Are The Bible And Evolution Compatible?

Are The Bible And Evolution Compatible?

Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI

Biblical Authority Ministries, February 11, 2026 (Donate) 

Confound the Critics is a book that shows how to engage in debate in our modern culture by use of examples of letters like the one below. 

Letter, unedited: 

I am just making a comment on multiple articles i have read on the topic of evolution on your site. I myself am a dedicated Christian; however, i also believe in evolution. This is due to my extreme interest in the whole debate which has raged about the topic for many many years, and being a zookeeper and animal trainer i felt i should personally educate myself as much as i could in the subject. The article which is based around proof of creation and presumptions, i think, is quite a shallow inlook to the situation. First of all, if this was the case the greater influence to evolutionary thinking, Charles Darwin would have never hypothesised natural selection, as he was a theological student and a dedicated christian at the time of his journey on the beagle. Also saying that because evolution theory has been constantly re written and the bible is not we should trust the bible, all it shows is that evolution is willing to move with the times and evidence.

Thank you,

C.C., Australia 

Response:

Thank you for contacting the ministry. I want to encourage you to read Genesis and meditate on it because it simply doesn’t mix with evolution. Years ago, I considered mixing them—more specifically, the evolutionary aspect of millions of years with the Bible. Regardless of how much I studied, it didn’t work. So, I know where you are coming from.

I am commenting below to help you get started, but I’m starting with a passage from Christ in Mark that is relevant to this discussion. My comments are intended with kindness and sincerity.

I am just making a comment on multiple articles i have read on the topic of evolution on your site. I myself am a dedicated Christian; however, i also believe in evolution.

One of the problems I faced was Christ’s comments in Mark. Jesus said:

“But from the beginning of the creation, God 'made them male and female'” (Mark 10:6).

If you believe Christ is Lord and are dedicated to following the Words of Jesus, then this becomes an enormous problem. According to the General Theory of Evolution, many billions of years ago the creation began, and man only evolved into the scene a few thousand years ago. Do you think that Jesus was in error and that human marriage between male and female (of which Jesus is speaking) has been around 13 or so billion years?

Jesus, the Creator, made it clear that the first marriage between man and woman (Adam and Eve) came at the beginning of creation. Tallying up the genealogies, Jesus was speaking about 4000 years after this creation. So, let’s look at this in chart form:

Jesus speaking about God making man and woman the beginning of creation; Image requested by Bodie Hodge (ChatGPT)

If the days in Genesis are regular solar days and Jesus was speaking about 4000 years later, then, yes, the first marriage on Day 6 was at the beginning of creation. 

If the earth is indeed billions of years old, then the first male and female came nowhere near the beginning of creation. This is a major theological problem. Either Christ is a liar in that view, or Christ told the truth and man-made evolution is a lie.

With "billions of years" prior to Adam and Eve, then it makes a mockery of Christ's statement as this would literally be at the end of creation. Image requested by Bodie Hodge (ChatGPT)

Those who religiously believe in evolutionary time over God’s Word have tried to respond:

1. Some say biblical creationists have the same problem by appealing to Mark 10:6 as not being Day 1 of creation.
2. Some insert words in the Bible to change the meaning (e.g. “beginning of the creation of marriage”).
3. Some suggest that beginning is referring to an entire figurative “6-day” creation period or Creation Week,
   regardless of its length.

Looking at point 1: The argument incorrectly makes the assumption that the “beginning of creation” means the “first day of creation.” The Bible doesn’t say Day 1 of creation; it says the beginning of the creation.

If one were to watch a movie, like Expelled by Ben Stein, and then tell a friend about the beginning of the movie, would that consist of the first word or frame of the movie only? Absolutely not; it would be a range of time surrounding the beginning of the movie and the events that get the movie going. Jesus’ statement was reasonable and accurate, and any view of an old earth clearly falls flat.

The Bible points out that the term beginning has a bit of a range. For example, the devil was a sinner “from the beginning” (1 John 3:8) and yet this was after God’s declaration that everything was very good at the end of Day 6, as sin is not very good nor is the devil. The foundations of the earth were made on Day 3 (God made the dry land) and that was “at the beginning” according to Hebrews 1:10.

Even if an “old earther” were to try to use point 1, then they are conceding that Jesus would be wrong. Can Jesus err? No. If Jesus can err, then perhaps Jesus erred in passages concerning salvation. If this were the case, then it undermines the gospel and deity of Christ.

