Context: The Confederation Report
Host: Steven R. Martins
Language: English
This is The Confederation Report, a weekly analysis of Canadian news and culture from a Biblical worldview.
Part I: An Armoured Fish Fossil in Manitoba (00:31-3:07)
The recent discovery of an armoured fish fossil in Manitoba, though interpreted by evolutionary scientists as a 390-million-year-old transitional form, more plausibly supports the biblical creationist framework, given its remarkable state of preservation indicative of rapid burial consistent with the global Flood narrative.
Part II: Explaining the Fossil Record (3:09-6:29)
Contrary to the prevailing claims of secular science, the fossil record—marked by rapid burial, anomalous fossil layering, preserved soft tissues, and the theological reality that death followed the Fall—aligns far more coherently with the biblical account of a global Flood than with the assumptions of deep-time evolutionary models.
Part III: The Nature of the Flood (6:31-11:05)
The Genesis Flood, far from being a mythical or localized event, is presented in Scripture as a global historical judgment affirmed by both Christ and the apostles, corroborated by cross-cultural flood traditions and geological evidence, and increasingly supported by modern discoveries of subterranean water reserves—collectively underscoring its reality and typological significance as a precursor to final judgment and the exclusive salvific refuge found in Christ.
Did You Know? (11:07-12:50)
Sir John William Dawson, Canada’s foremost 19th-century scientist and Principal of McGill, upheld biblical creation while advancing geology and education, demonstrating that faithful Christianity and scientific excellence need not be at odds.
Recommended Reading (12:52-14:04)
Willem J. Ouweneel’s Adam, Where Are You? offers a theologically rigorous critique of the evolutionist hermeneutic, arguing that evolutionary theory is incompatible with historic Christian doctrine and undermines the authority of Scripture and the gospel itself.
Transcript:
It’s Week 28 of 2025, and this is The Confederation Report, a weekly analysis of Canadian news and culture from a biblical worldview. My name is Steven R. Martins, Director of the Cántaro Institute, and each week we provide a Christian perspective on the headlines, critically engage secular narratives, and apply biblical truth to the cultural and societal issues of our time. Because Christ is Lord—over Canada, over culture, over all of life.
Part I: An Armoured Fish Fossil in Manitoba (00:31-3:07)
It wasn’t all that long ago that I commented on the discovery of soft tissue remnants in fossils that many claim are millions of years old—finds that continue to raise eyebrows and questions about the standard geological timeline. Well, here we are again. This time the focus is on an armoured fish fossil found in Manitoba, a province increasingly proving to be a treasure trove for paleontologists. The fossil, discovered near Lundar, has been named Elmosteus lundarensis by the research team from the University of Manitoba, who place it in the mid-Devonian era—roughly 390 million years ago, according to conventional dating methods.
The fish belongs to a group called placoderms, which were known for the bony plates that formed a sort of armour around the head and upper body. What makes this discovery notable to the researchers is not just its age, but its anatomy. Placoderms are often cited as among the earliest vertebrates to develop jaws, and are thus seen as a crucial link in the evolutionary story of how creatures like us supposedly came to be. One of the leading researchers, Dr. Melina Jobbins, described the find as an opportunity to trace traits like teeth and jaw structure back to what they consider our distant aquatic ancestors.
From an evolutionary standpoint, the discovery adds another data point to their timeline and fills in more details about the aquatic life that once inhabited what is now the Canadian prairies. But for those of us who approach these findings with a more critical eye—especially from a biblical creationist perspective—such discoveries prompt a different set of questions. How well do these fossil layers actually support the vast timelines assigned to them? Could the preservation of such detailed structures point instead to rapid burial and catastrophic processes, such as those described in the global Flood account?
I will address that promptly, but worthy of consider is the fact that Manitoba is gaining recognition as a fossil-rich region, not only for its famed mosasaurs but also for lesser-known species like this newly named fish. What’s also telling is how many of these discoveries are made in the context of mining operations, where the rock is peeled back and fossils are found incidentally. As more of these finds come to light, it becomes all the more important to ask not just what was found, but what story is being told—and whether that story aligns with the evidence, or simply with the assumptions brought to it.
