CREATION / EVOLUTION BY DR. STEVE P. SULLIVAN
The Bible vs. Evolution (Dr. Jobe Martin - The Evolution of a Creationist)
Bible: God is the Creator of all things (Genesis 1) Evolution: Natural chance processes can account for the existence of all things.
Bible: Ocean created before land (Genesis 1:2) Evolution: Land before oceans
Bible: Atmosphere between two hydro-spheres (Genesis 1:7) Evolution: Contiguous atmosphere and hydrosphere
Bible: Life create on land (Genesis 1:11) Evolution: Life began in the ocean
Bible: First life was land plants (Genesis 1:11) Evolution: Marine organisms evolved first
Bible: Earth before sun and stars (Genesis 1:14 – 19) Evolution: Sun and stars before earth
Bible: Fruit trees before fish (Genesis 1:11) Evolution: Fish before fruit trees
Bible: Birds and fish created on the 5th day (Genesis 1:20 – 21) Evolution: Fish evolved hundreds of millions of years before birds appeared
Bible: Birds before insects (Genesis 1:20 – 21) Evolution: Insects before birds
Bible: Birds before reptiles (Genesis 1:20 – 31) Evolution: Reptiles before birds
Bible: Ocean created before land (Genesis 1:2) Evolution: Land before oceans
Bible: Atmosphere between two hydro-spheres (Genesis 1:7) Evolution: Contiguous atmosphere and hydrosphere
Bible: Life create on land (Genesis 1:11) Evolution: Life began in the ocean
Bible: First life was land plants (Genesis 1:11) Evolution: Marine organisms evolved first
Bible: Earth before sun and stars (Genesis 1:14 – 19) Evolution: Sun and stars before earth
Bible: Fruit trees before fish (Genesis 1:11) Evolution: Fish before fruit trees
Bible: Birds and fish created on the 5th day (Genesis 1:20 – 21) Evolution: Fish evolved hundreds of millions of years before birds appeared
Bible: Birds before insects (Genesis 1:20 – 21) Evolution: Insects before birds
Bible: Birds before reptiles (Genesis 1:20 – 31) Evolution: Reptiles before birds
5 Major Views on Creation
1) Atheistic Evolution
2) Theistic Evolution
3) Progressive Creation (Day-Age Theory)
4) Six-Day Creationism (24 Hour Day)
5) Intermittent Creation (Gap Theory)
2) Theistic Evolution
3) Progressive Creation (Day-Age Theory)
4) Six-Day Creationism (24 Hour Day)
5) Intermittent Creation (Gap Theory)
Atheistic Evolution
1.Description: Everything in the universe came into existence and evolved as a result of natural processes unaided by any supernatural power.
2.Understanding of Time: Natural selection over billions of years
3.Treatment of “Day”: Don’t believe the Bible or God
4.Major Problem: Cannot explain the origin of matter (it is eternal). Unable to justify organic life emerging from inorganic matter. Gaps in the fossil records with no transitional forms goes against their view. It too is based on a faith system.
2.Understanding of Time: Natural selection over billions of years
3.Treatment of “Day”: Don’t believe the Bible or God
4.Major Problem: Cannot explain the origin of matter (it is eternal). Unable to justify organic life emerging from inorganic matter. Gaps in the fossil records with no transitional forms goes against their view. It too is based on a faith system.
Theistic Evolution
1.Description: Everything in the universe came into existence and evolved as a result of natural processes guided by God.
2.Understanding of Time: Natural selection over billions of years
3.Treatment of “Day”: Either they don’t believe the Bible or take “day” in Genesis as an age.
4.Major Problem: God may intervene in times contradicts the basic theory of the evolutionary process. The evolutionary process contradicts record of creation in the Bible.
2.Understanding of Time: Natural selection over billions of years
3.Treatment of “Day”: Either they don’t believe the Bible or take “day” in Genesis as an age.
4.Major Problem: God may intervene in times contradicts the basic theory of the evolutionary process. The evolutionary process contradicts record of creation in the Bible.
Progressive Creation (Day-Age Theory)
1.Description: God created the universe directly and deliberately, without leaving anything to chance, but He did it over a long period (roughly the geological ages)
2.Understanding of Time: God used billions of years
3.Treatment of “Day”: They take “day” in Genesis as an age.
