CBC Digital Archives

A Canadian home for creationism

The year 1809 was remarkable for producing figures of great historical importance, including Lincoln, Chopin, Poe, Braille, Tennyson and many others. But no other figure produced as dramatic an effect on society as the English naturalist Charles Darwin. His groundbreaking theory of evolution had a major impact on religion, education, history and our conception of humankind. Now, 200 years after his birth and 150 years since the publication of The Origin of Species, the CBC Digital Archives looks at the history of Darwin, his controversial theory and the ways in which his thoughts still affect the world.

The debate between evolutionists and creationists often comes down to fossils, bones and other historical evidence that evolutionists say proves their case. Now, a new museum in Alberta is using similar evidence to prove the case for creationism. In this 2007 report, Carolyn Dunn reports from Big Valley, Alta., a new home for scientific creationism. 
• One staple argument that creationists use against evolution is that the Earth is just 6,000 years old, making it impossible for man to evolve over millions of years. This argument is founded on the Ussher Chronology, a 17th-century treatise by Anglican Archbishop James Ussher. Based on the dates of specific events recorded in the Bible, Ussher concluded that creation began on nightfall preceding Sunday Oct. 23, 4004 BC.
  • Seventeenth-century English scholar Sir John Lightfoot published a similar chronology that was even more specific; he stated that creation occurred on Oct. 23, 4004 BC "at nine o'clock in the morning." 

Medium: Television
Program: The National
Broadcast Date: June 5, 2007
Guest(s): Matthew Comeau, Giselle Gee, Andy Neuman, Harry Nibourg
Anchor: Peter Mansbridge
Reporter: Carolyn Dunn
Duration: 2:32

Last updated: February 8, 2012

Page consulted on April 3, 2013

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