About Us

Science and technology are powerful, respected, and highly successful.

They have immensely improved our standard of living — from houses, appliances, food, health, and recreation to methods of communication, transportation, and record keeping — leading some to believe that all of humanity's problems can be solved by science. But can science aid in finding answers to philosophical questions about our origin and destiny and about our purpose for living? Can it solve the problems of war and mismanaged environments? Science has tried unsuccessfully and often in direct conflict with answers given in the Bible.

The most notable conflict is between the theory of evolution with its billions of years for the progressive development of life and the biblical account of the creation of life by God in six literal days a few thousand years ago. Does the success of science in other areas force us to conclude that scientific evidence for an evolutionary theory is irrefutable?

The Geoscience Research Institute, founded in 1958, was established to address this question by looking at the scientific evidence concerning origins. The Institute uses both science and revelation to study the question of origins because it considers the exclusive use of science as too narrow an approach. The Institute serves the Seventh-day Adventist church in two major areas: research and communication.   

RESEARCH

      The Institute's facilities, located on the campus of Loma Linda University in Loma Linda, California, include office space, laboratories, computers for data analysis, and a 18,000-volume science library including 100 journal subscriptions. Eight research scientists are members of the Institute:

  • L. James Gibson (Ph.D., Loma Linda University), the Director of the Institute, has research specialties in vertebrate biogeography.
  • Roberto E. Biaggi (Ph.D., Loma Linda University) is pursuing paleoecology research in Wyoming.
  • Choi, Chong Geol (Ph.D., University of Seoul) has pursued research in paleontology, particularly stromatolites and dinosaur trackways.
  • Benjamin L. Clausen (Ph.D., University of Colorado) has pursued research in nuclear physics.
  • Raul Esperante (Ph.D., Loma Linda University) is pursuing paleontology research in Peru and in Spain.
  • Ronald Nalin (Ph.D., University of Padua) is pursuing sedimentological research in Italy.
  • Jacques Sauvagnat (Ph.D., University of Geneva) is pursuing research in the paleontology of the Barremian ostracodes of southeastern France.
  • Timothy G. Standish (Ph.D., George Mason University) has pursued research in molecular biology.

      In addition to these full-time research personnel, the Institute sponsors a modest research grant program providing assistance to other qualified investigators. Over the past two decades, funding has been provided for nearly 100 research projects on questions related to Earth's origin and history.

      Although not all the conflicts between scientific interpretations and the Bible have been resolved, the staff finds sufficient evidence from its research and from the scientific literature to reinforce faith in the biblical account of origins.

COMMUNICATION

      The staff of the Institute communicates the results of its research and study in numerous lectures to general and church audiences and in the teaching of classes at educational institutions. Extended field conferences are conducted for graduate students, educators, and administrators in Europe, the Caribbean, the South Pacific, South America, and several parts of North America. These take place at geologic and paleontological localities significant to Earth's past history.

      Research results are reported professionally through the scientific literature and society meetings. For the non-technical audience, illustrative materials in video and slide-set format have been prepared, books have been published, and articles written for various journals. In addition, the Institute publishes three periodicals:

  • ORIGINS: a biannual scholarly journal that deals with the broad issues of Earth's past history.
  • CIENCIA DE LOS ORIGINES: a biannual Spanish publication covering the broad issues of origins.
  • GEOSCIENCE NEWSLETTER: a quarterly electronic newsletter with brief summaries of Institute activities and science news notes.

      Katherine Ching (M.A.) is the graphics and publications editor for the Institute. Carol Olmo is the Institute's administrative assistant.