4.Major Problem: This view tries to accommodate the scientific data with the Bible but they run into difficulties and unusual interpretations to harmonized the Bible with scientific data. Death entered the world before the Fall.
2.Understanding of Time: God used billions of years
3.Treatment of “Day”: They take “day” in Genesis as an age.
4.Major Problem: This view tries to accommodate the scientific data with the Bible but they run into difficulties and unusual interpretations to harmonized the Bible with scientific data. Death entered the world before the Fall.
Support for Progressive
|
Objections to Progressive CreationThe word "day" does not normally refer to an extended period of time when it appears with a modifier (1st day, 2nd day, etc).
These days are clearly defined in Genesis 1:5 when God calls the light day and the darkness night. The very purpose of the sun was to rule over the day while the moon was to rule over the night. |
Six-Day Creationism (24 Hour Day)
1.Description: God created the universe described in Genesis 1 which took place 6,000 – 15,000 ago. They use a normal, literal hermeneutic and rely on exegesis of the passage.
2.Understanding of Time: Most support a young earth (God miraculously created the universe often with the appearance of age)
3.Treatment of “Day” Options:
Literal 24 hours
Day age or geologic day (day=long period)
Literal days with intervening ages
Revelatory day
4.The Meaning of Day in the Bible:
12 hours – Genesis 1:14
24 hours – Genesis 1:14
Longer than 24 hours – Genesis 2:4
5.The Meaning of Day in Genesis 1:
Day used with a number always means 24 hour day except in Hosea 6:2
The description “evening . . . morning” strongly indicates a day
Exodus 20:11 seems indicate a 24 hour day
6.Major Problem:
Reconciling with scientific data
Integrating Genesis 1 & 2
Credibility of God with creating with an appearance of age
2.Understanding of Time: Most support a young earth (God miraculously created the universe often with the appearance of age)
3.Treatment of “Day” Options:
Literal 24 hours
Day age or geologic day (day=long period)
Literal days with intervening ages
Revelatory day
4.The Meaning of Day in the Bible:
12 hours – Genesis 1:14
24 hours – Genesis 1:14
Longer than 24 hours – Genesis 2:4
5.The Meaning of Day in Genesis 1:
Day used with a number always means 24 hour day except in Hosea 6:2
The description “evening . . . morning” strongly indicates a day
Exodus 20:11 seems indicate a 24 hour day
6.Major Problem:
Reconciling with scientific data
Integrating Genesis 1 & 2
Credibility of God with creating with an appearance of age
Intermittent Creation (Gap Theory)
This view places a great chronological gap between Genesis 1:1 – 2 during which the earth was destroyed and then recreated. According to this theory, millions of years ago God created a perfect heaven and earth. This universe continued in a perfect state until Satan rebelled by desiring to become like God (Isaiah 14:12 – 17). Because of Satan's fall, sin entered the universe. As a result, the earth became "formless and void" until a global ice age swept over the earth as light and heat were removed. The six days which follow refer to the reconstruction of the earth.
Support for the Theory:
The verb hayeta in Genesis 1:2 can be translated "became" so that we could read that “the earth became without form and void.”
The words tohu wabohu ("formless and void") are said to refer to a destruction which took place after God's original creation. In Jeremiah 4:23 and Isaiah 34:11 these words describe a destruction.
Isaiah 45:18 says that God did not create the earth void (tohu) while Genesis 1:2 says that the earth was now void. It is reasoned that the earth must have come to be in this manner after its original creation.
The darkness which characterized the formless and void condition is indicative of evil.
Objections to the Theory:
The normal rendering of hayeta is "was" and indicates a state of being.
The words tohu wabohu ("formless and void") need not describe destruction. They can just as easily describe an unconstructed state.
Isaiah 45:18 simply tells us that God's intention for the earth in its completed form was that it would not be tohu, but rather that it might be inhabited. The prophet is simply stating the purpose of creation.
Darkness does not always indicate evil. Both light and darkness existed upon the finished earth and it was still said to be good.
Support for the Theory:
The verb hayeta in Genesis 1:2 can be translated "became" so that we could read that “the earth became without form and void.”
The words tohu wabohu ("formless and void") are said to refer to a destruction which took place after God's original creation. In Jeremiah 4:23 and Isaiah 34:11 these words describe a destruction.
