Five Major Views of Creation

Bible Basics for the FamilyBible Basics for the Family

The Doctrine of The Doctrine of CreationCreation

Five (5) Major Views of CreationFive (5) Major Views of Creation

1.1. Atheistic EvolutionAtheistic Evolution

2.2. Theistic EvolutionTheistic Evolution

3.3. Progressive Creation (Day-Age Progressive Creation (Day-Age Theory)Theory)

4.4. Gap TheoryGap Theory

5.5. Six-Day CreationSix-Day Creation

National Geographic,November 1999

The Courier JournalMonday, April 30, 2001

(1) Atheistic Evolution(1) Atheistic Evolution

Statement of the ViewStatement of the View::

““Everything in the universe has come into Everything in the universe has come into existence and has evolved into its present existence and has evolved into its present form as a result of form as a result of naturalnatural processesprocesses unaided by any supernatural power.”unaided by any supernatural power.”

Positive Aspects of the Atheistic Positive Aspects of the Atheistic Evolution from its AdvocatesEvolution from its Advocates

1.1. It appears to explain the origin of It appears to explain the origin of everything.everything.

2.2. It offers a single explanation for It offers a single explanation for everything that exists: “everything that exists: “ItIt evolvedevolved.”.”

3.3. It offers the only real alternative to It offers the only real alternative to creation by God.creation by God.

4.4. It eliminates God and exalts man. It is It eliminates God and exalts man. It is thoroughlythoroughly humanistichumanistic..

Problems with Atheistic EvolutionProblems with Atheistic Evolution

1.1. It rests on a hypothesis that cannot be It rests on a hypothesis that cannot be proved to be true; it is essentially a proved to be true; it is essentially a faithfaith positionposition (just like creationist positions). (just like creationist positions).

2.2. It is supported by little historical It is supported by little historical (geological) evidence (only the fossil (geological) evidence (only the fossil record) which has record) which has manymany gapsgaps in it and is in it and is open to open to subjectivesubjective interpretation interpretation

Problems with Atheistic EvolutionProblems with Atheistic Evolution

3.3. It relies on mutations as a mechanism for It relies on mutations as a mechanism for change, but mutations have not change, but mutations have not produced new species, and are almost produced new species, and are almost always harmful and destructive.always harmful and destructive.

4.4. It is extremely It is extremely improbableimprobable statistically. statistically.

5.5. It repudiates special revelation It repudiates special revelation ((ScriptureScripture) concerning creation.) concerning creation.

(2) Theistic Evolution(2) Theistic Evolution


““Everything in the universe has come into Everything in the universe has come into existence and has evolved into its present existence and has evolved into its present form as a result of form as a result of naturalnatural processesprocesses guided by the God of the Bible.”guided by the God of the Bible.”

Positive Aspects of Theistic Positive Aspects of Theistic Evolution from its AdvocatesEvolution from its Advocates

1.1. It unites truth known by special revelation It unites truth known by special revelation in the Bible with truth known by general in the Bible with truth known by general revelation in nature and discovered by revelation in nature and discovered by science.science.

2.2. God God seemsseems to work according to this to work according to this pattern in history interrupting and pattern in history interrupting and intervening the course of events only intervening the course of events only rarely.rarely.

Problems with Theistic EvolutionProblems with Theistic Evolution1.1. It presupposes the truth of evolution which has It presupposes the truth of evolution which has

not been validated (it is not a fact, but a not been validated (it is not a fact, but a theorytheory).).

2.2. God has intervened in history many more God has intervened in history many more times than the theistic evolutionist posits.times than the theistic evolutionist posits.

3.3. It cannot do justice to both the tenets of It cannot do justice to both the tenets of evolution and the teaching of evolution and the teaching of ScriptureScripture. One . One must be given precedent over the other.must be given precedent over the other.

4.4. This method of creation does not do justice to This method of creation does not do justice to the biblical record of creation.the biblical record of creation.

(3) Progressive Creation(3) Progressive Creation(also known as Day-Age Theory)(also known as Day-Age Theory)


““God created the world directly and God created the world directly and deliberately, without leaving anything to deliberately, without leaving anything to chance, but He did it over chance, but He did it over longlong periodsperiods of of time that correspond roughly to the time that correspond roughly to the geological ages.”geological ages.”

Positive Aspects of Progressive Positive Aspects of Progressive Creation from its AdvocatesCreation from its Advocates

1.1. It provides a reasonable It provides a reasonable harmonyharmony between the Genesis record and the between the Genesis record and the facts of science.facts of science.

2.2. The translation of “day” as “age” though The translation of “day” as “age” though rare, is an exegetically legitimate one.rare, is an exegetically legitimate one.

