The Charles A. Clough Resource Center

“I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between me and the earth.” Genesis 9:13

On Carl Sagan … … and the Suppression of Unbelief Charles A. Clough Biblical Framework Overview – Lesson 1 Let me begin by telling you a story about a very famous contemporary. One of my sons attended Liberty University. One of the courses he took there was in biology. During one of the first classes, the biology professor recounted his conversion from his former compromising theistic evolutionary perspective to a more biblical creationism. His conversion, it turned out, came by the grace of God through my earlier ministry, a conversion, incidentally, of which I had for years been unaware. Later, while visiting my son on the Liberty campus, I discovered that this biologist had worked on a committee with Carl Sagan of Cornell University. Yes, THE Carl Sagan of TV fame. Besides being one of the most popular proponents of ancient paganism in modern guise, Sagan was a very inspirational teacher. My biologist friend testified that Sagan’s profound inspiration derived from his fascination with the astounding features of the universe. Unfortunately, as my friend noted, these “astounding features of the universe” were none other than radiances of the glory of God from His created handiwork. Sagan had tragically altered the true interpretation of galactic phenomena into a wholly re-engineered worldview that drew him ever more deeply away from God. Sagan’s error illustrates the core of my series of talks. The spiritual environment in which we all minister the Word of God has a powerful darkness to it. Since this darkness appears to be increasing today, we’d better learn how to fight it. A darkness that deceives the most well-intentioned persons. A darkness that tries to envelop and pervert every message of light. A darkness that has a base of operations within our own fallen nature. Whether our word or deed, it seeks to strangle our witness and suppress the glory of God.