dmcg-some interesting thoughts and would not wish to disagree though i hope you will permit a few obsevations/questions.
argument from authority applies both ways though i realize you were addressing ionas challenge.being probably the least academic; seems to me to have made me the target of said argumet a number of times.
ie-i should submit to the evolutionist/atheists because i dont have degrees etc.i may have done the same in reply in citing creationst scientists or even evolutionary scientists.
not sure about citing bible as just argument from authority; as much as our presupposition as opposed to evolutionary supposition ;since a creationist does not interpret the data the same as darwinists.yet they claim a cast iron case for evolutionism just as we trust the bible as our authority.
pete