J.D. Mitchell
[Originally published as George Young]
This page of the website is devoted to Rev. George Young, D.D. (1778–1848) and his geological writings. Young was a contemporary of Charles Lyell, and he identified and countered Lyell’s geological philosophies championing and popularizing uniformitarianism and millions of years. While uniformitarianism has been mostly refuted since the time that Lyell wrote in the 19th century, the single aspect of geological uniformity that is still tightly held to is to reject any thought of the worldwide Genesis Flood so plainly described in the Bible.
It is my opinion that without the influence of Charles Lyell on the academia of the early 19th century and without the acceptance of his uniformitarian ideas by much of the Christian church, it is doubtful that Charles Darwin would have ever published his Origin of Species (1859). Lyell was a friend of Darwin’s and (along with Joseph Hooker) was instrumental in talking a reluctant Darwin into publishing his hypothesis regarding evolution by natural selection.
In Darwin’s earlier book, The Voyage of the Beagle, which documents Darwin’s travels from December of 1831 through October 1836, Darwin dedicates as follows: “To Charles Lyell, Esq. F.R.S. This second edition [1845] is dedicated with grateful pleasure, as an acknowledgement that the chief part of whatever scientific merit this journal and the other works of the author may possess, has been derived from studying the well-known and admirable Principles of Geology.”
So, without Lyell’s influence, it is clear Darwin would not have had the “long ages” needed to even conceive of some sort of macro evolutionary hypothesis.
In 1838, George Young published his young earth biblical answer to Lyell (and other anti-biblical writers of the time) entitled, Scriptural Geology or an Essay on the High Antiquity Ascribed to the Organic Remains Imbedded in Stratified Rocks.
George Young distinguished himself as a student at the University of Edinburgh, especially in mathematics and natural philosophy. Young published 21 books, with three being on the subject of geology. Young was qualified to consider and counter Lyell’s uniformitarianism philosophy as he had extensive geological field experience.
Author Terry Mortenson has written the book, The Great Turning Point (Master Books, 2004) which provides more extensive biographical information on Young and six other qualified scriptural geologists who were largely ignored by the church.
Today’s secular humanist culture and much of the Christian church continue to honor Lyell and his ilk (even though their ideas have been replaced by today’s neocatastrophism) while unfairly ignoring the work of Young and the other scriptural geologists. Are we to just follow along with the secularists like sheep to the slaughter? I say no! We should read the writings of Young and Lyell and determine for ourselves what was science, what was philosophy, what is truth and what is not truth.
As you read Young’s Scriptural Geology, notice that he respectfully mentions Lyell at least a dozen times, so there is no doubt that Young was well aware of Lyell’s viewpoint. And Young logically and scientifically counters Lyell’s opinions while steadfastly staying to the biblical account, just as today’s creation scientists would attempt to do.
So, read Young’s writings and also read Lyell’s writings and decide for yourself who had the better geological science of the day. As you read them, be aware of your presuppositions as well as those of the writers.
