Suspicious Creationist Credentials

From The Talk.Origins Archive

* Creationists Whose Credentials are Suspicious by Michael Cranford
* A Creationist Misrepresents His Area of Expertise by Bob Garwood

Creationists Whose Credentials are Suspicious
By Michael Cranford

The source of the information on colleges and universities is "Bear's Guide to Earning Non-Traditional College Degrees," 10th Ed. Where used below, the word "Accreditation" refers to accreditation by one of the recognized Regional Accrediting Agencies, or by the (legitimate) American Association of Bible Colleges. California has a three tier system: At the low end are "Authorized" schools. More highly scrutinized are "Approved" schools. "Accredited" schools are accredited by the regional Accrediting Agency.

Dr. Carl Baugh, a fundamentalist Missouri Baptist minister with no scientific background, claims to be an archaeologist. He also claims to have a Ph.D. from the California Graduate School of Theology in Glendale. When a local skeptic checked with the primary organization responsible for accreditation (The Western Association of Schools and Colleges), he was informed that this "graduate school" has not been accredited. Reverend Baugh claims to have found "human" footprints that measure nearly forty inches from heel to toe.

California Graduate School of Theology is "Approved" by the state of California (a step up from "Authorized.") but is not accredited. All degrees are in theology. Credit is given for "experiential learning." There is more information about Baugh's degrees here.

Dr. Richard Bliss, a member of the ICR staff, has claimed to have a D.Ed. from the University of Sarasota located in Florida. In the 1984 spring issue of "Scientific Integrity", William V. Mayer pointed out that this university has been characterized by the "Philadelphia Inquirer" as a diploma mill in a Florida motel (see Lovejoy's College Catalog). Bliss has accused evolutionary scientists of "intellectual dishonesty". He also claims to be "a recognized expert in the field of science education" and is co-author of a "two-model" book that is being pushed for use in the public school system.

Bear lists the "University of Sarasota" as a "short residency" (total residency may be as short as six weeks) school. The school is the equivalent of California "Approved," but is not accredited.

Dr. Clifford Burdick of the CSRC (Creation Science Research Center) is a "flood" geologist who has spent forty years trying to prove that giant humans once roamed the earth and even mingled with the dinosaurs. Burdick has displayed a copy of his Ph.D. from the University of Physical Sciences (Phoenix, Arizona) in the Glen Rose Creation Evidence Museum. However, the State of Arizona Board of Regents, the University of Arizona Department of Geology, and the Arizona State Bureau of Geology and Mineral Technology have never heard of this "university."

Bear hasn't heard of this school either. There appears to be a "University of Psychic Sciences," in National City, California.

Dr. Kelly Segraves, director of the CSRC, listed himself as M.A. and D.Sc. on the 1975 CSRC letterhead. After having it called into question, Segraves dropped the D.Sc. in 1981 and now lists "D.R.E." in its place. Segraves has claimed that his D.Sc. is honorary from Christian University, yet a computer search indicated that the only university with that name is located in Jakarta, Indonesia. The next closest match is a Bible College called Indiana Christian University (see below). Segraves claims to have received his M.A. from Sequoia University in 1972 but Bette Chambers discovered that there is no such place. The closest name match is a Sequoia College in California, which only offers two year associate degrees and has no record of any student named Kelly Segraves. Note that "D.R.E." is a doctorate of religious education and does not qualify as a scientific degree.

There are or were several "National Christian University" in Richardson (Texas), Dallas, and apparently Oklahoma City and/or Missouri. Bear can offer no other information, except that "National Christian" appears on a European list of degree mills. There is a "Christian International University" in Phoenix, Arizona (which was established in Texas in 1967, and moved to Arizona in 1977 when "the Lord provided a central home"). The only staff member listed as having a Doctorate is the President, whose degree is from National Christian University. CIU is the the equivalent of California "Authorized," but not Accredited.

Sequoia University did exist, in California and Oklahoma, but a judge in Los Angeles, in 1984, issued a permanent injunction to cease operations "until it complies with the state education laws." The "university" offered degrees in osteopathic medicine, religious studies, hydrotherapy, and physical sciences.

Dr. Harold S. Slusher of the ICR claims to have an honorary D.Sc. from Indiana Christian University and a Ph.D. from Columbia Pacific University. Robert J. Schadewald recently discovered that Indiana Christian University is a Bible College with only a 1/2 man graduate science department, and Columbia Pacific University is nonaccredited.

"Indiana Christian University" is unknown to Bear. Columbia Pacific University in San Rafael, California is California "Approved," but not Accredited. Of listed faculty, 23% have their own Doctorate from Columbia Pacific University.

A Creationist Misrepresents His Area of Expertise
By Bob Garwood

A talk.origins creationists recently wrote:

DeYoung Donald B..........................Professor of Astrophysics
  B.S., Michigan Technical University, 1966
  M.S., Michigan Technical University, 1968
  Ph.D. (Physics), Iowa State University, 1972

Since astrophysics is my field, I thought I'd try and check up on this guy.

In American Men and Women of Science, 18th edition, 1989-90, DeYoung is also shown to have the following degree:

MDiv., Grace Theol. Sem. 1981

In addition, as of that edition, it lists him as being an Associate Professor of physics at Grace College in Winona Lake, Indiana. For research, it gives "Mossbauer effect studies of transition metal borides." There is no indication in this book of any background or expertise in astrophysics. It classifies him as "solid state science."

Furthermore, a check of the Astronomy and Astrophysics Abstracts shows no publication by a Donald DeYoung in any of the many journals that they track.

He clearly is not an astrophysicist (although he may play one at the ICR).

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