Dr Jason Lisle, Ph.D.

Creationist Astrophysicist

Answers in Genesis, USA

Biography

Most practising astronomers and astrophysicists believe in the big bang, a billions-of-years-old universe and other evolutionary ideas. But based on Scripture and the best interpretation of the scientific evidence, they are simply wrong, according to Dr Jason Lisle.

An astrophysicist with a Ph.D. from the University of Colorado at Boulder, Dr Lisle is now helping refute the evolutionary account of origins—using his strong science background.

Lisle grew up in a Christian home, and because his family believed in the authority and accuracy of the Bible, he had little difficulty in dealing with the evolutionary bombardment he received in school.

At university, Jason discovered that an important element in scientific study and the drawing of conclusions was that scientists usually are not aware of their presuppositions (i.e. they interpret scientific evidence in light of their existing worldview). It thus made it easier for him to see that intelligent scientists, many who were his professors, can disagree on what the evidence really means, for they have different starting points. So as he read creation materials, he could see that when the evidence was properly interpreted, it always supported the biblical account of creation (even with the thorny question of starlight and time).

In graduate school, Jason developed a passion to share the message that God’s Word is true from the very first verse. He began giving talks encouraging people to trust in the Bible and not compromise with the secular ideas of millions of years of evolution.

Because of known discrimination against creationist scientist at secular universities, Jason published papers in creationist journals under a pseudonym, Robert Newton. He explains that the subjectivity of Ph.D. grading makes it easy to fail a creationist. For example, the review committee could claim that a person hasn’t done enough work, because how much work is ‘enough’ is hard to prove, disguising the real reason that the candidate is a creationist.

Interests

Dr Lisle has always had a keen interest in science and enjoys reading books on a wide range of scientific topics. Astronomy and physics have always been areas of special interest. One of his favorite hobbies is viewing the beautiful night sky through a telescope. Dr Lisle was instrumental in developing the planetarium at the Creation Museum in Kentucky.

In graduate school, Dr Lisle specialized in solar astrophysics. His areas of interest in creation studies are in developing models of cosmology and stellar aging. Creationist thinking in these areas is still very preliminary.

More of his educational background

Dr Lisle graduated summa cum laude from Ohio Wesleyan University where he double-majored in physics and astronomy, and minored in mathematics. He did graduate work at the University of Colorado where he earned a Master’s degree and a Ph.D. in Astrophysics. While there, Dr Lisle used the SOHO spacecraft to investigate motions on the surface of the sun as well as solar magnetism and subsurface weather. His thesis was entitled “Probing the Dynamics of Solar Supergranulation and its Interaction with Magnetism.” He has also authored a number of papers in both secular and creation literature.

Articles by or about Dr Lisle (aka Robert Newton)