Todd's Blog

I'm trying a new video series.  Let me know what you think. Feedback? Email me at toddcharleswood [at] gmail [dot] com. If you enjoyed this article, please consider a contribution to Core Academy of Science. Thank you. Have you read my book?  You should check that out too!

I got a text message this morning that sent me down the rabbit hole of public commentary and reviews of my recent books The Quest: Exploring Creation's Hardest Problems  and The Fool and the Heretic .  I don't really recommend reading a lot of reviews of your own work because inevitably you start doubting your basic ability to communicate ("Why would they think I meant that ?!").  You also start squabbling with the reviewers in your head ("I'm not wrong, you are! "), and it can spiral pretty quickly.  On the other hand, I think it's highly instructive in ways that people don't intend.  Consider this not so much a rebuttal as a reflection on the state of communication in the creation/evolution debate. The biggest thing I notice is that everyone frames their reception of my work in terms of their own experiences.  I guess that's obvious, but with a work as personal as The Quest , the reviews can meander off and become a review of me as a p

And it's about human origins. Usually, I like to keep my work to myself and surprise people with the finished product, but I'm working on something so big now that I can benefit from additional advice and even encouragement.  This book started out as a short work that was going to be like The Quest , where I mercilessly cut material out so that I could craft a good, light, compelling narrative.  I was hoping to pop out a nice quick book(let) on human origins that I could give to people wanting to understand what I research and why.  And I was hoping to finish in six weeks. As I continued writing, I realized three important things.  First, my plan was too ambitious.  I was working very hard to write the creationist book about human origins that I always wanted to read.  I want the book to integrate science and theology, and I want it to address issues that are typically ignored by everyone.  I also want it to be beautiful, with great artwork and diagrams.  That's a l