks undisturbed by folding or overturning, the strata (level) on the bottom must have been deposited first...All else being equal, older deposits tend to be buried beneath younger ones.”²⁷ The problem with stratigraphic dating is that it is often the case that older sites have been disturbed by folding or overturning because of earthquakes, floods and the activities of men. It is by no means a fool-proof way of dating artifacts.

In the 1790’s, an English engineer, William Smith, proposed that one could date the various strata by the fossils in each level. This method is sometimes known as geochronology. Geochronology uses an index of fossils which was formulated to determine the age of a particular level or strata. Because of the principle of superposition (older levels are the deeper levels), the age of the fossils would be determined by the level in which they appeared. In other words, the level at which the fossil was found would help to determine its age, and the fossil would in turn help determine the age of the level.

That William Smith and modern geologists used circular reasoning in the formulation of their theory should be clear to any sound-thinking individual. For example, a geologist will explain to you that he knows that the Ordivician strata is 500 million years old because of the fossils discovered in that level. If one asked a geologist, “How do you know the fossils in the Ordivician strata are 500 million years old?”, he will tell you it is because they are in the Ordivician strata. Another problem with correlating fossils with the strata in which they appear (and vice versa) is that the fossil index (the evolutionist’s geological time scale) only exists in the imagination. Henry Morris, an hydraulic engineer, remarks on the embarrassing absence of the geological timetable in the earth’s makeup:

...nowhere in the world does the so-called geological column actually occur. It is possible for any vertical sequence of these ‘ages,’ or any portion of them, to exist in any given locality. Any age may be on the bottom, any on top, and any in between. The contained fossils — rather than vertical superposition or any other physical feature of the formation — constitute the controlling factor in the ‘age’ assigned it. Thus the theory of evolution is assumed in building up the geological column...²⁹

Geologists Carroll Lane and Mildred Adams Fenton demonstrate the confusion of evolutionary geologists over the lack of a consistent geological timetable in the following statement comparing sites in Montana, Alberta, and South Dakota:

All contain strata in orderly sequence, but no two sequences match. Does this mean that different sediments settled in different places, as they did in Montana, Alberta, and South Dakota?³⁰

In the light of this kind of evidence, one would expect the evolutionist to reassess his perspective on human origins. Unfortunately, one would be naive to think that renowned academicians would allow the facts to get in the way of “scholarly” acceptance.

Catastrophism Versus Uniformitarianism

Theologians of the mid-eighteenth century explained the discovery of unusual fossilized animals as those creatures which were obliterated by the flood. This theory is known as “catastrophism.” By definition, catastrophism is the view that the natural history of the world was interrupted by a worldwide catastrophic event (the flood of Noah’s day). This view was first formally set forth in 1830. Geologist Charles Lyell (1797-1875) suggested that a universal flood was not a proven geological theory. In his work, “Principles of Geology,” he suggests that the theory of “Uniformitarianism” was more consistent with geological evidence.³¹ “Uniformitarianism” is the belief that the same forces which shape geological strata today are the same forces that have always shaped geological strata without exception.

Does Geological Evidence Really Support Charles Lyell’s Theory of “Uniformitarianism”?

Recent hydraulic analysis (measuring the water percentage in a rock to determine its age) has proven that the geological strata surrounding fossils in sedimentary rock was laid down rapidly without a time gap between the foundation of each strata.³² For this reason many geologists have reluctantly had to admit that some form of catastrophe has had an effect on the geological strata. Even though the geological strata is consistent worldwide, many geologists are still hesitant to admit some universal cataclysmic event had an affect on the strata. Most prefer to think of many separated local events that caused this sudden layering in the sedimentary rock.

In 1969 scientists aboard the Glomar Challenger were engaged in deep sea drilling in the Mediterranean Sea. The purpose of their mission was to search for answers to questions relating to the biology and geology of the earth’s oceans. What they discovered during their deep sea drilling shocked and amazed them. In the deepest part of the Mediterranean, the Glomar Challenger scientists discovered a large concentrated salt deposit. They knew there was only one way that a massive salt deposit could have formed in such a deep basin. At one point, the Mediterranean Sea must have only been a few localized salt water lakes. At some point in the geological history of the earth, an enormous event resulted in a massive flow of water into the region between North Africa and Southern Europe, forming the Mediterranean Sea. This occurrence has been labeled the Messinian Event. Many scientists believe an event of this magnitude would have global climatic ramifications.³³ Of course, the evolutionist is not willing to see the Messinian Event as further evidence for a universal flood. However, many geologists have now had to concede that there was some form of catastrophism that affected the earth’s geological strata.