Isaiah 45:18 says that God did not create the earth void (tohu) while Genesis 1:2 says that the earth was now void. It is reasoned that the earth must have come to be in this manner after its original creation.
The darkness which characterized the formless and void condition is indicative of evil.
Objections to the Theory:
The normal rendering of hayeta is "was" and indicates a state of being.
The words tohu wabohu ("formless and void") need not describe destruction. They can just as easily describe an unconstructed state.
Isaiah 45:18 simply tells us that God's intention for the earth in its completed form was that it would not be tohu, but rather that it might be inhabited. The prophet is simply stating the purpose of creation.
Darkness does not always indicate evil. Both light and darkness existed upon the finished earth and it was still said to be good.
The following is a paper I, Bryan D. Stallings, personally wrote. I am sharing it with you that it might further aid in your studies. To copy/paste this paper and submit as your own is PROHIBITED!
Evolution remains simply the change from one state to another like the properties of organisms transcending down through the lifetime of a single individual. The changes that remain evolutionary are those that exist as inherited through the genetic material from one generation to the other. In short, evolution exists as a process resulting in handed-down changes in individuals spreading over many generations. Evolution reaches backwards and grasps the great cosmic problems of birth and growth of the earth, the life of matter, and the relationship of the universe to its well-organized cause. On the other hand, creationism exists as a religious belief in that humanity, life, the Earth, and the universe where the creation of a supernatural being. Creationism refers to a wide range of beliefs.
The debate between Creationism and Evolution got moving in the 1820’s when Reverend William Buckland refuted the Biblical basis for geological history and has progressed to this date with the help of Charles Darwin writing on natural selection in 1859, “Scopes Monkey Trial” [1] in 1925 (more of a scam than anything), and McLean vs. Arkansas Board of Education [2] in 1980. Charles Darwin, a naturalistic evolutionist, put the world on its ear when he wrote the book called “On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favored Races in the Struggle for Life”. This book introduced a scientific theory that populations evolved over a course of generations in a process known as natural selection. Darwin revealed evidence of a diversity of life that arose from common descent branching from a pattern of evolution. However, creationists, believing in a supernatural being, have been finding ways to debunk such theories by using one tool that remains to this day a far superior tool and that is The Bible, God’s Holy Word. Even though evolutionists and creationists have not seen eye to eye, they do have one thing in common and that is that everything started somewhere and, whether gradual or radical, things are ever changing. Why does there exist such a stronghold between these two ideas? There has existed this long and deep battle between evolutionists and creationist that has caused division amongst humanity and brought, at times, people to their very knees as they have searched and attempted to teach these ideas all with one very simple goal...where did it begin.
The word evolution remains vague and incorrect in its very meaning in reference to the origin of man. It has stirred the popular mind into further investigation and inquiry. At times, the doctrine of evolution touches the great problems of origin and destiny. In order to understand its humble beginnings, an explanation of the very method by which living forms where produced and developed remains. However, there exist five major problems with evolution and they are the facts of no observation been made of the evolutionary process, it violates the second Law of Thermodynamics, there exists no transitional fossils, states that life came by random choice, and it remains today a theory that has to be adjusted accordingly as time progresses.
Through Darwin’s works, there is what is now known as Darwin’s Five Laws. These laws, proven by way of simulations, observations, and experiments are namely evolution as such, common descent, multiplication of species, gradualism, and natural selection. The common descent occurred by the branching of different species that share common ancestral species.
Now, natural selection remains the mechanism for which evolutionary divergence of lineages and adaptations. Since there seems to exist a struggle for existence, only a few offspring survive with the ability to reproduce. In Darwin’s book “Origin of Man”, he provides support for these theories through patterns of variation in domesticated and wild fauna / flora as well as patterns supporting the common ancestral lineage. Today, the phrase macroevolution has been acquired in reference to any changes by way of evolution at or above the level of a given species that has at the minimum split into two species or the very change of a species into another over a specific time just like common descent.
The word theory often means imperfect fact or a fact then theory then hypothesis then guess. Facts remain the world’s data; therefore, theories exist as the very structure of the ideas that explained and interpreted those facts. Thus, the creationist argument states that evolution is only a theory. If evolutionists cannot make up their minds about this theory, then what confidence can we have in it or even the evolutionist? With Charles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution, modern scientist state that...