Part II: Explaining the Fossil Record (3:09-6:29)
While I’ve previously touched on the irreconcilable tension between the biblical timeline and the claims of secular science, I think it’s worth zooming in on one area that often gets misunderstood: the fossil record. Many assume that the fossil record is a sort of “smoking gun” against the biblical narrative of origins. They picture it as this airtight, neatly layered archive of evolutionary history. But the truth is far more complicated—and far more supportive of the Bible’s account than they’d like to admit.
First, the very nature of fossilization demands rapid burial. For a living organism to be fossilized, it must be quickly covered by sediment—protected from scavengers, decay, and the elements. That’s not something we see happening under normal conditions today. What we do see, however, are massive fossil beds with creatures preserved mid-motion, some even mid-meal. These are snapshots of catastrophe, not slow, gradual death. Such large-scale, sudden burial is entirely consistent with what we’d expect from a global deluge, like the one described in Genesis.
Second, the order and distribution of fossils within the geologic column don’t actually confirm an evolutionary progression. What we often find are marine fossils on mountaintops, mixed layers of land and sea creatures, and soft-bodied organisms preserved with remarkable detail. In some cases, we find fossilized tree trunks running vertically through multiple layers of supposed “millions of years” of sediment—a major problem for uniformitarian models. This kind of evidence doesn’t suggest slow evolution over vast ages; it shouts flood geology.
Third, consider the growing number of discoveries of soft tissue in dinosaur bones—hemoglobin, collagen, even DNA fragments. These materials degrade quickly over time and should not be present in fossils supposedly 65+ million years old. Yet they are. This isn’t coming from fringe sources either—respected scientists like Mary Schweitzer and Mark Armitage have published findings that clearly defy the deep-time paradigm. And what’s the response from the evolutionary establishment? More mental gymnastics to preserve the timeline, not a reassessment of the timeline itself.
Lastly, if the fossil record is a record of death, then it must be interpreted through the lens of Scripture, not speculation. Scripture teaches that death entered the world through sin (Romans 5:12). Therefore, any record of death must have come after the Fall—not before. The fossil record, when rightly understood, is not a monument to millions of years of evolutionary struggle, but a layered testimony to divine judgment. It points us back to the reality of a global Flood and forward to the warning of final judgment. And in between, it reminds us of the mercy of God who preserves life even amid judgment.
Part III: The Nature of the Flood (6:31-11:05)
Let’s talk about the Flood of Noah’s day. For many, it’s nothing more than an ancient fable—fit for nursery walls and Sunday school cartoons. Others might concede it was historical but argue that it was merely a localized event confined to a Mesopotamian valley. But such dismissals are not only biblically unfounded—they’re historically and geologically weak. Have people never stopped to consider that nearly every ancient culture, across every inhabited continent, has preserved stories of a cataclysmic flood? These aren’t random fairy tales—they’re collective memories of a real, earth-shaking event.
Scripture itself is unambiguous. In 2 Peter 3:3–7, the apostle warns that in the last days, scoffers will reject both the promise of Christ’s return and the historical reality of the Flood. They deliberately forget, Peter says, that “the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished.” Peter wasn’t offering metaphor or myth—he was affirming real history, inspired by the Spirit of God. And more than Peter, we have the Lord Jesus Himself confirming the Flood’s reality. In both Matthew 24 and Luke 17, Christ refers to the days of Noah as historical precedent for the final judgment. As people were swept away in Noah’s day, so too will the unrepentant be caught unaware when the Son of Man returns. The gravity of His words hinges on the historicity of the event.
And if Christ—who is eternal and present at the beginning—affirms the Flood, who are we to call it a legend? This isn’t simply a matter of theology; it’s a matter of trust in divine testimony. The Son of God was not speculating. He was recalling real history as the omniscient Creator. When Jesus points to Noah’s Flood, He does so to warn of the coming judgment, but in doing so, He also cements the Flood’s historical legitimacy.
Beyond Scripture, history itself bears witness. From the Mayan calendar system in Mesoamerica to flood legends among North American tribes, from ancient China to the Sumerians of Mesopotamia, flood accounts abound. The Epic of Gilgamesh, though distorted by pagan embellishments, mirrors many elements of the biblical account. How can so many cultures—separated by oceans and language—retain such consistent memories of a global deluge? The answer is simple: the event happened. And as Noah’s descendants spread throughout the world, they carried that memory with them. Over time, it was filtered through cultural lenses, but the core truth remained: the sinful and rebellious world once drowned under the righteous judgment of God.
