Editing Institute for Creation Research (section)

==History==
[[Image:ICR building.jpg|thumb|200px|right|Institute for Creation Research in [[Santee, CA]]]]
The origins of the ICR can be traced to the Creation Science Research Center set up by [[Henry M. Morris]], along with Nell and Kelly Segraves, at the Christian Heritage College (now [[San Diego Christian College]]) in 1970. However, the Segraveses and Morris disagreed on the focus of the center, with the Segraveses favoring political and promotional activities, whilst Morris favored educational and scientific efforts. This led to the breakup of the center in 1972, with the Segraveses taking control of the center and severing ties with the university, with Morris reorganising the remaining staff into the Institute for Creation Research.<ref>{{harvnb|Numbers|2006| pp = 313–315}}.</ref>

The ICR defined its work in terms of three ministries: research, writing and speaking. Historian of science [[Ronald L. Numbers]] states that "[d]espite its name, the institute for years conducted little research outside the confines of its modest library" and cites (founding member) [[Duane Gish]] as "explain[ing] apologetically in 1978, [that]  the staff devoted much of its research effort to scouring the scientific literature for references favorable to creationism." Numbers does note that it engaged in a number of archaeological and geological expeditions, including two in [[Searches for Noah's Ark|search]] of the [[Mythology|mythical]] [[Noah's Ark]], with geologist Steven A. Austin, working as an "off and on" visiting scientist until taking a full staff position in 1979, single-handedly conducting most of its non-literary research.<ref name=Num315>{{harvnb|Numbers|2006|p=315}}</ref> Influential scientific creationist Walter E. Lammerts complained that "[t]he main trouble is that Henry looks at this whole thing as a sort of 'missionary' effort rather than a scientific one."<ref>{{harvnb|Numbers|2006|pp=315–6}}</ref> It maintained tax-exempt status as a religious institution carrying out "non-scientific research."<ref name=Flank>{{Cite book | last1 = Flank | first1 = Lenny | title = Deception by Design: The Intelligent Design Movement in America | year = 2007 | publisher = Red and Black Publishers | isbn = 978-0979181306 | page = 70 }}</ref>

In the early 1980s, the ICR severed its ties with Christian Heritage College to downplay its religious connections and portray itself as secular scientific institution.<ref name=Flank/> [[Ken Ham]], a speaker and former high school science teacher in Australia,<ref name=racm9>{{cite book |last1=Trollinger |first1=Susan L. |last2=Trollinger Jr. |first2=William Vance |title=Righting America at the Creation Museum |publisher=JHU Press |year=2016 |isbn=978-1421419534 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lOf-CwAAQBAJ |page=9}}</ref> once worked for the ICR producing a series of seminars "Back to Genesis".<ref name="Numbers 401">{{harvnb|Numbers|2006|p=400}}</ref> In 1994 Ham left ICR to found what would become [[Answers in Genesis]] (AiG).<ref name="Numbers 401"/> Currently, at least one ICR staff member is also on staff at AiG.<ref>[http://www.answersingenesis.org/home/area/bios/a_snelling.asp Andrew Snelling biography], [[Answers in Genesis]]</ref>

In 1985, the ICR helped [[Education in Turkey|Turkey's education minister]] Vehbi Dinçerler, introduce Islamic creationism in [[Turkey|Turkish]] high schools.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/english/domestic/11102743.asp?gid=244 | title=Turkey evolves as creationist center | newspaper=[[Hürriyet|Hurriyet Daily News]] |date= February 27, 2009 | first=Sevim | last=Songün | access-date =2009-03-17}}</ref>

In 1987, the ICR's statement of belief was cited in the [[Supreme Court of the United States|U.S. Supreme Court]] ruling of [[Edwards v. Aguillard]]. Justice [[Lewis F. Powell Jr.]] wrote that "If no valid secular purpose can be identified, then the statute violates the [[Establishment Clause]]."<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/edwards-v-aguillard.html#POWELLI | title=Edwards v. Aguillard: Justice Powell, with whom Justice O'Connor joins, concurring. I | publisher=[[Supreme Court of the United States]] |date= June 19, 1987 | access-date =2008-10-17}}</ref> He continued noting information on ICR and [[Creation Research Society]] including "a review of their goals and activities sheds light on the nature of creation science."<ref name="PowellB">{{cite news | url=http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/edwards-v-aguillard.html#POWELLIB | title=Edwards v. Aguillard: Justice Powell, with whom Justice O'Connor joins, concurring. Part B | publisher=[[Supreme Court of the United States]] |date= June 19, 1987 | access-date =2008-10-17}}</ref> He then explained, "the intent of the Louisiana Legislature was to promote a particular religious belief" and the court ruled that teaching creationism was unconstitutional.<ref name="PowellB"/>