Looking at point 2: Who is fallible sinful mankind to try to add to Scripture to “correct” God? Sadly, when I hear someone add to Scripture in order to make it align with personal views, I think of Jehovah’s Witnesses treatment of John 1.[1]

Jehovah’s Witnesses view Jesus as a created archangel, named Michael. So John 1, becomes a major problem for Jehovah’s Witnesses because Jesus, the Word, is the Creator of all things. So, they change the Scriptures to align with their viewpoint:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1 NKJV)

Jehovah’s Witness change: In [the] beginning the Word was, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god. (John 1:1 NWT)

Notice how the change is that the Word was “a god” as opposed to “God.” Sadly, this is done to change the Bible to conform to Jehovah’s Witnesses’ fallible theology. When people take Mark 10:6 and change it to conform to mankind’s fallible theology, then what is the difference? Don’t mistake what I’m saying here; “old earthers” are still saved as long as Jesus is their Savior, but their tack is the same as Jehovah’s Witnesses. Conforming ourselves to what Scripture says should be the goal of a Christian, not trying to change the meaning of Scripture.

Looking at point 3: If one goes on to conclude that “from the beginning of creation” (and likewise “from the beginning” in Matthew 19:4) means “all of the creative period, regardless of its length” then this implies 13–14 billion years of time in the “creative period,” which is the beginning, middle, and end of the creation!

It is strange that one would think that 13 billion years or so have passed and that all of it is the beginning of creation—and now suddenly we are at the end after a few “measly” thousand years. Going back to our movie illustration, this would be akin to telling someone that the end was the last one second of a movie and that the other two hours of it were only the beginning.

1 John 3:8 indicates that Satan was a sinner from the beginning and yet this was after creation week! So if point three is true, then 1 John 3:8 is wrong! It simply causes problems when one tries to add billions of years into creation week. Biblical creationists can say that the first six days are all part of the beginning of creation—and we can rightly argue this; an old earth creationist can’t. I encourage you to trust Jesus over evolution stories.

This is due to my extreme interest in the whole debate which has raged about the topic for many many years, and being a zookeeper and animal trainer i felt i should personally educate myself as much as i could in the subject. The article which is based around proof of creation and presumptions, i think, is quite a shallow inlook to the situation.

I’m not sure which article you are referring to, but the fact is that nothing makes sense without the Bible, and evolution has no basis in the Bible. And it should be the Bible that is the authority over any article.

First of all, if this was the case the greater influence to evolutionary thinking, Charles Darwin would have never hypothesised natural selection, as he was a theological student

Darwin didn’t originally hypothesize natural selection; he merely gave it a name. Darwin was well aware of creationist Edward Blyth, who published several papers on the subject 20–25 years before. The idea was around before both of them, though.

You are correct: Darwin was not a scientist, but a theologian. I find it ironic that evolutionists often criticize creationists for saying anything outside of their field of study, and yet they do not question Darwin who spoke about biology.

and a dedicated christian at the time of his journey on the beagle.

I seriously doubt Darwin ever gave his life to Christ. If he was saved, how could he walk away from Christ (Isaiah 43:10-1; John 10:28-30; 1 John 2:15-20; John 6:40:37–40). Studying Scripture, and even a theology degree, won’t get anyone into heaven. Jesus Christ is the only way (John 14:6).

Darwin described himself as an agnostic at best and even published that man, while evolving, invented the concept of God. Darwin wrote:

“What my own views may be is a question of no consequence to any one but myself. But, as you ask, I may state that my judgment often fluctuates . . . . In my most extreme fluctuations I have never been an Atheist in the sense of denying the existence of a God. I think that generally (and more and more as I grow older), but not always, that an Agnostic would be the more correct description of my state of mind.”[2]

Fluctuation about whether there is a God or not has little to do with salvation, which is found in no other name under heaven than Christ (Acts 4:12).

Also saying that because evolution theory

“Theory”? Evolution is not a theory; it is a failed hypothesis at best as its coherence leaves much to be desired.

has been constantly re written and the bible is not we should trust the bible, all it shows is that evolution is willing to move with the times and evidence.

So are you saying that the Bible shouldn’t be trusted? If evolution is true, then the Bible is false. Even evolutionists get this loud and clear:

“Christianity has fought, still fights, and will continue to fight science to the desperate end over evolution, because evolution destroys utterly and finally the very reason Jesus’ earthly life was supposedly made necessary. Destroy Adam and Eve and the original sin, and in the rubble you will find the sorry remains of the Son of God. If Jesus was not the redeemer who died for our sins, and this is what evolution means, then Christianity is nothing.”[3]

Since evolution is being re-written every day, then it should be a red flag that there is something wrong with that belief system. Why add that belief system to the Bible? Would we want a Bible that changed or a God that did (Psalm 119:89; Hebrews 13:8)? The issue is simple: if you can’t fully understand how God can create in six days as opposed to the atheistic belief in millions of years, then grant God the honor of being more learned than you are.

It is time to stop trusting in the “religion of the day,” and get back to the authority of the Word of God.

With kindness in Christ,

□

Bodie Hodge, Ken Ham's son in law, has been an apologist since 1998 helping out in various churches and running an apologetics website. He spent 21 years working at Answers in Genesis as a speaker, writer, and researcher as well as a founding news anchor for Answers News. He was also head of the Oversight Council.  

Bodie launched Biblical Authority Ministries in 2015 as a personal website and it was organized officially in 2025 as a 501(c)(3). He has spoken on multiple continents and hosts of US states in churches, colleges, and universities. He is married with four children.

