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Creation
Dating based on the Bible
What does the Bible Teach
about
the Age of the Earth
See Also
How Old is the Earth?
Discussion Group Age of the Earth
Many have used the events in the Bible to calculate when the Genesis creation occurred. They generally give a date of about 4000 B.C., although they range from about 3600 B.C. to 10,000 B.C. The most famous of these was done by Archbishop Ussher, who determined that the year of creation was 4004 BC.
Others claim that the generations listed in the Bible only include the important ancestors and that many in-between generation are omitted.
Is the Earth only about 6,000 years old?
- Does the Population Count Prove a Young Earth?
- Does the Helium in the Atmosphere Prove a Young Earth?
- Does the Earth's Magnetic Field Prove a Young Earth
Archbishop Ussher method
Other Points of View
Does the Bible Teach a Young Earth or Old Earth?
I don't want to turn this into a Bible interpretation forum, but here are some interesting points of view for your consideration. To best understand a problem, it's good to investigate all points of view.
You decide what to make of these.
Some use Matthew 19:4-5 to claims that Jesus believed the Genesis account to be historically accurate.
Matthew 19:4 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,
Matthew 19:5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?
One could equally claim that Jesus was using Genesis to teach an important spiritual lesson, not a science lesson. In the verses, he makes no claim that Genesis is a historical account, only that it teaches an important social lesson.
If someone said, "Remember the lesson of the tortoise and the hare," would that mean that they were claiming that the race really happened? Why should someone impose this assumption on Jesus?
Remember the old saying, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it."
In much the same way the Church once taught the Earth-centered universe, some Christian groups are drawing a similar line in the sand: Either you believe that the Earth is very young as told in the Genesis account, or you don't believe the Bible. With this firmly ingrained in their minds, how many will be driven away from the Bible as the evidence overwhelmingly mounts that the Earth is very old? How many more generations are going to be willing to ignore the evidence and believe in a young Earth. Just as Galileo's time marked the end of belief in the Earth-centered universe, the days of believing in a young Earth are numbered. Do you really want to tell people that the message of the Bible is tied to this tenuous belief?
When Galileo was being persecuted by the Church for his heretical belief that the Earth rotated around the Sun, he quoted Cardinal Baronius’ statement that the purpose of the Bible was to "teach us how to go to heaven, not how the heavens go."
The age of the Earth is relatively minor in the whole scope of Christianity; it is more important to agree on the Rock of Ages than on the age of rocks.
Young Earth Creationism is a relatively new phenomenon, starting in the 1960s with Henry Morris' book The Genesis Flood.
Rev. Michael Roberts did a study of the percentage of clergy that were Young Earth Biblical Literalists
- 1800-1855 - Approximately 15% of Anglican clergy were Young Earth Creationists.
- 1855-1970 - Almost no Anglican clergy were Young Earth Creationists.
- 2002 - Approximately 10% of Anglican clergy were Young Earth Creationists.
Rev. Michael Roberts says that he can only identify 10 Young Earth Biblical literalists from the 1860s across all denominations. See his study.
Comparison of various Biblical and secular Earth age beliefs
Young Earth: The universe and Earth came into existence about 6,000 years ago and was created in a span of six days.
Day-Age: Each "day" in the Genesis account represents a long period of time.
Gap Theory: Genesis describes a destruction of an existing old Earth and then its recreation according the six day Genesis account
Theistic Evolution: Evolution happened, but was guided by GodWhy a young Earth is not necessary for Christians
Omphalos - The Earth and universe were created fully formed, with the appearance of old age. This explains why star light, that would normally take millions of years to reach Earth, can be seen - The stars were created with the light beams.
This idea is opposed by both scientists and theologians. Scientists oppose it because it is unverifiable and un-falsifiable and some theologians oppose it because it can be interpreted as God having universe that is essentially a lie.
General Discussion
- http://www.religioustolerance.org//evolutio.htm
- http://www.religioustolerance.org//ev_site.htm
- The Testimony of a Formerly Young Earth Missionary
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2006-08-10 RUSS, Old Earth Creationist, wrote
Interesting, Factual, Fair and Balanced
What about the "fiat days" model?
2006-08-18 Young Earth Creationist wrote
You said, "Do you really want to tell people that the message of the
Bible is tied to this tenuous belief?" Aren't you coming at it
backwards? This belief is tied to the Bible, not the other way
'round.... I don't believe the Bible because I believe the earth is
young. I believe the earth is young because I believe the Bible...
2006-12-22 Philip A. Teague, Young Earth Creationist, wrote
Interesting, I'm not sure of the accuracy, Biased to Evolution