In 1992, the ICR opened the [[Museum of Creation and Earth History]]. When the ICR moved from Santee, California to Dallas, Texas, the ICR sold the museum to the Life and Light Foundation, a non-profit ministry run by Tom Cantor, in 2008.<ref name="MurashkoCreator">{{cite news|last1=Murashko|first1=Alex|title=San Diego Creation Museum: New Human Anatomy Exhibit Evidence of Creato|url=http://www.christianpost.com/news/san-diego-creation-museum-new-human-anatomy-exhibit-evidence-of-creator-56447/#iXgJSfdOIXD8qbqj.99|access-date=November 7, 2016|publisher=[[Christian Post]]|date=September 25, 2011}}</ref>

With the Creation Research Society, ICR released statements in 2005 about the RATE (Radioisotopes and the Age of The Earth) project, providing a young-Earth creationist perspective on dating techniques like radiometric dating.  RATE claimed that evidence supported over 500 million years of radiometric decay at today's rates but that it also supported a young earth. It speculated that nuclear decay rates must have accelerated by a factor of approximately one billion on the first two days of the Creation week and during the Flood.  Non-affiliated experts who have scrutinised the claims have unanimously rejected them as flawed, noting that the integrity of science was compromised in favor of a message affirming the reliability of the Bible.<ref name=isaac>{{cite journal|last1=Isaac|first1=Randy|title=Assessing the RATE project|journal=Perspectives on Science and Christian Faith|date=June 2007|volume=59|issue=2|pages=143–146|url=https://www.asa3.org/ASA/PSCF/2007/PSCF6-07Isaac.pdf|access-date=October 3, 2015}}</ref><ref name=henke>{{cite web|title=Dr. Humphreys' Young-Earth Helium Diffusion "Dates": Numerous Fallacies Based on Bad Assumptions and Questionable Data|url=http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/helium/zircons.html|first=Kevin R|last=Henke|publisher=TalkOrigins.com|date=June 20, 2010|access-date=October 3, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://apps.usd.edu/esci/creation/age/content/creationist_clocks/helium.html|title=Helium Diffusion as a Creationist Clock|work=[[University of South Dakota]]|access-date=February 28, 2016|author=Ward, Michael|archive-date=April 6, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160406121632/http://apps.usd.edu/esci/creation/age/content/creationist_clocks/helium.html|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=loechelt>{{cite web|title=A Response to the RATE Team Regarding Helium Diffusion in Zircon|url=https://www.asa3.org/ASA/education/origins/helium-gl4.htm|first=Gary|last=Loechelt  |publisher=American Scientific Affiliation|date=March 18, 2009|access-date=October 3, 2015}}</ref> RATE was chaired by Larry Vardiman and included Steven A. Austin, [[John Baumgardner]], Steven W. Boyd, Eugene F. Chaffin, Donald B. DeYoung, Russell Humphreys and [[Andrew Snelling]].<ref name="icr">{{cite web|title=The RATE Project|url=https://www.icr.org/research/rate/|publisher=Institute for Creation Research|access-date=January 2, 2017}}</ref>

[[File:ICR Discovery Center - Exterior.jpg|thumb|right|The [[ICR Discovery Center for Science & Earth History]] is a young Earth creationist museum run by ICR in Dallas, Texas.]]
In 2007, the institute relocated from [[Santee, California|Santee]], California, to Dallas, Texas.<ref name = ncseicr>{{cite news |title= ICR seeks to grant degrees in Texas |url= http://ncse.com/news/2007/12/icr-seeks-to-grant-degrees-texas-001147 |publisher= National Center for Science Education |date= December 21, 2007 |access-date=January 3, 2008}}</ref> Morris, who died the previous year, said the move was intended to give the ICR a central national location, Dallas' proximity to a major airport, and a larger population for their ministry.<ref name=TCS>{{Cite journal
 |first=Steven
 |last=Schafersman
 |title=The Institute for Creation Research and Its Quest for Official Texas Certification to Award Masters Degrees in Science Education
 |date=January 6, 2008
 |publisher=A Report by Texas Citizens for Science
 |url=http://www.texscience.org/reviews/icr-thecb-certification.htm
 |access-date=January 9, 2008
 |url-status=usurped
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080120114834/http://www.texscience.org/reviews/icr-thecb-certification.htm
 |archive-date=January 20, 2008
}}</ref> For [[fiscal year|FYE]] 2007, the Institute had net assets of $7,613,461.<ref name="CharityNav">{{cite web | title=Charity Navigator Rating for ICR | publisher=[[Charity Navigator]] | url=http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=7485 | access-date =2008-07-01}}</ref> In 2009, the ICR had a revenue of $8,042,283 with net assets of $9,857,656.<ref name="CharityNav"/>

On September 2, 2019, the ICR opened the [[ICR Discovery Center for Science & Earth History]] museum in Dallas, Texas.<ref name="WFAA"/>

Morris's son, Henry M. Morris III, died on December 12, 2020. The younger Morris had been ICR's CEO.<ref>{{cite news |title=In Loving Memory of Dr. Henry M. Morris III |url=https://www.icr.org/article/12582/ |access-date=13 December 2020 |work=www.icr.org |date=12 December 2020 |language=en}}</ref>