Earth History Research and News

Buried structures resembling reefs are found throughout the geological record. Obviously, if these structures grew slowly in the places where we now find them, it would suggest that the sedimentary layers containing them took a long time to form. However, the identification of these structures is often questionable. Most fossil “reefs” are different from present-day reefs, with a different configuration, different kinds of organisms involved in their formation and a notable absence of the rigid biological framework necessary for producing a real wave-resistant reef structure (Hodges 1987; Roth 1995). Some of these structures may not be true reefs at all. Others may be reefs that grew somewhere else and have been transported to where we now find them. Young-age creationists have published reinterpretations of classic “reef” structures – including the Gotland reefs (Scheven 1990), the Thornton Quarry complex (D’Armond 1980) and the Capitan reef (Nevins 1972; Nevins 1974).

The accompanying photograph shows part of the Capitan Reef Complex (Permian) of Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas.

References:

D’Armond DB, ‘Thornton Quarry deposits: a fossil coral reef or a catastrophic flood deposit? A preliminary study’, Creation Research Society Quarterly 1980;17(2):88-105.

Hodges LT, ‘Fossil binding in modern and ancient reefs’, Origins (Geoscience Research Institute) 1987;14(2):84-91. www.grisda.org/origins/14084.htm

Nevins SE, ‘Is the Capitan Limestone a fossil reef?’, Creation Research Society Quarterly 1972;8(4):231-248.

Nevins SE, ’Reply to critique by Daniel Wonderly’, Creation Research Society Quarterly 1974;10(4):241-244.

Roth AA, ‘Fossil reefs and time’, Origins (Geoscience Research Institute) 1995; 22(2):86-104. www.grisda.org/origins/22086.htm

Scheven J, ‘The Flood/post-Flood boundary in the fossil record’, pp.247-266 in: Walsh RE, Brooks CL (editors), Proceedings of the Second International Conference on Creationism, Creation Science Fellowship: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 1990.