Mr. Hodge earned a Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIUC). Then he taught at SIUC for a couple of years as a Visiting Instructor teaching all levels of undergraduate engineering and running a materials lab and a CAD lab. He did research on advanced ceramic materials to develop a new method of production of titanium diboride with a grant from Lockheed Martin. He worked as a Test Engineer for Caterpillar, Inc., prior to entering full-time ministry.

His love of science was coupled with a love of history, philosophy, and theology. For about one year of his life, Bodie was editing and updating a theological, historical, and scientific dictionary/encyclopedia for AI use and training. Mr. Hodge has over 25 years of experience in writing, speaking and researching in these fields. Originally at Answers in Genesis; Edited; Republished by permission. 

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[1] Is Jesus the Creator God?, Bodie Hodge, Answers in Genesis website, December 12, 2007, http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/aid/v2/n1/jesus-the-creator.

[2] Letter addressed to Mr. J. Fordyce, and published by him in his “Aspects of Scepticism” (1883) in Charles Darwin, The Life and Letters of Charles Darwin, Including an Autobiographical Chapter, Volume 1, ed. Francis Darwin (London: John Murray, 1887).

[3] G. Richard Bozarth, “The Meaning of Evolution,” American Atheist, 20 September, 1979, p. 30.

The Doctrine Of Work And Rest

The Doctrine Of Work And Rest

Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI

Biblical Authority Ministries, February 10, 2026 (Donate)

It is remarkable that Christians today often have to re-explain something as basic as work and rest. And yet, these doctrines are frequently misunderstood, distorted, or disconnected from their biblical foundation.

Ironically, the modern world benefits immensely from concepts of labor, productivity, weekends, vacations, and even retirement, all of which ultimately trace back to Scripture—Genesis 1-11 to be more precise! Work and rest are not human inventions; they are divine institutions established by God Himself for the benefit of man.

God designed and created us and our earthly environment; He would know what our bodies need most. And this is the case in both a perfect world and the sin-cursed and broken world that has transpired since Genesis 3.

What Is Work?

Biblically, work is purposeful activity carried out under God’s authority. Work did not originate after the Fall. Before sin entered the world, God placed Adam in the garden “to tend and keep it” (Genesis 2:15). Work, therefore, is not a curse; it is part of God’s original design for mankind. For those who do a job well done, there an amazing satisfaction behind it And that is part of God’s design.

Infographic of work and rest; Image requested by Bodie Hodge (ChatGPT)

Man was created to reflect God’s character, and God Himself is portrayed as the ultimate Worker. There is a joy in it when done with the right heart. Genesis opens with God actively working: creating, shaping, separating, naming, and blessing.

Work, in Scripture, is tied to stewardship. Man is called to cultivate the earth, exercise dominion under God, and use creation responsibly. Man is profoundly made in the image of a working God. Granted, all of God’s work is perfect (Deuteronomy 32:4) and we fall short far too often since Genesis 3 and the curse upon creation.

After the Fall, work became more difficult and frustrating (Genesis 3:17–19). We now deal with thorns and thistles and blood, sweat, and tears! But take note, work did not lose its dignity or purpose. Scripture consistently treats honest labor as good, honorable, and necessary.

What Is Rest?

Rest, biblically understood, is not laziness or idleness. Rest is the cessation of normal labor for the purpose of recuperation, restoration, praise and worship, learning from God’s Word, joy, and trust in God. God Himself rested after creation, not because He was weary, but because His work was complete and He did this as an example to man (Exodus 20:11; Mark 2:27).

“And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done” (Genesis 2:2, NKJV).

Rest didn’t mean complete cessation either—consider that God continued to work to uphold all things into existence. Rest is a declaration of dependence.

By resting, man acknowledges that the world continues because God sustains it, not because man never stops working. True rest should direct our hearts from productivity to worshipping and praising God and learning from His Word and this helps keep us from getting caught up in our own works and worship the work of our hands.

The Work-Rest Cycles

The Weekly Work-Rest Cycle

The foundational work-rest rhythm  of a week is established in creation itself. God worked for six days and rested on the seventh, blessing and making it holy (Genesis 2:1–3). This pattern is later put into the Fourth Commandment as part of the Mosaic Covenant (Old Covenant):

“For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it” (Exodus 20:11, NKJV).

Exodus 31:17 also shows that this pattern was a sign that goes back to creation, not merely Israel’s culture.

The weekly cycle teaches balance. Work is required, but it is limited. Rest is commanded, but it is purposeful. God sets boundaries on labor to protect mankind from both exploitation and self-destruction.

Between the seventh day of rest (Sabbath) and the Lord’s Day (because Christ resurrected on the first day), this forms the basis for the weekend.

The Daily Work-Rest Cycle

Scripture also recognizes a daily rhythm of labor and rest. Psalm 104:23, NKJV states,

“Man goes out to his work and to his labor until the evening.”