“According to the theory of common descent, modern living organisms, with all their incredible differences, are the progeny of one single species in the distant past. In spite of the extensive variation of form and function among organisms, several fundamental criteria characterize all life. Some of the macroscopic properties that characterize all of life are (1) replication, (2) heritability (characteristics of descendents are correlated with those of ancestors), (3) catalysis, and (4) energy utilization (metabolism). At a very minimum, these four functions are required to generate a physical historical process that can be described by a phylogenetic tree.” [3]
As scientists study the phylogenetic tree, they have come to the determination that every species contains unique genealogical history whereas each species holds to itself a series of common ancestors pointing to the original common ancestor for that species. Scientists expect organisms to carry certain evidences of this type of history and ancestry along with them. The phylogenetic tree seems to predict what type of historical evidence existed and possibly see what changes may occur in the future for each given species. Even though these theories remain provisional with the possibility of being over-ruled if adequate evidence is presented, evolution remains very close to being a fact and widely accepted.
When it comes to creationism, it remains quite diverse. The views on creationism are, but not limited to, Old and Young Earth, Gap Theory, and Day-Age, as well as Scientific. From The young earth creation perspective, it takes a literal interpretation of the description of creation in Genesis 1 where The Bible says the world was created in 6 days. Subsequently, the genealogy from Adam to Jesus remains easy in calculating the age of the world. In turn, the universe and earth were both created approximately 6000 years ago. Now, Progressive Creationism (or Day-Age Creation) attempts in harmonizing The Bible with scientific beliefs. The assumption is that the days of the creation were actually broad lengths of time. It also accepts the evolutionary time scale (simple to complex over millions of years). The Gap Theory Creationism, on the other hand, assumes that a vast period elapsed between the first two verses of Genesis 1:1 and 2. Most variations of this theory interpret Genesis 1:1 as the first creation that includes the heavens, the earth, the plants, and animals then the fall of Satan. Thus, the earth became “formless and void” according to Genesis 1:2 and remained so for eons. Then a second creation happened that began in Genesis 1:3 with the familiar 6-day creation. Finally, we have the Scientific Creationist who relies upon the Bible as its central and main point for their beliefs. However, they only rely upon key verses and passages from its various books and simply focus exclusively upon three key stories from the Book of Genesis...The Creation, The Fall, The Flood. The Scientific Creationist uses a “...alleged literal reading of Genesis 1 – 3 as an accurate depiction of the origins of the species.” [4]
All of these various views of Creationism seem to have one thing in common and that is they use The Scriptures. Unfortunately, their central focus seems to be either there exists a lapse of time between Genesis 1:1 and 2 or only 3 stories. If one would notice Genesis 1:1 [5] and Genesis 2:4 [6], they exist as bookends to The Creation Story. In Hebraic writings, it remained customary to write a summary at the start and at the end. Furthermore, The Bible repeatedly affirms that the world and the life on it remain the results of Divine Creationism. In denying such, one would have to deny not just Genesis 1 as a whole, but the very fundamental essence of The Scriptures as a whole. Here are just a few examples:
· Jeremiah 10:12 – “{It is} He who made the earth by His power, Who established the world by His wisdom; And by His understanding He has stretched out the heavens.” [7]
· Acts 17:24 – “The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands...” [8]
· Romans 1:20 – “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.” [9]
· Hebrews 1:10 – “And, ‘YOU, LORD, IN THE BEGINNING LAID THE FOUNDATION OF THE EARTH, AND THE HEAVENS ARE THE WORKS OF YOUR HANDS...” [10]
They also deny other numerous doctrine such as Psalm 33:6-9; John 1:1-3; Psalm 102:25; 89:11; 90:2; 104:5-9,24-28; 19:1; 24:1,2; 95:5; 146:6; 136:5-9; 8:3,6-8; 148:5; Isaiah 42:5; 45:18; 40:21,26; Jeremiah 27:5; 32:17; 51:15; Hebrews 1:10; 11:3; Acts 14:15; 2 Peter 3:5; 2 Corinthians 4:6; Nehemiah 9:6; Psalm 100:3; Proverbs 3:19; and Zechariah 12:1. Just as creation should remain a fundamental reason in the belief in God, so evolution remains a fundamental tenet of unbelievers. When one denies the obvious proof of God’s existence, you deny creation.
