Created kind
Original life forms created by God according to Genesis.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
Created kinds, also referred to as kinds, original kinds, Genesis kinds, or baramins, are a concept in creationism based on a literal reading of the Book of Genesis and other biblical texts. They are purported to be the original forms of life as created by God, and creationists believe that living organisms were created in a finite number of discrete forms with genetic boundaries that prevent interbreeding between different kinds.
- field
- Creationism, baraminology
- known_for
- Concept of original created forms of life according to a literal reading of Genesis
- associated_with
- Young Earth creationists, Old Earth creationists, biblical literalists
Lore & Background
In 1990, Kurt Wise introduced baraminology as an adaptation of Marsh's ideas, more in keeping with young Earth creationism. Baraminology uses methods like cladistics and Analysis of Pattern to search for morphological and genetic gaps between groups, and has developed software called BDIST. The methods have been criticized by scientists and creationists for lacking formal structure, and Alan Gishlick in 2006 criticized the methods as lacking rigor, concluding they did not work.
Reader's Guide
The concept of created kinds is central to creationist biology, serving as an alternative to evolutionary common descent. It is promulgated by Young Earth creationists to support the literal truth of the Genesis creation and flood narratives, during which they contend ancestors of all land-based life were housed in Noah's Ark. Old Earth creationists also employ the concept, rejecting universal common descent while not necessarily accepting a literal global flood or six-day creation. Both groups accept that some lower-level microevolutionary change occurs within kinds. The idea has been heavily criticized for lacking rigorous tests and for producing inconsistent results that conflict with biological evidence. The US National Academy of Sciences and numerous other scientific organizations recognize creation science as pseudoscience. Baraminology has been compared to other attempts at 'alternate research' to produce artificial evidence supporting preconceived conclusions. Some techniques employed in baraminology have been used to demonstrate evolution, calling its conclusions into question.
Did You Know?
- The term 'baramin' is a neologism combining the Hebrew words 'bará' (created) and 'min' (kind).
- Frank Lewis Marsh coined the term baramin in his 1941 book Fundamental Biology.
- Kurt Wise introduced baraminology in 1990 as an adaptation of Marsh's ideas.
- Baraminologists have developed their own creationist systematics software called BDIST.
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly is a 'Created kind' or baramin?
A baramin is the term creationists use for the original, distinct categories of living organisms that God is believed to have made during the Genesis creation week. Each kind represents a separate act of divine creation rather than a product of common ancestry.
How is a 'kind' different from a biological species?
A kind is a broader category that can encompass multiple species, whereas a species is a taxonomic rank used in mainstream biology. Creationists argue that kinds have fixed genetic boundaries that prevent interbreeding across kind lines, even though variation within a kind is allowed.
Who holds the 'Created kind' view?
This concept is central to Young Earth creationists, Old Earth creationists, and various biblical literalist groups who read Genesis as a historical account. It sits within the broader study sometimes called baraminology.
Why do creationists say kinds have genetic boundaries?
The idea is that God set a hard stop on genetic exchange between different kinds, so no amount of mutation or natural selection can bridge the gap between them. This is presented as the mechanism that keeps each created form distinct from every other.
Where in Genesis does the 'Created kind' idea come from?
The concept is drawn from the repeated phrase 'according to its kind' that appears throughout the creation days in Genesis chapter 1. Creationists read this as indicating discrete, non-overlapping groups of organisms rather than a single common ancestor.
More in Genesis creation narrative 1-24
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