The Monsters of Young-Earth Creationists

Abstract Young-earth creationism is a militant form of Christian evangelicalism seeking to disprove evolutionary theory, which it regards as satanic, and to establish Genesis 1–11 as the authoritative account of the origins of the universe and of life on earth. Monsters rendered as dinosaurs are integral to the young-earth creationist worldview, as this chapter will demonstrate through examining young-earth creationist biblical analysis, renderings of earth history, creation museums, children’s literature, and speculation about genetic manipulation and demonic possession. Particular attention will be given to the work of Henry M. Morris and Ken Ham and their intellectual heirs at the Institute for Creation Research (ICR) and Answers in Genesis (AiG). Given that the young-earth creationist world is defined by spiritual warfare between Christians and the dominions of evil, Jeffrey Jerome Cohen’s classic argument that the monster’s body “quite literally incorporates fear, desire, anxiety, and fantasy” offers a platform by which young-earth creationist monsters may be unpacked and understood. This chapter will focus on two young-earth creationist renderings of biblical monsters: their positive characterization at creation in Genesis 1–3 and their representation in the fallen antediluvian world of Genesis 6:1–7.