There has existed this long and deep battle between evolutionists and creationist that has caused division amongst humanity and brought, at times, people to their very knees as they have searched and attempted to teach these ideas all with one very simple goal...where did it begin. There exists no adequate explanation for the actual origin of man or life, even down to the simplest forms of life remains tremendously complex. Fossil records lack the transitional forms that would make any links from one species to another. The so-called pre-man (ape-man) fossils remain simply to be those of extinct apes, a fully man, or historical frauds. The scientific community rejects any ideas from creationists because science looks at tangible evidence for its support where as creationists believe in the supernatural unseen world. Science remains to this day unable to answer the question of where did the material come from that initiated The Big Bang. They look to the religious community to answer this and many other question and simply refute the answers they receive. One should always rely on The Scriptures for the difficult questions in life. However, we must remember that there exist people that are riding the fence line in the attempts to decide which side to fall on, evolutionism or creationism. The church has long stated that creation remains a key article of faith. For the church, these stakes remain high of losing these people to evolutionism. If the polls are correct, we as Christians have ultimately failed in teaching faithfully the faith for which we believe.
Footnotes:
[1] Noah Adams, “Timeline: Remembering the Scopes Monkey Trial”, 2005, <http://www.npr.org> (accessed March 27, 2011) – “A group of town leaders in Dayton, Tennessee read...about...ACLU's search. They quickly hatch a plan to bring the case to Dayton, a scheme that they hope will generate publicity and jump-start the town's economy. They ask 24-year-old science teacher and football coach John Thomas Scopes if he would be willing to be indicted to bring the case to trial. Scopes agrees...”
[2] Clark Dorman, “McLean vs. Arkansas Board of Education”, 1996, <http://www.talforigins.org> (accessed March 27, 2011) – “The Governor of Arkansas signed into law Act 590, entitled ‘Balanced Treatment for Creation-Science and Evolution-Science Act.’ The Act is codified as Ark. Stat. Ann. & 80-1663, et seq., (1981 Supp.). Its essential mandate is stated in its first sentence: ‘Public schools within this State shall give balanced treatment to creation-science and to evolution-science.’”
[3] Douglas Theobald, “29+ Evidences for Macroevolution, Part 1: The Unique Universal Phylogenetic Tree”, 1999, <http://www.talforigins.org> (accessed March 27, 2011).
[4] S. Brian Stratton, “Genesis after The Origin: Theological Responses to Evolution,” Word and World, Winter 2009, pg. 11.
[5] “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth...”,.New American Standard Bible, Updated Edition (La Habra: The Lockman Foundation), Genesis 1:1
[6] “This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made earth and heaven”, .Ibid, Gen 2:4
[7] Ibid, Jeremiah 10:12
[8] Ibid, Acts 17:24
[9] Ibid, Romans 1:20
[10] Ibid, Hebrews 1:10
Evolution remains simply the change from one state to another like the properties of organisms transcending down through the lifetime of a single individual. The changes that remain evolutionary are those that exist as inherited through the genetic material from one generation to the other. In short, evolution exists as a process resulting in handed-down changes in individuals spreading over many generations. Evolution reaches backwards and grasps the great cosmic problems of birth and growth of the earth, the life of matter, and the relationship of the universe to its well-organized cause. On the other hand, creationism exists as a religious belief in that humanity, life, the Earth, and the universe where the creation of a supernatural being. Creationism refers to a wide range of beliefs.
The debate between Creationism and Evolution got moving in the 1820’s when Reverend William Buckland refuted the Biblical basis for geological history and has progressed to this date with the help of Charles Darwin writing on natural selection in 1859, “Scopes Monkey Trial” [1] in 1925 (more of a scam than anything), and McLean vs. Arkansas Board of Education [2] in 1980. Charles Darwin, a naturalistic evolutionist, put the world on its ear when he wrote the book called “On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favored Races in the Struggle for Life”. This book introduced a scientific theory that populations evolved over a course of generations in a process known as natural selection. Darwin revealed evidence of a diversity of life that arose from common descent branching from a pattern of evolution. However, creationists, believing in a supernatural being, have been finding ways to debunk such theories by using one tool that remains to this day a far superior tool and that is The Bible, God’s Holy Word. Even though evolutionists and creationists have not seen eye to eye, they do have one thing in common and that is that everything started somewhere and, whether gradual or radical, things are ever changing. Why does there exist such a stronghold between these two ideas? There has existed this long and deep battle between evolutionists and creationist that has caused division amongst humanity and brought, at times, people to their very knees as they have searched and attempted to teach these ideas all with one very simple goal...where did it begin.