The regular pattern of morning labor and nighttime rest reflects God’s ordering of time itself: day for work, night for rest which was likely His model of working during Creation Week. This daily cycle shows that sleep itself is a gift from God (Psalm 127:2).

Looks like a great place to take my daily rest! Image requested by Bodie Hodge (ChatGPT)

The Jubilee Work-Rest Cycle

Beyond weekly and daily rest, God instituted long-term rest cycles for the land and for society. Every seventh year was a sabbatical year when the land rested (Leviticus 25:4), and every fiftieth year was the Year of Jubilee. During Jubilee, debts were forgiven, land was returned, and economic reset was enforced. This system prevented perpetual poverty, generational exploitation, and unchecked accumulation of power.

The Jubilee cycle demonstrated that God is the true owner of all property and wealth. Israel was reminded that they were stewards, not absolute owners.

How Jesus Respected The Work-Rest Cycle

Jesus fully honored God’s design for work and rest. He worked diligently in His earthly ministry, often to the point of physical exhaustion, yet He also withdrew to rest and pray (Mark 6:31). Jesus affirmed the Sabbath’s purpose when He said,

“The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27, NKJV).

He corrected legalistic abuses of rest without abolishing its principle. Christ also fulfilled the deeper meaning of rest by offering spiritual rest to the weary:

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28, NKJV).

In Christ, believers find ultimate and eternal rest from the burden and weight of sin and its punishment, while still honoring God through faithful labor. In Christ, we look forward to a new heavens and new earth that will be perfect. Try to imagine how amazing work would be in a perfect world again!

The Value of Work

Scripture is clear that work is a moral obligation. The apostle Paul states plainly,

“If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10, NKJV).

This principle shows man’s responsibility and rejects laziness or slothfulness and entitlement. Work is the ordinary means by which God provides for individuals, families, and communities.

At the same time, Scripture condemns exploitation, fraud, and oppression in labor. Sadly, the secular mindset that permeates our society opens the door to all sorts of terrible things like this.

Nevertheless, work is valuable not merely because it produces income, but because it reflects obedience to God’s design.

Currency Types in Scripture

The Bible recognizes multiple forms of wealth and currency. And these are still relevant today.

Livestock and Property

In the ancient world and all the way up to today, wealth was often measured in land, livestock, and productive assets. I grew up on a farm where land, our cattle, hogs, sheep, chickens, and grain were valuable commodities.

Cattle have maintained their value since the days of Abraham

Abraham, Job, and Solomon are described as wealthy with property and herds. This category corresponds today, not just with farm assets, but also real estate, businesses, investments, and productive enterprises. These forms of wealth should be signs of stewardship, and long-term responsibility.

Gold, Silver, and Precious Metals

Another form of wealth that Abraham, Job, and Solomon had was measured in gold. This actually goes back to Genesis and God giving it value in Genesis 2:11-12.  

Abram was very rich in livestock, in silver, and in gold. (Genesis 13:2, NKJV)

Then all his brothers, all his sisters, and all those who had been his acquaintances before, came to him and ate food with him in his house; and they consoled him and comforted him for all the adversity that the LORD had brought upon him. Each one gave him a piece of silver and each a ring of gold. (Job 42:11, NKJV)

All King Solomon’s drinking vessels were gold, and all the vessels of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. Not one was silver, for this was accounted as nothing in the days of Solomon. (1 Kings 10:21, NKJV)

Scripture often references gold and silver as the currency of exchange and stores of value. Proverbs 16:16, NKJV states,

“How much better to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.”

While precious metals are acknowledged as valuable, Scripture consistently places moral and spiritual priorities above material wealth.

Gold Ring; Photo by Bodie Hodge

The Bible warns against trusting riches while recognizing that material resources can be used righteously when submitted to God’s authority.

Conclusion

The doctrine of work and rest is woven into the fabric of creation, law, wisdom literature, and the life of Christ. Work is dignified, necessary, and God-ordained. Rest is commanded, meaningful, and faith-affirming. Together, they form a rhythm that protects mankind from idolatry, exhaustion, and even from despair.

When properly understood, our work should glorify God, provide for our needs, and serves others. Rest, on the other hand, should be used to restore and rejuvenate our body, reorient our soul with God’s purposes, and reminds man that God alone is sovereign.

In a restless world that seems to be obsessed with productivity and consumption, the biblical doctrine of work and rest remains both timeless (pun intended!) and incredibly necessary.

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Bodie Hodge, Ken Ham's son in law, has been an apologist since 1998 helping out in various churches and running an apologetics website. He spent 21 years working at Answers in Genesis as a speaker, writer, and researcher as well as a founding news anchor for Answers News. He was also head of the Oversight Council.  

Bodie launched Biblical Authority Ministries in 2015 as a personal website and it was organized officially in 2025 as a 501(c)(3). He has spoken on multiple continents and hosts of US states in churches, colleges, and universities. He is married with four children.

