Bible Basics Series #1: Baby Dinosaurs on the Ark? Review and Discussion Guide

Baby Dinosaurs on the Ark? Review by the Hobbit. This post contains affiliate links, you can find out more on our policies page or in the disclaimer at the bottom of the blog. 

Know Before You Read

Book: Baby Dinosaurs on the Ark? The Bible and Modern Science and the Trouble of Making it All Fit.
Author: Janet Kellogg Ray
Publication Date: September 9th, 2021
Pages: 213
Reading Age: Older teen and Adult

Following in the footsteps of Lewis as best we can, the Bible Basic series is a series of reviews of books that remind us of Lewis’ approach to the Bible – very accessible, yet also rigorous. For the topics we cover, we also will try to reflect his views as much as possible.

Baby Dinosaurs on the Ark? Review

First – if you are a committed 6-day creationist, this book is not for you. Lewis was not – he believed in evolution. In his time this was not the issue it has become today, although there were certainly differences of opinion amongst Christians. If you already believe that evolution and the Bible are completely compatible, or, even more so, if you are looking for some clear answers on this topic, this is a highly recommended book.

Janet Kellogg Ray starts with a bit of biography and then outlines what she sees as the current situation. This topic has become not a matter of interpretation, but a test of faith. She presents an extremely clear description of each of the major positions. As she acknowledges, not everyone will fit into one of the camps, but her chapter here is very useful. She describes the following:

  • Young Earth Creationism
  • Old Earth Creationism
  • Intelligent Design
  • Theistic Evolution
  • Naturalism (only major voices)

For each of these, she provides a summary of major voices and positions on scientific evidence, the age of the earth/universe, creation week, humans, the flood, and theology. She is firmly in the Theistic Evolution camp (as noted, from Lewis’s writing, that is most likely his camp as well).

Kellogg Ray then explores in more depth the age of the universe/earth, Noah’s flood, the fossil record, geology, the concept of a “missing link” and why it is not valid, errors in the idea of intelligent design, and human evolution. As noted, all are clearly presented. These chapters deal heavily with scientific evidence, and how it relates to the traditional six-day creation view.

She has one of the most important chapters – Leaving Creationism Without Leaving God. In this chapter, she explains why it is possible to fully believe in the God of the Bible – and not be in the first three camps above. In particular, not be a six-day creationist. This chapter speaks very clearly to those who are searching on the issue of making science and the Bible fit. As she notes, this is usually a journey.

Continue reading for our Baby Dinosaurs on the Ark? Quotes

Baby Dinosaurs on the Ark? Quotes

Favorite Baby Dinosaurs on the Ark? Quotes

“Evolution is elegant. Evolution is creative. Evolution produced a creation that continues to create…Nothing about evolution excludes God…”

Evolution theory says nothing about God or religion or any other world view, for that matter.

“The Bible is not an authority about the facts of modern science. It was never meant to be.”

“The Bible gives us answers to the who and why of creation; science answers the how and when.”

Baby Dinosaurs on the Ark? Quotes

Baby Dinosaurs on the Ark? Discussion Questions

  1. Which of the five camps would you say you are currently in? Are you open to the concepts in this book?
  2. In her last chapter, Kellogg Ray cites a study that lists conflict over religion as a major factor in people leaving churches. Is this something you have seen?
  3. In her middle chapters, she speaks to the elegance and creativity within the evolutionary process. How does this speak to God?
Thanks for reading our Baby Dinosaurs on the Ark? Review and Discussion Questions.

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