74. What If Christians Created Backstory for Noah’s Ark and Also Built the Actual Boat? | with Tim Chaffey
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Last month the Ark Encounter attraction, by Answers in Genesis near Cincinnati, announced they would build the Tower of Babel. Of course, this won’t be a replica, lest God confuse our languages even more, but an exhibit. We’re joined by Tim Chaffey, who’s not only an expert in biblical apologetics, but one of the architects who helped build the backstory of Ark Encounter.
Concession stand
- This is a Nephilim-Free Zone. Genesis is about more than these speculations.
- Yes, this episode will touch on creation/evolution, but mostly, the Flood.
- We will assume a global flood here, accepting this is the best Bible reading.
- If you disbelieve in the Flood, cool. Good for you. You can still be a Christian.
- But you may simply have bad vibes about (over rational objection) to “creationism.”
- Keep a fair mind. Healthy Christians can explore these issues in good faith.
- Anyway, we assume literal creation and Flood, basing our imagination on these.
- Still disagree? We end with this challenge: build your own Ark. A very tiny one.
Tim Chaffey, content director with Answers in Genesis, features in in a few Ark Encounter features, such as this video about Scripture’s reliability. (courtesy E. Stephen Burnett, July 2018)
Introducing Tim Chaffey
Tim Chaffey is the content manager for the Attractions Division of Answers in Genesis. An apologist with a passion for training young people, he speaks regularly at the Creation Museum, camps, schools, and churches, and has authored numerous nonfiction and fiction books, including The Remnant Trilogy and The Truth Chronicles. Follow his website, Risen Ministries, and his Facebook author page.
1. How did you discover biblical faith and fantastic imagination?
- How did you get into defending six-day creation and a global Flood?
2. What’s it like making Scripture-inspired backstory for the nonfiction Flood?
- Stephen recalls the early AiG materials planning a Creation Museum
- Back then they even hoped to make, of all things, a replica Ark in the future.
- Now it’s real, and we explore how AiG and Ark Encounter create biblical backstory.
- How this project led to Tim Chaffey writing The Remnant Trilogy.
- How the Ark Encounter backstory differs from the Noah movie (2014).
3. What’s next for AiG and Ark Encounter, and how can Christians respond?
- How can the Tower of Babel exhibit address this persistent sin in the world?
- How can biblical truths of human origins motivate Christian imagination?
Delve deeper into Ark Encounter
- ArkEncounter.com, CreationMuseum.org, and AnswersInGenesis.org
- If you must have Nephilim, Tim Chaffey explores this in his 2012 article.
- Ken Ham, Sci-Fi Fan, E. Stephen Burnett, May 2013
- The Noah Movie: Our Detailed Review, Roger Patterson and Tim Chaffey, March 2014
- AiG’s Ark Encounter Is a Model for Christians Engaging Popular Culture, E. Stephen Burnett at Christ and Pop Culture, August 2016
- Behind the Scenes at Ark Encounter, Tim Chaffey at Speculative Faith, April 2018
- Flood Legends Rise From the Depths of History, Tim Chaffey at Lorehaven, summer 2018
- Ark Encounter Adds ‘Tower of Babel’ – Biblical Evidence: ‘We’re All One Biological Race’, Air1.com news, July 2021
Full immersion in biblical imagination
Ark Encounter designers used “ark-tistic license,” shaped by Scripture reading, to speculate about the Ark’s appearance and Noah’s family. (courtesy E. Stephen Burnett, July 2018)
Perish all thoughts of sentimentalism: Ark Encounter designers pulled few punches in showcasing the sin of a pre-Flood world. (courtesy E. Stephen Burnett, July 2018)
Ark Encounter designers imagined names, appearances, and even personalities for all of Noah’s family, including his three sons and their wives. (courtesy E. Stephen Burnett, July 2018)
Next on Fantastical Truth
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Bold of em, I guess, to plan another attraction when, last I heard, the Ark Encounter hasn’t been earning enough to cover its own expenses for the last few years. Did they have to give up any of the artifacts from the Green exhibit as being black market items? /pot shots