Creation Ministries International
Creation Ministries International (CMI) is a non-profit young Earth creationist organisation of autonomous Creationist apologetics ministries that promote a literal interpretation of the Book of Genesis.[1] Ministries are located in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States.[2]
 | |
| Abbreviation | CMI |
|---|---|
| Motto | "Proclaiming the truth and authority of the Bible" |
| Formation | 1977 |
| Type | Christian apologetics ministry |
| Legal status | Non-profit |
| Purpose | Young Earth creationism Christian apologetics Biblical inerrancy |
| Location |
|
| Website | creation |
History
In 1977 Carl Wieland organised the Creation Science Association (CSA) in Adelaide in South Australia. In 1978 the organisation began the magazine Ex Nihilo (from the Latin phrase Creatio ex nihilo, meaning "Creation out of nothing"). Soon after, the Creation Science Foundation (CSF) took over production of Ex Nihilo (later renaming it Creation Ex Nihilo, and eventually simply Creation). In 1984, CSF started the Ex Nihilo Technical Journal for more in-depth analysis of creation issues (it was later renamed Creation Ex Nihilo Technical Journal, then simply TJ, and now the Journal of Creation).
In the mid-1990s Ken Ham, formerly of the Creation Science Foundation and then part of the Institute for Creation Research, formed an autonomous ministry in the United States. This ministry, along with the Australian Creation Science Foundation, were branded "Answers in Genesis" (AiG); eventually, legally-autonomous Answers in Genesis offices were opened in Canada, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom.
In October 2005 Ken Ham separated the US and UK AIG offices from the other offices.[3] In early 2006, the Australia, Canada, New Zealand and South Africa re-branded as "Creation Ministries International".[3]
In late 2006 CMI established offices in the UK and United States.[3] Since then CMI has distributed Creation magazine and the Journal of Creation in the United States itself.
CMI publishes Creation magazine as well as the Journal of Creation. Creation has subscribers in more than 170 countries,[4] with 60,000 copies of each issue produced.[5] Creation is published four times a year. The Journal of Creation is published three times a year.
The Voyage That Shook the World
The Voyage That Shook The World is a 2009 dramatised documentary film commissioned by Creation Ministries International and produced by Fathom Media. It was released to mark the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin's birth and the 150th anniversary of the publication of his seminal work On the Origin of Species.[6][7]
This 52-minute-long film includes interviews with scholars, academics and scientists covering a wide range of views including proponents of the scientific consensus on evolution as well as proponents of intelligent design and young earth creationism. It features wild-life footage from the Galapagos Islands as well as on-location footage from Argentina, Chile, Tierra del Fuego, and the United Kingdom. The film's dramatised sequences were shot on location in Tasmania, Australia.
Legal controversy with Answers in Genesis
CMI's history is closely linked with that of its daughter ministry in the United States, Answers in Genesis (AiG), founded by former Australian colleague Ken Ham. A legal and personal dispute broke out between the Australian and US arms of AiG in 2005, involving claims of unethical dealing in the handling of magazine subscriptions and autocratic leadership on Ham's part. A more involved analysis of the situation is described in an account in the Reports of the National Center for Science Education.[8]
A lawsuit was filed on 31 May 2007, by CMI in Supreme Court of Queensland against Ken Ham and Answers in Genesis, seeking damages and accusing "unbiblical/unethical/unlawful behaviour" in Ham's dealings with the Australian organisation.[9]
CMI produces Creation Magazine and the Journal of Creation, formerly distributed by the US and UK AiG offices to their respective countries prior to the split. The Australian group maintains it was disconnected from all its American subscribers when the US office "announced on its web site (without telling us, the publishers) that it was ceasing to distribute both of these publications (and simultaneously announced its own magazine)". CMI further alleged in the lawsuit that AiG misrepresented their own magazine to subscribers as a replacement of Creation. CMI is claiming $252,000 (US) in damages for lost revenue by misleading and deceptive conduct in relating to lost subscriptions.[10] The case also concerns use of the trademark "Answers in Genesis" within Australia, and alleged misuse by Ken Ham of his position as a director for the Australian group to cause it detriment.
Answers in Genesis has had little to say in public to these accusations, but in comments to news reporters Ken Ham dismisses them all as "totally preposterous and untrue".[9]
In February 2009, the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit ordered Australian-based Creation Ministries International into arbitration in the United States with Answers in Genesis (as sought by AiG) over copyrights and control of affiliates in other countries.[11][12]
In April 2009, the ministries reached a settlement and ended their dispute.
References
- "Should Genesis be taken literally". creation.com. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
- "Worldwide Contact Information". creation.com. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
- Creation Ministries International – About us, history
- "Creation magazine". creation.com. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
- Archived 3 October 2009 at the Wayback Machine
- "The Voyage that shook the world". ballymoneytimes.co.uk. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
- "BBC – Will & Testament: Creationists defend Darwin film". BBC. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
- Lippard, Jim (2006). "Trouble in Paradise: Answers in Genesis Splinters". Reports of the National Center for Science Education. 26 (6, November): 4–7. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
- Archived 6 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
- Lovan, Dylan T. (2009). "Court: Creationists Should Settle Outside Court" (online). Taiwan News (14 February). Associated Press. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
- Answers in Genesis of Kentucky v. Creation Ministries International, Ltd., 08-6014/6032 (6th Cir. 2009) ("For the foregoing reasons, we affirm the judgment of the district court in its entirety. Our affirmance as to the district court's refusal to issue a foreign antisuit injunction is without prejudice so that AiG may renew its motion before the district court should proceedings in the Australian suit resume. We also deny CMI's motion to stay arbitration as moot in light of our disposition of this appeal. (United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit)").