Now, the biblical description of the Flood is not limited to rainfall. Genesis speaks of the “fountains of the great deep” bursting forth—subterranean waters erupting with violent force. For years, this was dismissed as poetic language. But recent geological research has uncovered vast reserves of water locked within the earth’s mantle, stored in rock formations like ringwoodite. This “fourth state” of water—neither solid, liquid, nor gas—suggests that Scripture may have been pointing to a physical reality all along. While we cannot yet say with certainty that these reserves were involved in the Flood, they do confirm that the earth harbors subterranean waters on a massive scale. The scientific world is only now catching up to what Genesis recorded thousands of years ago.
In light of all this, the testimony of Scripture, the physical evidence in the fossil record, the geological features of our planet, and the widespread memory of a global deluge all point to the same undeniable reality: the Flood of Noah was a real, historical, worldwide event. It was not a myth to moralize, nor a metaphor to spiritualize, but a cataclysm sent by God in judgment upon a corrupt world. And just as the ark was the only means of salvation then, so now Christ is the only refuge from the judgment to come. The Flood account is not merely a story of destruction—it is a call to repentance, a reminder of God’s mercy in preserving a remnant, and a foreshadowing of the redemption we have in the greater Ark, Jesus Christ.
Did You Know? (11:07-12:50)
Sir John William Dawson (1820–1899), Canada’s first internationally renowned scientist, was also a devoted Christian who openly challenged the rising tide of Darwinism in his day. As a geologist and paleontologist, Dawson made significant scientific discoveries—including the oldest known reptile fossil, Hylonomus lyelli—yet he remained firm in his conviction that Scripture and science were not at odds. He believed that the natural world bore testimony to the wisdom and handiwork of a Creator and spent much of his life writing against the theory of evolution, authoring dozens of books and hundreds of articles defending a creationist perspective.
Dawson served as Principal of McGill University for nearly four decades, transforming the struggling institution into one of the leading centers of scientific education in North America. Despite his academic stature, he never abandoned his Christian commitments. He viewed education as a stewardship under God and was especially concerned about the spiritual and intellectual formation of Protestant students in Catholic-majority Quebec. His leadership was marked by integrity, perseverance, and a desire to honour Christ in both the lecture hall and the laboratory.
In an era when many scientists were abandoning biblical authority, Dawson stood firm, often at great personal cost. He declined a prestigious position at the College of New Jersey (now Princeton) in order to continue his work in Montreal, where he also helped establish the Redpath Museum and co-founded the Royal Society of Canada. Knighted in 1884 for his contributions to science, Dawson’s legacy endures—not merely as a brilliant mind, but as a man who exemplified how faith and science can walk hand in hand to the glory of God.
Recommended Resource (12:52-14:04)
This week’s recommended resource is Willem J. Ouweneel – Adam, Where Are You? And Why This Matters: A Theological Evaluation of the Evolutionist Hermeneutic. In a time when many Christian academics have surrendered the doctrine of origins to evolutionary theory, Dr. Willem J. Ouweneel presents a bold and uncompromising challenge. With three doctorates—in biology, philosophy, and theology—Ouweneel brings unique authority to the conversation, arguing that the acceptance of general evolution is fundamentally incompatible with the historic Christian faith. Origins, he contends, are not a peripheral issue but central to the gospel itself.
This book is a much-needed theological evaluation of the evolutionist hermeneutic, exposing its philosophical foundations and its consequences for biblical authority, human identity, and the doctrine of sin. For those seeking clarity amid the confusion of theistic evolution and compromise, Adam, Where Are You? is a compelling and timely read.
Dr. Ouweneel, Professor Emeritus at the Evangelical Theological Faculty in Leuven, Belgium, is also the author of The World is Christ’s and The Heidelberg Diary. He continues to write, teach, and speak internationally from his home in the Netherlands.
Closing Words
Thanks for listening to The Confederation Report, this podcast is brought to you by the Cántaro Institute. Visit our website at cantaroinstitute.org for more information. For books to read on worldview, philosophy, and theology, visit our store at cantaroinstitute.store
We’ll meet again next week.
Documentation & Additional Reading
CTV News (Devon McKendrick)
Researchers discover new ancient, armoured fish fossil in Manitoba
Andrew A. Snelling, Earth’s Catastrophic Past: Geology, Creation & the Flood, Vols. 1-2 (USA: Masterbooks, 2009).