Russell Crowe Movie ‘Noah’ Sparks New Free Think University Course About the Global Flood Debate
Industry: Education
Free Think University features news from National Geographic, Institute for Creation Research and others in course titled ‘Was There a Catastrophic Global Flood?’
Washington D.C. (PRUnderground) March 28th, 2014
In light of the Russell Crowe movie, “Noah,” a new Free Think University course asks: Was there a global catastrophic flood? At least 9 different ancient cultures have a version similar to Noah’s flood story in the Hebrew Scriptures. The importance of this story to interpreting the world in which we live is hard to overstate.
The Free Think University course experience presents various viewpoints on this debate. It first presents the argument in support of a global catastrophic flood using articles and videos from the Institute for Creation Research. The articles provide geological evidence for a global flood, reporting, “Sheetform beveled surfaces below and within thick strata sequences provide evidence of widespread sediment sublimation during a global flood…”
The Institute for Creation Research videos say that one of the strongest evidences for the global flood, which destroyed all human life on Earth except for Noah and his family, has been the ubiquitous presence of flood legends in the folklore of people groups from around the world. And the stories are all so similar. Local geography and cultural aspects may be present but they all seem to be telling the same story. The videos also address the questions surrounding how Noah fit two of every species of animal on the Ark.
Included in the course experience is the story of Robert Ballard, the explorer who located the Titanic wreckage, who is searching for Noah’s Ark as well and believes the flood really happened. In an ABC news article he says, “It’s foolish to think you will ever find a ship, but can you find people who were living? Can you find their villages that are underwater now? And the answer is yes.”
The course experience also presents the argument against the global flood. A video from an atheist presents the case that there was not enough water to even cover the whole earth. An article by Mfaber at IIDB.org claims the Biblical flood did not happen because the dates that the Bible claims the flood happened do not match up with any major interruptions in civilizations. Some say that the Biblical flood story looks a lot like it was taken from the Epic of Gilgamesh.
The course experience includes a piece from National Geographic giving an overview of the global flood theories, which says that the most probable source of the catastrophic flood story was the Black Sea flood, which was nowhere near a world-wide flood as alleged in the Bible.
While many supporters of the global flood claim that many civilizations have their own versions of flood stories, Richard Andre’s book Flutsagen: Ehnthographisch Btrachtet reported that fewer than 50% of the world’s cultures have flood legends.
So, which side will you believe? Does the geological and fossil evidence of a global flood win over the argument of there not being enough water to even have a global flood? Does the fact that less than 50% of civilizations have a record a global flood make you skeptical?
“The question students must settle in this course is which point of view is most based on evidence and well-reasoned consideration,” notes Free Think University co-founder Jim Van Eerden. “We also want to encourage students to think critically about what is at stake in proving if there was ( or was not ) a global cata flood..”
To view the full Free Think University course, click here. For additional media information, please contact media@freethinku.com.
About Free Think University
Free Think University is where more than 30,000 free-thinking students have joined what Mortimer Adler called “The Great Conversation” – the dialogue of the ages about The Big Questions of our day, and where they participate in one of the fastest-growing independent scholarship funds in America. Submit questions for future courses to ideas@freethinku.com. For more information go to www.freethinku.com or follow @freethinku.
About Institute for Creation Research
After more than four decades of ministry, the Institute for Creation Research remains a leader in scientific research within the context of biblical creation. Founded by Dr. Henry Morris in 1970, ICR exists to conduct scientific research within the realms of origins and earth history, and then to educate the public both formally and informally through graduate and professional training programs, through conferences and seminars around the country, and through books, magazines, and media presentations. For more information go to www.icr.org or follow @ICRMedia.
About the National Geographic Society
The mission of the National Geographic Society is to inspire people to care about the planet. Throughout its 126-year history, it has encouraged conservation of natural resources and raised public awareness of the importance of natural places, the plants and wildlife that inhabit them and the environmental problems that threaten them. The Society also encourages stewardship of the planet through research and exploration, and through education. For more information go to https://www.nationalgeographic.com or follow @NatGeo.
About Free Think University
Free Think University is where more than 30,000 free-thinking students have joined what Mortimer Adler called “The Great Conversation” – the dialogue of the ages about The Big Questions of our day, and where they participate in one of the fastest-growing independent scholarship funds in America. Submit questions for future courses to ideas@freethinku.com. For more information go to www.freethinku.com or follow @freethinku.
