The Institute for Creation Research was established in 1970. It was founded by Henry Morris when Tim LaHaye invited him out to southern California to develop a Christian/creation based higher education institution. In 1981, the Institute for Creation Research as a Graduate School was officially independent from Christian Heritage College. The institute granted graduate degrees in Biology, Astro/Geophysics, Geology and Science Education for almost 30 years. By curriculum, the master’s degrees issued are Biology 36, Astro/Geophysics 11, Geology 11, and Science Education 24 (as of September 2003). Notable faculty and department chairs over the 30 years of service can be highlighted by curriculum. The years for the starling institute graduate school can be characterized as the founding first decade, the developing second decade, and the third decade of expansion.
Anyone that knows the history of ICRGS knows that its existence has been threaten from the beginning to the end except maybe for a hiatus in the middle with the help of Dr. Morris’ brainchild TRACS accreditation firm which was granted standing nationally. Even this nationally approved assessment was not enough. The ICRGS met its demise because of a planned and expected advantageous move from a political left leaning state California to one considered more conservative leaning, namely, Texas. Unfortunately, and ironically, this move for political reasons (pushed by evolutionists in the state of Texas) led to the cancelling of the graduate school’s ability to issue accredited Master of Science degrees.
Thus, since 2010, no science degree granting graduate school exists with one of the goals to study and promote a recent creation and biblical origins worldview. Is there no one in the Christian/creationist community like Henry Morris or his sons today that believes this endeavor is attainable or warranted no matter what the cost? Is the political pressure and governmental overreach too great to overcome? What are some practical steps that can be taken to revive this vision? As a community, even with our diverse opinions in creation theory, steps, even if small, need to be taken to re-establish such an education and research institution.