Mr. Hodge earned a Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIUC). Then he taught at SIUC for a couple of years as a Visiting Instructor teaching all levels of undergraduate engineering and running a materials lab and a CAD lab. He did research on advanced ceramic materials to develop a new method of production of titanium diboride with a grant from Lockheed Martin. He worked as a Test Engineer for Caterpillar, Inc., prior to entering full-time ministry.

His love of science was coupled with a love of history, philosophy, and theology. For about one year of his life, Bodie was editing and updating a theological, historical, and scientific dictionary/encyclopedia for AI use and training. Mr. Hodge has over 25 years of experience in writing, speaking and researching in these fields.

 

Three Methods To Make Rapid Petrified Wood

Three Methods To Make Rapid Petrified Wood

Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI

Biblical Authority Ministries, February 6, 2026 (Donate)

Introduction

I was taught that it takes millions of years to form petrified wood. Consider this quote from a geology website:

“The petrification process can take millions of years to complete. During this time, the minerals slowly replace the organic matter in the wood, cell by cell. The result is a rock-hard replica of the original tree.”[1]

Has anyone ever observed this alleged process over millions of years? No! This is pure speculation and arbitrary at best. I like to ask, “what experiments have been run that verify it takes millions of years to form petrified wood?” Again, there are none.  

On the flip side, did you know that we can make petrified wood quickly! It doesn’t long ages, but can be made in weeks to months.

Three methods of rapid formation of petrified wood; Image requested by Bodie Hodge (ChatGPT)

Some petrified wood is being manufactured for home products (e.g., flooring) and can be ordered through local home goods stores. Let’s look at a three of these methods of rapid petrified wood formation—some of which have been known for some time but others have been explored in more detail in recent decades. But first, what is petrified wood?

What Is Petrified Wood?

Petrified wood is wood that has been preserved by mineralization. The original organic material is replaced by minerals—partially or completely—while retaining the original cellular structure of the wood. This is not to be confused with coalified wood—which is a different process of converting wood to coal, which can be made quickly as well.

Chunks of coal; photo by Bodie Hodge

This petrifying process occurs when wood is rapidly buried or submerged [to seal out oxygen and prevent rapid decay and degradation of the wood’s fine details] in mineral-rich water. This allows dissolved minerals such as silica, calcite, or iron compounds to replace the pore spaces and cell walls. As the organic material decays or is removed by water transport, minerals precipitate in its place, forming a stone-like replica of the original wood.

Petrified wood; Photo by Bodie Hodge

Petrified wood is therefore not simply wood turned to stone, but a detailed mineral “cast” that preserves growth rings, vessels, and microscopic anatomy. The resulting fossil can be as structurally detailed as modern wood, yet composed entirely or largely of inorganic mineral matter. Of course, it is much heavier than the original wood, being that is now rock.

Method 1: Silicification By Silica-Rich Fluids[2]

This first method utilizes wood that has been mineralized rapidly through silicification by silica-rich fluids (SiO₂—think of “quartz”), particularly in hydrothermal or volcanic settings. The point here is that heat is involved to speed the process of converting the wood material to minerals.

Western Illinois silica geode; Photo by Bodie Hodge

When wood is buried or submerged in water that is chock full of dissolved silica, then the silica replaces cell walls and pore spaces while the organic material simultaneously decays or it removed. The heightened temperature and alkaline pH quickly increase silica solubility and reaction rates. So, the silica precipitates quickly as amorphous silica and then later recrystallizing into microcrystalline quartz. Don’t let the fancy terminology scare you. It simply means the process goes fast—very fast.

Laboratory experiments and field studies of hot spring environments show that cellular-scale replication of wood anatomy can occur on timescales of months to years, preserving microscopic structure before mechanical collapse. So actual scientific studies show this doesn’t require millions of years, but can be done quickly. This process does not require long, slow periods of diffusion over millions of years but instead depends on early, rapid mineral infiltration after burial.

This is exactly the type of conditions we expected at certain phases and places from the global Flood of Noah’s Day. Most of the petrified wood we find in the world today is associated with Flood rock and with volcanic layers—showing the heat was present to rapid formation of petrified wood. During the Flood, there was immense volcanic activity—especially when considering continental shifting and mountain building phases (e.g., Genesis 8:4-5; Psalm 104:8-9).

Second Method: Carbonate Permineralization[3]

Wood can also be mineralized rapidly through carbonate replacement which is also called permineralization. A carbonate material basically has a “CO₃” attached to it. It involves minerals such as calcite (CaCO₃), dolomite (CaMg(CO₃)₂)—which has calcium and magnesium, or siderite (FeCO₃) which has iron. The carbonate materials are the mineral that make the wood into stone instead of silica (SiO₂) from the last method.

With this process, it occurs in carbonate-rich waters, especially in anoxic (i.e., oxygen is kept out) or microbially active environments such as swamps, deltas, or shallow marine sediments. Then the dissolved calcium, magnesium, or iron precipitate within wood tissues. This process of carbonate precipitation is very fast under alkaline conditions and can occur before the wood collapses or fully decomposes.

