Our Created Moon: Earth's Fascinating Neighbor is an easy-to-read and enjoyable effort by two very qualified authors.  Dr. DeYoung holds a Ph.D. in Physics from Iowa State University and has been a professor of Physics and Astronomy since 1972.  Dr. Whitcomb has written on a variety of subjects, including Bible commentaries and scientific books.  He is co-author (along with Henry Morris) of The Genesis Flood, the book credited with sparking the modern Creationist revival.

     The book is divided into five chapters.  Chapter four is dedicated to studying what the Bible says about the moon while the other chapters deal with scientific aspects of our largest satellite.  The authors explain technical concepts in laymen's terms so the reader will not be lost in scientific terminology.  It is written in a question and answers style.  In this way, the authors are able to address the issues pertinent to the subject at hand. 

     The first chapter focuses on the facts and figures of the moon and the way in which it relates to our planet.  Solar and lunar eclipses are explained in detail.  The moon's phases, its effect on the tides, its orbit, and its composition are also dealt with in this chapter.  The third chapter deals with the purposes of the moon.  Our planet would be doomed to disaster were it not for our fascinating neighbor.

     The apologetic value of Our Created Moon is found largely in the second and fifth chapters.  Chapter two discusses the history of the moon.  This is an extremely troublesome subject for non-theists since all of the proposed naturalistic explanations contain fatal errors.  Also, those who believe God used billions of years to create the world are faced with irrefutable evidence to the contrary from both theological and scientific approaches.  The fifth chapter answers many of the questions raised by critics of the Bible related to the moon. 

     This book is extremely helpful for anyone looking for evidence from our solar system that supports God's Word.  The first chapter would be an excellent supplement to an earth science textbook.  I would have given it a 10 out of 10 if it was a little longer and contained some more detailed information about the moon.

    (6/1/05)