This posting is in response to your June 15 posting entitled, “Answers in Genesis (AIG) Fires Preterists... ”

The leadership of Answers in Genesis is troubled that you have made public claims about this ministry that are simply untrue. Allow me to respond to the individual claims in your posting:

“It came to our attention that last week, the Cincinnati based Answers In Genesis, which labels itself as "a Christian apologetics ministry" fired two of its employees for subscribing to the doctrine of Preterism.”

Due to privacy laws, we are unable to release information about why employees are released from duty - for any reason. We do, however, require that all employees agree with our statement of faith. Any reasonable person would expect a non-profit Christian ministry to require that those who serve in its ranks believe and support what the organization believes. Otherwise, how could such staff - in good conscience - serve?

“We should point out that Answers In Genesis has a strong dispensationalist background”

I am genuinely puzzled to know what led you to the conclusion that, “Answers In Genesis has a strong dispensationalist background”? In AiG's Statement of Faith, publicly posted on our web site, you will find that our position on eschatology is not 'strong dispensationalist'. Rather, under section '(C) Theology', point #9 simply states, “Jesus Christ... shall return in like manner to this Earth as Judge of the living and the dead.” This statement is consistent with the major orthodox views of eschatology such as Historic Premillennialism, Postmillennialism, and Amillennialism. Is a person or organization automatically 'dispensational' if it disagrees with the full preterist view on the nature and timing of the return of Christ? I hope not. Such a generalization would be careless.

Perhaps by the word 'background' you are referring to AiG's beginnings in Queensland, Australia over 25 years ago. If not now, can you demonstrate that AiG was a dispensationalist ministry in its early days? It has never been anything other than a non-aligned ministry, eschatologically.

It is possible that you are confusing AiG's position on eschatology with that of the Institute of Creation Research (ICR). Ken was 'on loan' to ICR from AiG-Australia for several years before he (and two other gentlemen) founded the US ministry in 1993. While we hold ICR in very high regard as a sister organization, we do differ significantly in that we do not take a particular/official eschatological position such as they do. They are openly Dispensational and Premillennial - taking a specific eschatological position. We are not, nor have we ever, been either dispensationalist or anti-dispensationalist as a ministry.

And therefore we have a wide range of individual views among our staff and leadership. For instance, as the Executive Vice President of AiG-USA, I am a member in the Presbyterian Church in America and do not adhere to the dispensational system of doctrine. In addition, the honorary chairperson for our Creation Museum project is Dr. D. James Kennedy - hardly a dispensationalist. It is true, that some of our staff hold to the 'Dispensational' system of doctrine. Conversely, some of our staff are 'Covenantal' and hold to Amillennial or Postmillennial views.

“and a lot of its financial support comes from dispensationalist churches and congregations.”

This is a strange statement-quite apart from the fact that one wonders what you would know about the makeup of our support base. We get a lot of our financial support from non-dispensationalist churches and congregations, too-the simple fact is that our ministry is supported from a very wide range of believers, who all share our commitment to the authority of the Bible, and realize that we are truly non-denominational and not on about eschatological issues.

For example, we are conducting a major apologetics conference, 'Defending the Faith,' at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in January of 2005 featuring:

Dr. D. James Kennedy (Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church)
Dr. R.C. Sproul, Jr. (The Highlands Study Center & Saint Peter Presbyterian Church)
Dr. Cal Beisner (Knox Theological Seminary)
Dr. Joseph Pipa (President, Greenville Presbyterian Theological Seminary)
As well as 2 speakers from AiG (Ken Ham, and Dr. David Menton - a devout Lutheran)

Also, AiG has hosted Dr. Douglas Kelly from Reformed Theological Seminary to speak at our conferences. We have also featured Gary DeMar, author of 'Last Days Madness: Obsession of the Modern Church', as a guest columnist on our website. Again, the claim that we are strongly associated with Dispensationalists - more so than scholars/organizations from other persuasions - is sensationalistic and unfounded.

“While we will keep the identities of the individuals in questions private (for now),”

Please consider the counsel of Proverbs 18:13 and Proverbs 18:17 before making any further public claims without hearing the other side.

“it is our understanding that Answers In Genesis re-issued or will re-issue its Statement of Faith to all its employees, effectively forcing the two individuals to refuse to sign the new statement, prompting the termination of employment.”

Again, what is unrealistic about expecting staff to agree with the mission and creed of the organization in which they serve? Incidentally, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act permits religious organizations to discriminate on the basis of religion in the employment of any person for any position.

“Please pray for the two families in question. They both have children, one of which has a newborn baby. These events will most likely put both families in a difficult financial situation.”

Answers in Genesis has always been very generous to employees and their families when they have been released from duty. We offer a very generous severance package to give the unemployed ample opportunity to find new employment. Our HR consultant is also available to assist the unemployed in finding new placement. It is unfortunate that your comments leave the reader with the impression that AiG disregards employees without any care for their well-being.

“You can contact Answers In Genesis with your comments at (859) 727-2222 or (800) 778-3390 or write to:

PO Box 6330 Florence, Kentucky 41022 United States of America”

Thank you for directing people to us. We wish, however, that you had taken this advice as well before publishing claims about this organization that are untrue. Incidentally, the 800 number you have listed is our customer service number for placing orders. Our corporate toll free number is 1-800-350-3232.

For His Kingdom,