Scientists have learned from experimental studies that carbonate mineralization of plant material can occur in months to years, producing rigid, stone-like replicas of wood structure. This mechanism is well documented in coal measures and flood deposits. Interestingly, unlike the last method, this one does not require high temperatures or silica-rich fluids. Again, these are the types of processes that were expected at certain phases and places during Noah’s Flood.

Third Method: Microbially Mineralization[4]

A third rapid pathway is microbially mediated mineralization, in which bacteria play a direct role in fossilization. Think of them like a catalysts that speeds up the process.

Microbial biofilms colonize buried or submerged wood and alter local chemical conditions—by basically putting a boundary around it. These changed chemical conditions could include pH, redox state, and ion concentration.

These “micro-environments” act as sites for mineral precipitation, speeding up the deposition of silica (SiO₂), carbonates (CO₃), iron minerals, or phosphates directly onto cell walls. Lab experiments revealed that microbial involvement can speed mineralization by orders of magnitude compared to abiotic processes (i.e., processes that are only physical/chemical without biological help).

The result—the mineral replication of biological tissues occurring in weeks to months. This mechanism explains the exceptional preservation of fine cellular detail observed in many fossil woods and plant remains. Again, these are the conditions that are expected during the year long Flood of Noah’s day.

Conclusion

Although many are taught that it takes long ages of millions of years to form petrified wood, this is simply not the case. There are multiple methods that can do it weeks, months, or at most a couple of years.

As mentioned, one of these processes is used to make petrified wood home goods if you want a beautiful and unique flooring in your home (though it does have its costs!). So these three methods have been known for a while and its time to start spreading the word about the rapid formation of petrified from a scientific perspective.

Recommended Resource:

A Flood of Evidence (by Ken Ham and Bodie Hodge)

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Bodie Hodge, Ken Ham's son in law, has been an apologist since 1998 helping out in various churches and running an apologetics website. He spent 21 years working at Answers in Genesis as a speaker, writer, and researcher as well as a founding news anchor for Answers News. He was also head of the Oversight Council.  

Bodie launched Biblical Authority Ministries in 2015 as a personal website and it was organized officially in 2025 as a 501(c)(3). He has spoken on multiple continents and hosts of US states in churches, colleges, and universities. He is married with four children.

Mr. Hodge earned a Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIUC). Then he taught at SIUC for a couple of years as a Visiting Instructor teaching all levels of undergraduate engineering and running a materials lab and a CAD lab. He did research on advanced ceramic materials to develop a new method of production of titanium diboride with a grant from Lockheed Martin. He worked as a Test Engineer for Caterpillar, Inc., prior to entering full-time ministry.

His love of science was coupled with a love of history, philosophy, and theology. For about one year of his life, Bodie was editing and updating a theological, historical, and scientific dictionary/encyclopedia for AI use and training. Mr. Hodge has over 25 years of experience in writing, speaking and researching in these fields.

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[1] Petrified Wood Forest: What It Is and How It Forms, Geology IN,  https://www.geologyin.com/2023/09/petrified-wood-forest-what-it-is-and.html.

[2] See: Leo, R. F., and E. S. Barghoorn. 1976. Silicification of wood. Botanical Museum Leaflets, Harvard University 25 (1): 1–47; Channing, A., and D. Edwards. 2009. Experimental taphonomy: silicification of plants in Yellowstone hot-spring environments. Transactions of the Royal Society of Edinburgh: Earth Sciences 100 (3–4): 219–246;

Mustoe, G. E. 2017. Non-silicified fossil woods of the Pacific Northwest. Geosciences 7 (4): 111.

[3] Berner, R. A. 1968. Calcium carbonate concretions formed by the decomposition of organic matter. Science 159 (3819): 195–197; Coleman, M. L. 1993. Microbial processes: controls on the shape and composition of carbonate concretions. Marine Geology 113 (1–2): 127–140; Allison, P. A., and D. E. G. Briggs. 1991. Taphonomy of nonmineralized tissues. In Taphonomy: Releasing the Data Locked in the Fossil Record, edited by P. A. Allison and D. E. G. Briggs, 25–70. New York: Plenum Press.

[4] See: Konhauser, K. O., J. R. Ferris, and T. J. Beveridge. 2004. Mineralization by bacteria in natural environments: implications for fossil preservation. Geobiology 2 (1): 1–17; Dupraz, C., R. P. Reid, O. Braissant, A. W. Decho, R. S. Norman, and P. T. Visscher. 2009. Processes of carbonate precipitation in modern microbial mats. Earth-Science Reviews 96 (3): 141–162; Iniesto, M., J. Lopez-Garcia, and C. Martin-Closas. 2015. Experimental fossilization of plants: decay versus mineralization in controlled microbial environments. Palaios 30 (4): 286–299.