Problems with Progressive Problems with Progressive Creation (Day-Age Theory)Creation (Day-Age Theory)

1.1. Taking the six days of creation as Taking the six days of creation as agesages is is unusualunusual exegetically. exegetically.

2.2. ““Evenings” and “mornings” suggests 24-Evenings” and “mornings” suggests 24-hour periods.hour periods.

3.3. Death enters the world Death enters the world beforebefore the Fall the Fall (conflicts with Romans 5).(conflicts with Romans 5).

(4) The Gap Theory(4) The Gap Theory


““Between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2 there was a Between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2 there was a long, indeterminate period in which the long, indeterminate period in which the destruction of an original world and the destruction of an original world and the unfolding of the geological ages can be unfolding of the geological ages can be located. God then recreated the cosmos.”located. God then recreated the cosmos.”

Positive Aspects of the Gap Theory Positive Aspects of the Gap Theory according to its Advocatesaccording to its Advocates

1.1. It rests on an exegetical, biblical base.It rests on an exegetical, biblical base.

2.2. It is consistent with the structure of the It is consistent with the structure of the creation account itself.creation account itself.

3.3. It is possible to translate the Hebrew It is possible to translate the Hebrew verb “to be” in verse 2 as “became.”verb “to be” in verse 2 as “became.”

Problems with the Gap TheoryProblems with the Gap Theory

1.1. It is an It is an unnaturalunnatural explanation since the explanation since the text implies an original creation in text implies an original creation in Genesis 1:2ff (cf. Exodus 20:11).Genesis 1:2ff (cf. Exodus 20:11).

2.2. While the view builds on a high view of While the view builds on a high view of Scripture, several of the interpretations Scripture, several of the interpretations for it are based on for it are based on improbableimprobable exegesis. exegesis. In this light some have proposed moving In this light some have proposed moving the gap to between John 1:1 and the gap to between John 1:1 and Genesis 1:1.Genesis 1:1.

(5) Six Day Creation(5) Six Day Creation


““Genesis 1 describes one creative process Genesis 1 describes one creative process that took place in six consecutive that took place in six consecutive 24-hour24-hour periods of time, not more than 6-20 periods of time, not more than 6-20 thousand years ago (many would allow for thousand years ago (many would allow for an older earth and creation date).”an older earth and creation date).”

Positive Aspects of Six-Day Positive Aspects of Six-Day Creation by its AdvocatesCreation by its Advocates

1.1. It regards biblical teaching as It regards biblical teaching as determinativedeterminative..

2.2. It rests on a It rests on a strongstrong exegetical base. exegetical base.

3.3. It is the It is the clearestclearest meaning of the text. meaning of the text.

4.4. It is consistent with the laws of It is consistent with the laws of thermodynamics . . .thermodynamics . . .

Laws of ThermodynamicsLaws of Thermodynamics

1.1. 11stst Law of Thermodynamics: although Law of Thermodynamics: although energy can be changed in form, it is not energy can be changed in form, it is not now being created (Genesis 2:1-3; now being created (Genesis 2:1-3; Hebrews 4:4,10).Hebrews 4:4,10).

2.2. 22ndnd Law of Thermodynamics: all physical Law of Thermodynamics: all physical systems, if left to themselves, tend systems, if left to themselves, tend toward atrophy and become disordered toward atrophy and become disordered (Hebrews 1:10-12; Romans 8:20-22).(Hebrews 1:10-12; Romans 8:20-22).

Problems with Six-Day CreationProblems with Six-Day Creation

1.1. Data from various scientific disciplines Data from various scientific disciplines indicates the earth is about 5 billion indicates the earth is about 5 billion years old.years old.

2.2. Creation with the appearance of age Creation with the appearance of age casts doubt on the credibility of God.casts doubt on the credibility of God.

3.3. While the view is based on the best While the view is based on the best exegesis of the text, it contradicts the exegesis of the text, it contradicts the present conclusions of several branches present conclusions of several branches of science. of science.

Creationists Who founded Creationists Who founded Modern ScienceModern Science

Kepler—AstronomyKepler—Astronomy

Pascal—HydrostaticsPascal—Hydrostatics

Boyle—ChemistryBoyle—Chemistry

Newton—PhysicsNewton—Physics

Kelvin—ThermodynamicsKelvin—Thermodynamics

Johann Kepler (1571-1630):Johann Kepler (1571-1630):

At the end of his life his prayer was,At the end of his life his prayer was,

““I give you thanks, Creator and God, I give you thanks, Creator and God, that you have given me this joy in thy that you have given me this joy in thy creation, and I rejoice in the works of creation, and I rejoice in the works of your hands. See I have now completed your hands. See I have now completed the work to which I was called. In it I the work to which I was called. In it I have used all the talents you have lent have used all the talents you have lent to my spirit.”to my spirit.”

Spiritual

Five Major Views of Creation