Marc Surtees
Marc Surtees has been a speaker for Genesis Agendum. He is believed to have a PhD in hormonal control of seasonal breeding (1985) and a BSc in applied biology (1980).
His young earth creationist position was refuted in a debate with him in January and February on BCSE's public forum on Science. You can pick up the thread here: http://www.bcseweb.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=548&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=45.
Since 2000 he has been running a small shop in Edinburgh call Paradigm Shift. This sells such items as telescopes, microscopes, scientific kits, rocks, minerals and fossils, as well as a variety of novelty items. The business has a web site at http://www.paradigmshift.org.uk
In addition to the items for sale in his shop, this website contains material written by Marc Surtees, with the following introduction:
My name is Marc Surtees and I am a Christian who believes that Home Education is a viable alternative to state school education. We hope that this section will help people to see the possibilities and the advantages of Home Education from a Christian point of view
The website contains sample pages and worksheets from this material. It is not clear from his public statements whether Marc Surtees is just an Intelligent Design advocate, or an actual young earth creationist. (1)
He gave a lecture to Edinburgh’s Fortean Society (See Fortean Society statement) in April 2006 which suggests that he is an ID advocate but his association with Genesis Agendum suggests he is a YECer. (1)
The following article was published about Marc Surtees' shop:
In 1988, Creation ex nihilo magazine (Vol. 20, No. 2) printed an article about a chain of four shops in New Zealand, called ‘Nature and Discovery’, that offer ‘a bold mix of the Bible, nature and science’.
These shops stock items that focus on the natural world, but also carry creationist books, magazines and videos. The aim is to help people discover the Creator through the wonder and beauty of the creation.
Marc and Rosalind Surtees were living in France at the time. Inspired by what they had read, they wanted to do the same thing themselves. However, they did not know if they could. Neither of them had any commercial experience and they did not think that the idea would work in France. Yet they were determined, with God’s help, to do something if the opportunity arose.
A year later they were getting ready to move to Musselburgh just outside Edinburgh to be nearer family. Would this be the opportunity to set up a shop like those they had read about? They already had a name for their shop: ‘Paradigm Shift’.
They started looking at shops for sale in Edinburgh and contacted Doug Pflaum who owned the ‘Nature and Discovery’ shops in New Zealand. He was a great encouragement and sent a lot of information about his own shops and a list of suppliers that he was using.
Using their savings and a mortgage on their house, they were able to buy a small fishmongers shop (35 square metres) in a busy main road that links the centre of Edinburgh to its northern edge (an area called Leith).
The shop was divided up by various partitions and had a suspended plaster-board ceiling. The front shop was tiled from floor to ceiling and had the remains of a filleting bench and refrigerated displays! There were two freezers, a washing machine and a cooker to remove. The cellar contained a lot of rubbish.
They became owners of the shop in August 2000 and with the help of fellow members of Musselburgh Baptist Church and other Christian friends they started renovation. After nearly three months of hard work they had banished the smell of fish and completely transformed the shop.
They have stocked the shop with items to help people discover the world around them — telescopes, microscopes, fossils, rocks, gems, science kits, posters and calendars. In addition to these, however, they make available creationist books from AiG and Day One. The rear of the shop is given over to a display on some aspect of creation. This presents the biblical perspective so that those who come in discover something about the creator God.
Marc and Rosalind believe that both believers and unbelievers need help to see that evolutionary theory is no explanation for the beauty and majesty of creation. One way to do this is to be present in the market place to help people find an alternative, biblical paradigm. That is why they have called the shop ‘Paradigm Shift’.
They want to help people rediscover what the Bible says, and what is there for all to see, namely, that the world is God’s creation. Every purchaser receives a leaflet that explains how they can discover something of God’s creation, its design, complexity and beauty.
Since it was opened in November 2000, many non-churchgoers have visited the shop, often attracted because they or their children are interested in science and nature.
People buy posters of the stars and galaxies; an electronics kit; a fossil or some rocks and minerals. But they also see Bible verses on the display boards and on the walls.
This often leads to conversations about the creator God. Questions concerning the age of our fossils always result in interesting discussions! Christians, too, are encouraged to explore a shop where God’s Word is given a place.
Thus the unconverted are challenged and believers encouraged in a world where the evolutionary paradigm goes largely unquestioned.
Marc and Rosalind believe that the work they are doing is part of a spiritual battle. Most people are convinced that the evolutionary paradigm is true because ‘scientists have proved it’. They need to understand that this is far from the truth.
Please pray for the Surtees that they would be able to present the creation in a way that will point people to the Creator. Please pray also that they will be helped to make good commercial decisions that will ensure the future of the shop and its ministry.
Footnotes: (1) Gordon Rutter of the Edinburgh Fortean Society sent the following email message to us on 15th December 2006: "On your web site you refer to Marc Surtees and a lecture he gave at the Edinburgh Fortean Society. I am the organiser of these meetings. I can confirm that Marc is a proponent of both ID and a young Earth."
