Part 3 goes into details about some of the characteristics of TNCs when compared to AIG-variety YECs. There’s a lot of good stuff here, but this point in particular resonated with me because I think I’ve felt a lot less fear around basic curiosity since coming out of YEC:
New discoveries always seem to raise new challenges for YECs. They are also challenges to TNCs but the latter find the challenges exciting rather than daunting. On the other hand Ken Ham comes to mind when he laments our wasting time and money to explore the universe ostensibly because we have more important things to do with that money here on Earth but there is always a sense in his words that it is waste because we already know what we need to know about the Universe from God’s Word and so there isn’t really anything out there to discover that is worth discovering.
and later…
Not only is there greater consensus on these subjects among the TNCs, I also find them to be more adaptable to new ideas and willing to explore new directions as the traditional explanations are found to be inadequate. Traditional young-earth models are most likely to be sustained by established YEC organizations who have a vested interest in maintaining the status quo and are less able to incorporate new ideas which may be perceived as undermining their ministry by confusing their donor base. There is an enormous cost to YEC megaministries to have to reprint, redesign, and relabel if paradigms shift. Stasis is their friend and helps to give the impression of established truths. By contrast, scientific research is dynamic and provides the opportunity to correct misconceptions and errors. TNCs are more willing to allow new information to challenge the status quo.