The Cambrian Explosion: Evolution's Big Bang Or Darwin's Dilemma?

Walter L. Starkey

Reviewed by: J. W. Scott

The Cambrian Explosion: Evolution's Big Bang? Or Darwin's Dilemma? by Walter L. Starkey. Published by WLS Publishing, P.O. Box 472, Dublin, OH 43017, 1999. Paperback, 300 pages, $20.00. Creationists, Young-Earth and Old-Earth, by Walter L. Starkey. Published by WLS, 2000. Paperback, 22 pages, $9.00. Reviewed by New Horizons managing editor J. W. Scott.

Walter L. Starkey is a professor emeritus of mechanical engineering at Ohio State University and an evangelical Christian. The "Cambrian explosion" is the sudden appearance in the geologic record of a multitude of complex animals. Starkey argues (like Behe, Dembski, and others) that these and all subsequent creatures give every evidence of having been designed by an intelligent designer, i.e., God.

Evolutionists will counter that evolution produces apparent design (i.e., successful adaptation). So Starkey argues that no "new-feature-producing agent" (including mutations) is demonstrably adequate to account for the origin and complexity of life on earth. He then gives a day-age correlation of Genesis 1 and the findings of modern science (much like Hugh Ross).

Evolutionists will counter that the fossil record proves that evolution occurred, by whatever means. But Starkey argues that the fossil record is consistent with the view that God gradually created more and more creatures over millions of years.

In Creationists, Starkey outlines the scientific evidence for an old earth, which he regards as definitive. He agrees with young-earth creationists that homo sapiens was created about 10,000 years ago, but he mistakenly asserts that "most scientists" agree (p.ll).

Starkey's work is a worthy addition to the progressive creationist literature, but much remains to be demonstrated. For example, he does not explain how Noah's flood fits into the geological picture.