In addition to the evidence provided by hydraulic analysis and occurrences such as the Messinian Event, the fossils themselves are a testimony to a sudden cataclysmic event. The fact that there are fossils of extinct animals scattered throughout the geological strata is further proof that geological layering occurred suddenly. The process for fossilizing a creature must begin moments after death. The creature must be buried immediately. If it is not buried immediately, it will be subject to decay, or to scavengers, and there will be no possibility of fossilization. In the words of Richard Moody, lecturer in paleontology at Kingston Polytechnic, “When a fossil dies, rapid burial in fine-grained sediment is essential for its preservation.”³⁴ Therefore, a sudden catastrophic event (such as a flood) must have suddenly laid down sedimentation on top of recently deceased animals to make fossilization possible.

Apparent Age

It has already been established in this chapter that the age of minerals may have been affected by a catastrophic event such as the flood. Simply put, a particular mineral may appear to be quite old, but in actuality, it may be quite young. This discrepancy may also be due to the “mature creation” factor. When God created mankind, how old were Adam and Eve? Obviously, at the moment of their creation, Adam and Eve were only a few seconds old. However, at the moment of creation, how old did Adam and Eve appear? They were physically mature enough to “be fruitful and multiply” (Genesis 1:28). Though Adam and Eve were perhaps only a few hours old when they were commanded to “be fruitful and multiply”, they had the appearance and physical maturity of adults. This principle of apparent maturity (age) can be applied to all that God created, including the earth.

Conclusion

There are many other dating methods used by paleontologists which have not been discussed, but this lesson has dealt with those they consider to be the most reliable. From an analysis of these commonly used methods for determining the age of the earth and fossil remains, it is quite obvious that none of them can be depended upon for accuracy. This lesson has also explored the possibility that the earth may appear older than it is in actuality. Based upon this study, a more reliable and reasonable chronology for the beginning of the earth and life on it is found in Genesis, chapters one and two.

Origins According to the Geologist
PALEOZOIC ERA

4.6 To 1 Billion Years Old Precambrian Organisms with a distinct nucleus emerge.

543 To 510 Million Years Old Cambrian Fungi and algae

510 To 430 Million Years Old Ordivician Protists, Cnidarians, Segmented worms

430 To 395 Million Years Old Silurian

395 To 345 Million Years Old Devonian Crustaceans, Bryozoans, Protochordates, Sponges

345 To 280 Million Years Old Carboniferous Spiders, Roundworms

280 To 225 Million Years Old Permian Comb Jellies, Amphibians

MESOZOIC ERA

225 To 190 Million Years Old Triassic Snails, Insects, Reptiles

190 To 136 Million Years Old Jurassic Flatworms, Echinoderms

136 To 65 Million Years Old Cretaceous Birds, Fish, Mammals, Dinosaurs

CENOZOIC ERA

65 To 3 Million Years Old Tertiary

3 Million Years Old Quaternary Man

Review Questions

1. What is Steno’s Law?

2. What are the problems with Stratigraphic dating?

3. How do evolutionists determine the age of fossils using the stratigraphic method?

4. How do evolutionists determine the age of various strata (levels)?

5. Is the geological timetable of the evolutionists actually present in the earth’s strata?

6. How old was Adam when he was created?

7. How old did Adam appear at the moment of his creation?

8. How old was the earth when God created it?

9. How old did the earth appear?

10. Which came first the chicken or the egg?

11. According to the evolutionists, how much time separated man from the beginning of the earth?

12. According to God, how much time separated man from the beginning of the earth?

13. According to the evolutionists, dinosaurs are how much older than man?

14. According to God, the dinosaur is how much older than man?

15. The formation of the Mediterranean Sea is known as...?