The Anointed, by Randall J. Stephens and Karl W. Giberson

In high school I was taught that the Earth is about 10,000 years old. But I also learned the basics of evolution from my evangelical teachers. School administrators knew that students taking Advanced Placement biology exams and heading off to state universities needed to understand secular scientific reasoning, if only to combat it properly.

Then, during my freshman year of college, I met Ken Ham. The popular creationist came to my town to hold a series of seminars on creationism. I went, eager to see the celebrity Christian apologist. What I saw and heard disturbed me. I had learned enough science to know that the issues he raised were complicated. But Ham made them seem simple. Too simple.

After his presentation, I waited patiently to talk to him. He may have been tired or he may have been having a bad day, but when I got to the front of the line, he flippantly dismissed what was a real question from a real seeker.