The Biblical Kinds Defined

Creationists are often asked for a precise definition of the Biblical kinds, namely, which groups of organisms have descendend from a single organism present at the Creation. This question is not necessarily easy (or possible) to answer, but I now believe that an answer may be possible. Based on assumed evolutionary time scales and rates of mutation of mitochondrial DNA, which may not be correct, scientists estimate that the human race is about 200,000 years old. (Actually, the assumed rate of mutation is not directly observed, but is inferred based on assumed evolutionary time scales, and may be far from the true value. Many different rates of mutation are given by different biologists. From a literal reading of Scripture, we know that the true age of the human race is much less than 200,000 years. However, it is useful to speak in terms of time scales as assumed by scientists in order to obtain a usable criterion.) In a recent study, scientists conclude that wolves and dogs separated between 60,000 and more than 100,000 years ago, based on their mitochondrial DNA. Thus, one would place wolves and dogs in the same kind, because scientists estimate their separation at less than 200,000 years ago. So a general definition would be that if scientists estimate a separation of two organisms within the past 200,000 years, based on their mitochondrial DNA, then they are in the same Biblical kind. If scientists estimate a separation significantly earlier than this, under conventional evolutionary assumptions, then the two species are in different Biblical kinds. If the estimated separation date is slightly longer than 200,000 years, then the case is doubtful. Under creationist assumptions, one would expect the estimated separation time to be either about 200,000 years or less, or much larger than this. (Of course, from the Scripture, the true ages are much less.) This kind of investigation might also shed some light on the human-ape connection.

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