Why the Resurrection Must Be Argued Presuppositionally

Why The Resurrection Must Be Argued Presuppositionally

Bodie Hodge, M.Sc., B.Sc., PEI

Biblical Authority Ministries, February 5, 2026 (Donate)

But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. “He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. “And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.” (Matthew 28:5-7, NKJV)

Introduction

God is the absolute authority on all matters. God’s Word comes with the authority of God Himself. Thus, when we look at the resurrection of Christ, we must first start with what God says about it. The Bible—God’s Holy Word—repeatedly affirms that Jesus resurrected. The resurrection is therefore 100% factually true. Anyone who disagrees is wrong—per God. 

Yet we live in a culture that elevates man’s ideas as an attempt to supersede and usurp God’s authority. Like Satan (e.g., Isaiah 14:12-15), man’s attempts at putting themselves above God and His throne, are met with utter failure (e.g., Isaiah 2:22; Proverbs 14:12). Finite man cannot compete with the Almighty, who is the omnipotent (all-powerful) God.

But still, people resist and try to deny the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We see this in false religions like Islam and atheism—and so many more! But here’s what gets me. In some cases, there are Christians who, strangely, take the tact of man and try to argue for the resurrection.

What do I mean by this? Well, they take God’s Word and set it aside and try to argue for the resurrection all the while leaving the Bible out of it! If that sounds strange—it should!

In some cases, they try to calculate the odds of the resurrection (based on data they oddly enough draw from the Bible) for instance and when they arrive at numbers over 99%, they think did great job. Meanwhile, they went from 100% to 99% and now leave open the possibility that Christ didn’t resurrect! Did you notice that?

I would humbly suggest a tact like this, is not the best. Instead, we should stand on the authority of God’s Word and look at the resurrection from God’s perspective—never giving up the absolute authority of God’s Word in the discussion. From a presuppositional perspective, the resurrection of Jesus Christ must be argued beginning with God’s Word because all reasoning already rests on ultimate authorities.

Consider Cornelius Van Til

Theologian, pastor, and philosopher Dr. Cornelius Van Til argued that the resurrection must be viewed as a revelational and covenantal fact, not as a brute historical event waiting for neutral human interpretation. For him, all facts receive their meaning from God.

And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. (Mark 8:31, NKJV)

Therefore, the resurrection is authoritative and meaningful because God has interpreted it in Scripture. It is not something that gains authority by passing the tests of autonomous human reason (i.e., man’s fallible reason apart from God) or secular historical analysis.

Cornelius Van Til (1895-1987)

According to Van Til, there is no neutral ground that the believer and unbeliever can jointly evaluate the resurrection. You are either for Christ or against Him.

Any demand that the resurrection be proven according to allegedly neutral standards already assumes principles such as logic, causality, historical reliability, and the uniformity of nature. Van Til points out that these principles only make sense within the Christian worldview! When unbelievers appeal to them while rejecting God, they are borrowing ground from Christianity while denying its foundation (often called common ground, not neutral ground).

So why would Christians move away from God’s Word to use these errant human methods?

Van Til taught that the resurrection should not be presented as a mere probability or hypothesis. Christianity does not rest on likelihoods but on divine certainty. The resurrection is part of God’s redemptive plan of history, not an isolated anomaly. To treat it as a bare fact detached from God’s revelation is to strip it of its true meaning—sadly, that is how many try to look at the resurrection today.

Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” (John 20:27-29, NKJV)

Even so, Van Til further says that unbelief is not primarily an intellectual problem but a moral and spiritual one. People may acknowledge the historical data surrounding the resurrection and still reject its significance because they suppress the truth in unrighteousness. Consider that Thomas himself doubted until he touched the hands of Christ. Some of the other disciples doubted even when Christ ascended in to heaven.

Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted. (Matthew 28:16-17, NKJV)

The resurrection should get every person to realize that it is not merely with evidence but with the risen Christ Himself, who has the absolute authority and calls all people to repentance and the Holy Spirit who convert them. These disciples had a heart change when the Holy Spirit came upon them not long after this. 

Van Til puts the resurrection directly connected to the self-attesting authority of Christ. One can appeal to no higher authority than God! To accept the resurrection rightly is to receive Christ as Lord. Any apologetic method that seeks to argue for the resurrection while neglecting that Christ is stated to have resurrected in the Bible has already compromised the biblical position.

Van Til taught that the resurrection must be viewed presuppositionally because there are no uninterpreted facts, God alone provides the correct interpretation of history. This framework later shaped and informed the more explicit resurrection apologetics developed by Greg Bahnsen.

Consider Greg Bahnsen

Theologian, pastor, and philosopher Dr. Greg Bahnsen also repeatedly pointed out that there is no neutral intellectual ground between belief and unbelief. Every person interprets facts through foundational presuppositions about reality, knowledge, logic, truth, and morality. To argue the resurrection as though human autonomy or neutral historical standards are ultimate is to concede the very point at issue, namely the authority of God over human reasoning.

