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The Bible is opposed to evolutionary biology in that sense. Ten times in its opening chapter it stresses that the various created forms of life were to reproduce only “after their kinds” (see Genesis 1:11,12,21,24,25). This restriction does not preclude “variation,” of course, since no two individuals of the same kind are ever exactly alike. Such “horizontal” recombinations, within the created kinds, are proper subjects of scientific study and so do not conflict with the Bible.

About the only thing Morris has got correct is the number of times the phrase “after their kinds” or some equivalent occurs.

If you read almost any version of the Bible it is obvious that the seven occurrences in verses 21, 24 and 25 have nothing to do with reproduction, but are used only with reference to the creation of the various kinds of animals.

I’ll quote verses 11 and 12 from the New King James Version – which should be acceptable to most creationists, since it isn’t very different from King James.

11 Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit tree that yields fruit according to its kind, whose seed is in itself, on the earth”; and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good.

The phrase “accordi8ng to its kind” here refers to the complete description of the plant being described, *not* just the seed. This is made clear in other modern translations – apart from the NIV which here follows the wording of King james pretty closely – and these verses should be understood in the following sense:

11 Then God said, “Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the different kinds of fruit tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself, on the earth”; and it was so. 12 And the earth brought forth grass, the different kinds of herb that yields seed, and the different kinds of tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself. And God saw that it was good.

You will find that the wording of various modern translations is along these lines, and also in verses 21, 24 and 25, and refer to the “different kinds” of organisms. Nothing at all about reproduction.

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Salaam Ken Smith