An Atheist Rabbi? Yes. A Creationist Scientist? Not So Much.

As one who has sometimes felt compelled to defend the use of the title rabbi by an atheist, I certainly understand how Drs. David Menton, Andrew Snelling and Georgia Purdom must feel about being creationist scientists for Answers in Genesis.

But actually, atheist rabbi is not incomprehensible.  Rabbi means teacher of things Jewish and I earned the title at our nation’s oldest rabbinical school.  That school recognized the importance of secular Jewish history.  I still recall a prestigious school lecture delivered by Peter Gay on his then recent book, A Godless Jew: Freud, Atheism, and the Making of Psychoanalysis which explored Freud’s very strong, yet secular, Jewish identity.  And at least one non-believer signed my ordination certificate.

The aforementioned trio of “scientists” claim a much less understandable description and for good reason.  Here’s what PZ wrote of them:

…[T]he people who believe this unscientific [creationist] nonsense claim to be “serious scientists.” I don’t think so. They haven’t demonstrated that their superstitions are serious science at all; all they’ve shown is that some few people who are totally nuts can graduate with doctorates. Which is not a surprise, and is actually a far more parsimonious conclusion than their bizarre idea that all of physics, chemistry, geology, astronomy, and biology are completely wrong.

As if to demonstrate that parsimonious conclusion in the most profound way possible, Dr. Purdom wrote in response:

The Word of God is not a book of stories; it is a book of history regarding the past, starting with the beginning of time and ending with prophecies about the future and the end of time. Christ Himself spoke of Genesis as history (Matthew 19:4–5 and Mark 10:6). Many of the New Testament writers wrote about the importance of the history of the OT, especially Genesis, as foundational for the history of the NT (1 Corinthians 15:22 and 1 Peter 3:20). By starting with the Word of God as the ultimate authority, we have the correct foundation for our scientific research, which will lead to correct conclusions about the past—and when we enter into the presence of Jesus, we will hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21) [emphasis mine].

Please continue to stand on the authority of God’s Word in everything and pray for us as we continue to fight the battle for truth.

I’m sorry.  That’s way more incomprehensible than atheist rabbi.  Way, way more.