Name,
 
I had a look in the newsagent today. I could only find a TIME magazine dated 30/8/1999. I have framed the following response around - Is the Bible consistent with science?
 
I had to look up what Paleontology was and I provide the following extract from World Book 1999 CD - ROM.
 
"Palaeontology is the scientific study of animals, plants, and other organisms that lived in prehistoric times--that is, more than 5,500 years ago.  Fossil remains of organisms occur in sedimentary rocks (rocks formed when mineral matter settled out of air, ice, or water).  The organisms that are now fossils were alive when the rocks were being formed.  They were buried and preserved as the layers of rock piled up. 
 
By studying fossils, palaeontologists learn what kind of life existed in various periods of the earth's history.  The oldest known fossils are bacteria that lived about 31/2 billion years ago.  The fossil record shows a gradual increase in the complexity of animals and plants.  This gradual change in body form is called evolution.  
 
Palaeontology is important in the study of geology.  The age of rocks may be determined by the fossils in them.  Fossils also tell whether rocks were formed under the sea or on land.  Most rocks that contain marine shell fossils were formed under the sea.  Most rocks that contain land animal and land plant fossils were formed on land.  The knowledge of where rocks were formed helps scientists map the world as it was millions of years ago.  Such scientists are called palaeogeographers.  
 
Palaeontology aids in the location of oil.  Oil is often found in rocks that contain certain fossils.  Oil companies use such fossils as a clue to where to find oil.  
 
There are three main branches of palaeontology: (1) invertebrate palaeontology, (2) vertebrate palaeontology, and (3) palaeobotany.  Invertebrate palaeontology deals with fossil invertebrates (animals without backbones), such as molluscs and corals.  Vertebrate palaeontology is concerned with extinct fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.  Palaeobotany is the study of fossil plants.  
 
See also FOSSIL.   "
 
                    ----  end of article  ----
 
Is the Bible consistent with this?
 
There are two points we can discuss here 1. The earth at the time of creation, 2. The great flood
 
1. The earth at the time of creation
 
"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.  2  And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters." Genesis 1:1
 
This verse indicates to us, the earth was 'empty' and then God performed the creative work upon it. The Bible is silent then on any previous 'use' of the earth. As Christadelphians we believe in objective Bible reading. There is much evidence for Dinosaurs, for instance as fossil and skeletons. Many of these finds are displayed in many museums around the world, it becomes personal speculation beyond the scope of the Bible to put a time frame on when they lived on the earth. Science makes it's best attempt through carbon dating methodology. The article above, which is independent to both of us talks in terms of an evolution.
 
Evolution denies the existence of a God, and allows chance to 'get it right' in the complex eco-system which is earth and all the intrigue in various systems of the body. Evolution looks for a continual change in life on the earth. A belief in the Bible may broaden your horizon to consider that there may have been more than one 'creation' on the earth with a start/stop to the beginning of the world as we know it today (however, the Bible only records one of these creations - if indeed there were others).
 
2. The great flood
 
This is recorded in Genesis chapter 6 to 9 and it is yet to be reached in your lessons. Considering the time when the earth was flooded, which could be achieved by the rain and structural movements in the earth (earthquake - altering the sea level) it would mean that the animal and plant life that was drowned would have all churned in the sea bed.
 
This would be a reasonable explanation of how scientist manage to find odd things like sea shells in the middle of deserts etc. I recall (no source) that there have been fossils of animals which have been captured with food in their mouth. ie. A catastrophe hit all of a sudden. I understand that the Grand Canyon in the USA has many interesting fossil anomalies and could only be formed by the impact of a large body of water suddenly.
 
If you would like more information I will hunt some material out. I have a friend who is a bit more into science than me. Please do not be afraid to ask.
 
Kind regards
 
 
Name Surname
www.exploringthebible.net