Editing Catastrophism (section)

===The rise of uniformitarianism in geology===
Uniformitarian explanations for the formation of [[sedimentary rock]] and an understanding of the immense stretch of [[geological time]], or as the concept came to be known [[deep time]], were found in the writing of [[James Hutton]], sometimes known as the father of geology, in the late 18th century. The geologist [[Charles Lyell]] built upon Hutton's ideas during the first half of 19th century and amassed observations in support of the uniformitarian idea that the Earth's features had been shaped by same geological processes that could be observed in the present acting gradually over an immense period of time. Lyell presented his ideas in the influential three volume work, ''[[Principles of Geology]]'', published in the 1830s, which challenged theories about geological cataclysms proposed by proponents of catastrophism like Cuvier and Buckland.<ref>{{Harvnb|Rudwick|1972|pp=174–175}}</ref> One of the key differences between catastrophism and uniformitarianism is that uniformitarianism observes the existence of vast timelines, whereas catastrophism does not. Today most geologists combine catastrophist and uniformitarianist standpoints, taking the view that [[History of Earth|Earth's history]] is a slow, gradual story punctuated by occasional natural catastrophic events that have affected Earth and its inhabitants.<ref>{{cite book |year=2007 |chapter=Uniformitarianism |chapter-url=http://www.bartleby.com/65/un/uniformi.html |title=The Columbia Encyclopedia |edition=6th |publisher=[[Columbia University Press]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060624122338/http://www.bartleby.com/65/un/uniformi.html |archive-date=2006-06-24 }}</ref>

From around 1850 to 1980, most geologists endorsed [[uniformitarianism (science)|uniformitarianism]] ("The present is the key to the past") and [[gradualism]] (''geologic change occurs slowly over long periods of time'') and rejected the idea that cataclysmic events such as [[earthquakes]], [[volcano|volcanic eruptions]], or floods of vastly greater power than those observed at the present time, played any significant role in the formation of the Earth's surface. Instead they believed that the earth had been shaped by the long term action of forces such as volcanism, earthquakes, erosion, and sedimentation, that could still be observed in action today. In part, the geologists' rejection was fostered by their impression that the catastrophists of the early nineteenth century believed that God was directly involved in determining the history of Earth. Some of the theories about Catastrophism in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries were connected with [[religion]] and catastrophic origins were sometimes considered [[Miracle|miraculous]] rather than natural events.<ref>{{Harvnb|Rudwick|1972|pp=174–179}}</ref>

The rise in uniformitarianism made the introduction of a new catastrophe theory very difficult. In 1923 [[J Harlen Bretz]] published a paper on the [[channeled scablands]] formed by glacial [[Lake Missoula]] in Washington State, USA. Bretz encountered resistance to his theories from the geology establishment of the day, kicking off an acrimonious 40 year debate. Finally in 1979 Bretz received the [[Penrose Medal]]; the [[Geological Society of America]]'s highest award.<ref>[https://www.geosociety.org/awards/past.htm Penrose Medal 1979] to J Harlen Bretz, [[Geological Society of America]]</ref>