4th Day Alliance

Modern Day - Creation Astronomer

Barry Setterfield

(The following text was taken from the Setterfield.org website)
Barry was born at Northam in Western Australia on 15th April 1942 to parents who were both Salvation Army officers. They were Corps Officers who each attained the rank of Senior Major before retiring with ill health in 1956. A few years later they were appointed as Curators of the “Old Government House” a historic museum of early pioneer life in South Australia in a National Park in the Adelaide hills.

Barry was educated at Unley High School from 1956 to 1960 where he gained credits in Latin, English, Physics, Chemistry and Drawing (Art). Distinctions were not given, only credit, pass, second division pass and fail. As a result of his scholastic ability, he was awarded a Commonwealth Scholarship to Adelaide University. He attended university from 1961 to 1964 and majored in Physics and Geology.

He was forced to terminate his studies due to ill health and a family crisis in 1964. But in that year he performed a complete mineralogical survey of the state of South Australia for an international mining company. On March 8th that year he accepted Christ as his Savior. In November 1965, he participated in a project to find a location for the largest telescope for the Southern Hemisphere which was being planned for Australia. Earlier in 1965 he was asked by the Astronomical Society of South Australia (ASSA) to complete and prepare for publication the research of the former Government Astronomer for South Australia, George Dodwell who had died the previous year. From 1966 to 1971 he lectured in Astronomy for the ASSA, as well as presenting astronomy to schools, colleges and scout groups.

In 1976 his father died, and he concentrated on looking after his invalid mother (Bertha) and epileptic sister (Marilyn). In December 1979 he was given a the book Mysterious Universe, a Handbook of Astronomical Anomalies. Much to his surprise he found it chronicled several hundred years of experiements by scientists which indicated the speed of light had been slowing. The book also presented reprints of articles from respected peer-reviewed journals which discussed the changing speed of light. His interest aroused, Barry began what he thought was a couple of weeks of research to find where the instrumental or human errors were which would indicate this changing 'constant.' Instead of being able to wrap up the question quickly, however, he found himself beginning the research which has spanned the last thirty years of his life.

Throughout 1986 and 1987 Barry was liaising with the Mathematics Department at Flinders University in Adelaide, South Australia, and Stanford Research Institute (SRI) International on a presentation of the initial conclusions of his speed of light research. It was presented as a 90 page document entitled “The Atomic Constants, Light and Time” with Trevor Norman of the Math Department at Flinders as co-author in August 1987. In December of that year, his mother had a major heart attack and his sister became extremely ill so that his research was effectively put on hold.

During the following 8 years he had opportunity to prepare a number of videos on a variety of topics as well as clarify some important aspects and goals of his research. Following the death of his mother in 1995, and an improvement in his sister’s condition, he resumed active research and corresponded with Helen (Penny) Fryman as his editor in the USA. They were married in October of 2000. Shortly after, his sister required intensive care and was put into a nursing home. At this time, Barry was able to move to the United States and live with his wife in Shingle Springs, California, and then Grants Pass, Oregon. Since 2000, Barry and Helen have lectured at Bible schools, colleges, schools and churches in the USA, New Zealand and Australia and presented their research in a number of forums. Barry is currently Director of the New Hope Observatory in Grants Pass where he also lectures in astronomy. Helen has studied in a number of fields and is responsible for checking his papers to make sure they are lay-friendly.

Barry continues his research and writing and is currently involved in the making of a set of DVDs covering his work in physics and astronomy. They should be available by the end of 2008. His first DVD presenting his research regarding the Christmas Star has met with an excellent reception. The Setterfields continue to live in Grants Pass, Oregon where they are also involved in a small rescue operation for elderly horses who have been either abandon or neglected.

Please note: Barry is not a Ph.D. and should not be referred to as "Dr."