Greg Bahnsen (1948-1995)

Bahnsen argued that Christianity is not one hypothesis among many, but the "precondition of intelligibility" itself. Facts do not interpret themselves; they require a worldview framework that we use to look at facts and evidence. The resurrection, therefore, cannot be treated as a brute historical suggestion that needs to be evaluated by autonomous human reason (man’s ideas).

Instead, the resurrection must be understood as a divinely revealed in Scripture. The 66 books of the Bible do not wait for man’s permission to be authoritative; it speaks as God’s self-attesting revelation—from the highest authority.

But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. He indeed was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you who through Him believe in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. (1 Peter 1:19-21, NKJV)

As a point of note, a presuppositional argument does not deny historical evidence. Rather, it insists that historical evidence can only be properly interpreted within God’s revelation. Bahnsen pointed out that unbelievers routinely borrow Christian presuppositions such as the uniformity of nature, the reliability of testimony, and the laws of logic, while denying the God who makes those things meaningful in the first place. 

When skeptics demand proof of the resurrection according to autonomous standards, they assume the very rational and moral order that only the Christian worldview can justify!

“No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.” (John 10:18, NKJV)

Like Van Til, Bahnsen did not write a single stand-alone apologetic book devoted exclusively to the resurrection—however, Bahnsen did write a paper on the subject here.

Consider Charles Buck

Theologian and pastor Rev. Charles Buck’s theological dictionary (1802) reflects this presuppositional conviction by defining the resurrection of Christ not merely as a historical claim but as a foundational article of faith upon which Christianity stands. Though the systemic approach to the presuppositional view had not been fully articulated in theological circles yet, Christians often and readily stood on the Bible as the supreme authority on the subject of the resurrection in the past. Buck was no different in this case. 

Charles Buck (1771-1815)

Buck consistently treats Scripture as the final court of appeal in doctrinal matters, not ecclesiastical tradition or human philosophy when dealing with the resurrection. In this framework, the resurrection is known with certainty because God has spoken concerning it, and God cannot lie. Thus, the authority of the resurrection is inseparable from the authority of the Word that declares it.

Saying, “The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” (Luke 24:34, NKJV)

Scripture itself presents the resurrection as a matter of truth, not suggestion. The apostles did not argue as neutral historians appealing to shared assumptions with unbelievers; they proclaimed what God had done and called all people everywhere to repent. 

Christ’s resurrection is presented as God’s public vindication of His Son, interpreted authoritatively by inspired witnesses who recorded the inspired text by the power of the Holy Spirit. The presuppositional approach follows this biblical pattern by submitting human reason to divine revelation rather than placing revelation on trial before human reason.

Moreover, the resurrection is not an isolated miracle but the climax of redemptive history. Buck’s theological understanding showed that doctrines must be understood in their interconnected biblical and theological context. In other words, they were not subject to man’s fallible opinions on the subject.

Conclusion

The resurrection fulfilled Old Testament prophecy. It also proved Christ’s claims of who He was and what He could do. He also proved that He was going to be the final judge. These theological meanings cannot be derived from mere human historical analysis alone—but is predicated on God’s Word.

Bahnsen said that to argue the resurrection apart from Scripture’s authority is to strip it of its true meaning and reduce it to a mere anomaly. The resurrection is not simply an event that we, as fallible being, are in charge of validating; it is a divine act that is to be interpreted through God’s Word—no our imperfect and arbitrary opinions. To receive the resurrection rightly is to submit to the risen Christ as Lord, not merely to acknowledge a curious historical anomaly.

Arguing for the resurrection presuppositionally honors God as the ultimate authority, treats Scripture as self-authenticating absolute revelation. Following the insights of Cornelius Van Til, Greg Bahnsen and the theological foundations reflected in Charles Buck, the resurrection must be proclaimed and defended beginning with God’s Word, because only God’s Word provides the necessary preconditions for truth, meaning, and knowledge itself.

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Bodie Hodge, Ken Ham's son in law, has been an apologist since 1998 helping out in various churches and running an apologetics website. He spent 21 years working at Answers in Genesis as a speaker, writer, and researcher as well as a founding news anchor for Answers News. He was also head of the Oversight Council.  

Bodie launched Biblical Authority Ministries in 2015 as a personal website and it was organized officially in 2025 as a 501(c)(3). He has spoken on multiple continents and hosts of US states in churches, colleges, and universities. He is married with four children.

Mr. Hodge earned a Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale (SIUC). Then he taught at SIUC for a couple of years as a Visiting Instructor teaching all levels of undergraduate engineering and running a materials lab and a CAD lab. He did research on advanced ceramic materials to develop a new method of production of titanium diboride with a grant from Lockheed Martin. He worked as a Test Engineer for Caterpillar, Inc., prior to entering full-time ministry.

His love of science was coupled with a love of history, philosophy, and theology. For about one year of his life, Bodie was editing and updating a theological, historical, and scientific dictionary/encyclopedia for AI use and training. Mr. Hodge has over 25 years of experience in writing, speaking and researching in these fields.