By Diane Howard, Ph.D.
In the phenomenal and enlightening new documentary “Is Genesis History?” Dr. Del Tackett leads audiences on a remarkable journey through evidence that supports and explains the history of the Book of Genesis with many countless, renowned. Ph.D. scientists and Bible scholars with the most advanced scholarly and research experience. Brilliantly top scientists and scholars, one after another, in on-site, up-to-date research locations fit the history of the Bible hand-in-glove with science. This beautiful, captivating, compelling documentary made its premiere for one night Thursday, February 23 from Fathom Events. Because of the wonderful response to this event, encores were scheduled for March 2 and 7. Follow developments with this significant movie on its website.
“Is Genesis History?” features host, Dr. Del Tackett, creator of Focus on the Family’s “The Truth Project” and is produced by Compass Cinema and directed by Thomas Purifoy, Jr. The cinematography is spectacular as Dr. Tackett takes audiences with him through canyons, up mountains, and underwater, as he is shown by countless experts how science and on-site observations intersect with the history in Genesis. As he travels around the globe, he talks and observes with experts in geology, biology, astronomy, archaeology, the Bible and more.
Dr. Tackett has served more than 20 years as an officer in the United States Air Force, and during the George H. W. Bush administration, he served at the White House as director of technical planning for the National Security Council. Del worked for years in the software engineering discipline and led the tiger team that developed a critical command and control system for NORAD in Cheyenne Mountain, Colorado. He is also one of the founders of New Geneva Theological Seminary and has been a professor of numerous worldview courses. He has led and taught for years at the collegiate Focus Leadership Institute. He currently teaches as an adjunct professor for the Alliance Defending Freedom, Summit Ministries and Impact 360. Del has his doctorate in Management and Computer Science. He hosted and taught the “Cross Examine” television series, along with creating a number of videos including “Who Is Jesus?” “The Truth Project” has a worldview curriculum estimated to have been seen by over 12 million people worldwide.
“Is Genesis History?” presents a positive, evidenced-based case for the Bible’s historical reliability. Director Thomas Purifoy, Jr. takes a conversational, understandable approach with clear observable evidence for the Book of Genesis as history and its value for place of science. The evidence isn’t new, but our ability to analyze and decipher it is enhanced with (and at the speed of) technology. New data and new discoveries send us back for another perspective on longstanding evidence. Purifoy and Dr. Del Tackett present the importance of history, especially as it relates to the Bible and science.
I had an exclusive interview with Dr. Del Tackett to talk about “Is Genesis History?” and why Genesis as history matters to our lives.
DH: How and why is it clear that Genesis is historical narrative?
DT: From all areas of scientific evidence, the Genesis paradigm is better than the current paradigm of change happening over deep time. The evidence for Genesis is that it is historical.
DH: Why is it important to understand Genesis as historical narrative?
DT: It is important to understand Genesis as historical narrative for science. It is also important to understand Genesis as historical narrative for our Biblical worldview. The first few chapters of the Bible are important for the rest of the Bible. Jesus, Paul, and Peter refer to the real Adam. In the first few chapters of Genesis as historical narrative, we learn the nature of God. Millions of years of evolutionary survival of the fittest is contrary to the understanding we have of God from the first few chapters of Genesis as historical narrative.
DH: With the scientific evidence of Genesis as historical narrative, what evidence did you find especially compelling?
DT: I was awed and amazed every day of the whole trip. A new insight came from the lab shown in the movie where dinosaur protein tissue is still pliable, stretchable. This would be impossible over deep, long time. Another amazing realization came at Mt. St. Helens where we could see complex layered walls, laid down quickly that were younger than me. These layers at Mt. St. Helens are a Rosetta Stone for Geology!
DH: What are the two basic paradigms that people use to interpret the evidence of the history of the earth?
DT: There is the current scientific deep time paradigm which and doesn’t explain data today, such as the complexity of DNA. There is the Genesis paradigm that explains the earth has not always changed at the same rates and that there is Designer behind it. The conventional paradigm looks back straight. The Biblical paradigm does not see earth history uniformly. Time and earth changes in the creation and the flood are not like the present.
There are two major competing views of looking at the history of the world. Genesis starts with the Divine Mind, Intelligence. The other major view of looking at time is radically different. It looks at chance and reason for a process over millions of years. The young earth view takes into account catastrophic events in which the earth and nature changed very quickly.
DH: How are the roots of the Biblical worldview founded in the Garden?
DT: We see who God is. We see who man is and how he is different than other creatures. We understand the reason for the world. We understand that we are to be fruitful and productive. We learn that God is holy and that there are consequences for disobedience and much more.
DH: How do we understand where the developing complexity in nature comes from?
DT: We have learned through science and the Bible that DNA in genetics has a complex structure that allows for change within kinds and that change is not random.
DH: Where is verifiable evidence of a global flood?
DT: In the Grand Canyon for example are layers where the top layer has erosion but the layers below it show no evidence of erosion. Like on Mt. St. Helens there is in fact evidence of a great tsunami event in which the earth’s crust was opened and layers quickly laid down with animals quickly buried, including the dinosaurs.
DH: How will this film and additional resources are available?
DT: We hope there will be encore showings of the movie followed by a training tail. People will be able to find ongoing information on the “Is Genesis History?” website and on the Del Tackett website.
“Is Genesis History?” shows observable scientific evidence of catastrophic events that changed nature in very short periods of time, which provides understanding of what happened to the dinosaurs, which lived before the evidence of a great global flood. This movie provides scientific evidence that the earth is not as old as once thought. It provides scientific observable evidence of five major periods in earth history and changes in these periods which were not uniform in terms of time.
You will not want to miss this riveting film. To purchase tickets, visit the documentary’s official website or participating theater box offices. A complete list of theater locations is at the Fathom Events website! To get a free, in-depth, e-book to prepare for the documentary, “Is Genesis History?,” as well as the latest news and information about new theaters when they are added, sign up online on the movie’s website.