Creation Ministries International
From Conservapedia
Creation Ministries International is a network of creation ministries which started in Australia, and which now also has offices in New Zealand, Canada, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
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Outreach and structure
CMI publishes Creation magazine and the technical Journal of Creation. Creation has been published (originally as Ex Nihilo) since 1978, and it has readers in 140 countries.
Outreach mainly comprises the publications, the web-site, and speaking engagements, mainly in church services. The "Creation Bus" is a converted Adelaide bus which tours outback and rural areas of Australia, fulfilling speaking engagements at churches and schools in smaller communities. The "Ark Van" is a van with a set of detailed models of Noah's Ark which visits churches, Sunday schools, schools, agricultural shows, and community events in Australia.
Each national CMI organisation is legally autonomous, but co-operates with each other. Each Ministry is controlled by a board of directors who are elected by members of the organisation.
The Australian ministry publishes the magazine and journal, and operates the web-site, Creation.com, on behalf of each national organisation.
Darwin film
CMI is producing a documentary film challenging evolution, for release in 2009, the 200th anniversary of the birth of Charles Darwin and the 150th anniversary of the publication of The Origin of Species. The $US5 million film is, they say, "among the biggest documentary film projects undertaken by any faith-funded Christian organization in the world"[1]
Support Groups
CMI in Australia has a number of volunteer auxiliaries known as "Support Groups", located mainly in each of the state capitals.
Scientists and Speakers
The following scientists and speakers work for CMI.
- Adrian Bates (New Zealand)
- Gary Bates (Australia)
- Dr. Don Batten, plant physiology (Australia)
- Philip Bell, zoology (United Kingdom)
- Dr. Rob Carter, Marine biology (United States)
- Dr. David Catchpoole, plant physiology (Australia)
- Jeff Chiasson (Canada)
- Richard Fangrad, electronics (Canada)
- Dr. John Hartnett, physics (Australia, part time)
- Dr. Mark Harwood, satellite specialist (Australia, part time)
- Dr Johan Kruger, zoologist (South Africa)
- Dr. Pierre Jerlström, molecular biology (Australia)
- Mark Robertson, hydrogeology (Australia, part time)
- Dr. Jonathan Sarfati, physical chemistry (Australia)
- Dr Emil Silvestru, geology (cave specialist) (Canada)
- Calvin Smith (Canada)
- Peter Sparrow (Creation Bus, Australia)
- Dr. Tas Walker engineering, geology (Australia)
- Rod Walsh (Ark Van, Australia, part time)
- Dr. Carl Wieland, medical doctor (Australia)
History
The history of CMI can be traced back to 1977, when Dr. Carl Wieland started the Creation Science Association in South Australia, and Ken Ham and John Mackay started Creation Science Educational Media Services in Queensland around the same time. In 1980, the two organisations amalgamated and renamed the Creation Science Foundation, based in Queensland. Wieland had started publishing the magazine, and with the amalgamation, this was taken over by Ham and Mackay.
In 1986 Ham left CSF and went to work for the Institute for Creation Research in California. Mackay left in 1987 and started his own creation ministry. Wieland returned to take over management of the organisation, which remained (and remains to this day) in Brisbane, Queensland.
CSF opened an office in the United Kingdom in 1993.
In 1994, Ham left ICR and started a branch of CSF in the United States, but because of legal technicalities, could not use that name, and instead called the organisation Answers in Genesis. The other CSF offices changed their name to Answers in Genesis soon after.
Also in 1994, an office was opened in Auckland, New Zealand. Canada followed in 1998, when the Creation Science Association of Ontario, which had been in existence since 1978, joined the group. The South African ministry began in 2002.
In early 2006, following a decision by AiG (US) to break from the international group (along with AiG (UK)), the remaining organisations changed their name to Creation Ministries International and commenced their own web-site. The AiG website retains most of the material originally provided by the Australian office.
Later in 2006, CMI opened new offices in the United States and the United Kingdom.
Dispute with Answers in Genesis
For more detail, see Answers in Genesis: Dispute with Creation Ministries International
In early 2006, Answers in Genesis (U.S.) stopped distribution of Creation magazine and the Journal of Creation, switching the subscribers to their new magazine, Answers. CMI claims that this was unethical, unlawful, and harmed their ministry. After failing to obtain a satisfactory resolution on the dispute, CMI began legal proceedings against AiG (U.S.) in May 2007.[2]
