Ken Ham is an Australian-born Biblical creationist best known as the founder and president of Answers In Genesis (AIG), a Christian apologetics organisation that promotes a literal interpretation of the Bible and defends a young Earth view of creation.
He argues that everything was created in six days, approximately 6000 years ago, as per the biblical account in Genesis.
The story of Creation
AIG’s position is that this account is literal rather than metaphorical. In other words, there was no Big Bang and it did not take billions of years of evolution.
- At the start, there was only darkness and emptiness. God spoke and His words created everything.
- On the first day, God said, ‘Let there be light.’ Light appeared, splitting the darkness. He named the light ‘day’ and the darkness ‘night.’ This marked the start of time.
- On the second day, God said, ‘Let there be a space to separate the waters.’ He made the sky, covering Earth like a canopy.
- On the third day, God ordered, ‘Let the waters come together, and let dry ground appear.’ Seas formed and dry land appeared. God made the land grow plants, trees, and vegetation.
- On the fourth day, God said, ‘Let there be lights in the sky to separate day from night.’ He made the sun for the day and the moon for the night, and stars to shine in the sky.
- On the fifth day, God commanded, ‘Let the waters be filled with living creatures, and let birds fly across the sky.’ He created fish and sea creatures, and birds filled the skies.
- On the sixth day, God said, ‘Let the land produce living creatures.’ He made all kinds of animals, from insects to large beasts. Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image.’ So, He created mankind, male and female, and gave them authority over Earth’s creatures.
- On the seventh day, God rested from His work, making it a special day of rest and worship.
Why it matters
The Bible says that God created the universe in six literal days, while the conventional account says that the universe is billions of years old.
Creation is crucial for Christian faith, Ham says, because it was a direct act of God, distinct from random, naturalistic processes, and completed at the beginning of time, not over an evolutionary timeline.
Which, therefore, is essential for maintaining the authority of Scripture.
Doubting fundamental details, like the Earth’s age, can trigger broader skepticism about the Bible, affecting core beliefs such as the resurrection of Jesus.
As an aside, I learnt in Sunday School that the Creation story is allegorical.
If millions of years occurred, AIG goes on to posit, then it contradicts the Bible, undermining its authority on all matters. Put another way, either everything in the Bible is true, or none of it is.
Upholding biblical creation is foundational for Christian faith and doctrine, and is the foundation of Ham’s worldview.
Noah’s Ark
In addition to his work with AIG, Ham was also instrumental in the establishment of the Creation Museum and the Ark Encounter (a life-size replica of Noah’s Ark).
The Ark Encounter is a theme park in Kentucky, USA, centred around a life-size replica of Noah’s Ark.
It presents a literal interpretation of the biblical story of Noah’s Ark, aiming to demonstrate how the ark could have housed all the animal kinds during a global flood. The attraction includes exhibits of Noah’s life, the flood, and the aftermath.
In his conversation with me, Ham made a valid point about how much of modern Christianity, especially in the West, has become too diluted and inclusive (which are points echoed by Doug Wilson and Samuel Sey).