The word evolution remains vague and incorrect in its very meaning in reference to the origin of man. It has stirred the popular mind into further investigation and inquiry. At times, the doctrine of evolution touches the great problems of origin and destiny. In order to understand its humble beginnings, an explanation of the very method by which living forms where produced and developed remains. However, there exist five major problems with evolution and they are the facts of no observation been made of the evolutionary process, it violates the second Law of Thermodynamics, there exists no transitional fossils, states that life came by random choice, and it remains today a theory that has to be adjusted accordingly as time progresses.
Through Darwin’s works, there is what is now known as Darwin’s Five Laws. These laws, proven by way of simulations, observations, and experiments are namely evolution as such, common descent, multiplication of species, gradualism, and natural selection. The common descent occurred by the branching of different species that share common ancestral species.
Now, natural selection remains the mechanism for which evolutionary divergence of lineages and adaptations. Since there seems to exist a struggle for existence, only a few offspring survive with the ability to reproduce. In Darwin’s book “Origin of Man”, he provides support for these theories through patterns of variation in domesticated and wild fauna / flora as well as patterns supporting the common ancestral lineage. Today, the phrase macroevolution has been acquired in reference to any changes by way of evolution at or above the level of a given species that has at the minimum split into two species or the very change of a species into another over a specific time just like common descent.
The word theory often means imperfect fact or a fact then theory then hypothesis then guess. Facts remain the world’s data; therefore, theories exist as the very structure of the ideas that explained and interpreted those facts. Thus, the creationist argument states that evolution is only a theory. If evolutionists cannot make up their minds about this theory, then what confidence can we have in it or even the evolutionist? With Charles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution, modern scientist state that...
“According to the theory of common descent, modern living organisms, with all their incredible differences, are the progeny of one single species in the distant past. In spite of the extensive variation of form and function among organisms, several fundamental criteria characterize all life. Some of the macroscopic properties that characterize all of life are (1) replication, (2) heritability (characteristics of descendents are correlated with those of ancestors), (3) catalysis, and (4) energy utilization (metabolism). At a very minimum, these four functions are required to generate a physical historical process that can be described by a phylogenetic tree.” [3]
As scientists study the phylogenetic tree, they have come to the determination that every species contains unique genealogical history whereas each species holds to itself a series of common ancestors pointing to the original common ancestor for that species. Scientists expect organisms to carry certain evidences of this type of history and ancestry along with them. The phylogenetic tree seems to predict what type of historical evidence existed and possibly see what changes may occur in the future for each given species. Even though these theories remain provisional with the possibility of being over-ruled if adequate evidence is presented, evolution remains very close to being a fact and widely accepted.
When it comes to creationism, it remains quite diverse. The views on creationism are, but not limited to, Old and Young Earth, Gap Theory, and Day-Age, as well as Scientific. From The young earth creation perspective, it takes a literal interpretation of the description of creation in Genesis 1 where The Bible says the world was created in 6 days. Subsequently, the genealogy from Adam to Jesus remains easy in calculating the age of the world. In turn, the universe and earth were both created approximately 6000 years ago. Now, Progressive Creationism (or Day-Age Creation) attempts in harmonizing The Bible with scientific beliefs. The assumption is that the days of the creation were actually broad lengths of time. It also accepts the evolutionary time scale (simple to complex over millions of years). The Gap Theory Creationism, on the other hand, assumes that a vast period elapsed between the first two verses of Genesis 1:1 and 2. Most variations of this theory interpret Genesis 1:1 as the first creation that includes the heavens, the earth, the plants, and animals then the fall of Satan. Thus, the earth became “formless and void” according to Genesis 1:2 and remained so for eons. Then a second creation happened that began in Genesis 1:3 with the familiar 6-day creation. Finally, we have the Scientific Creationist who relies upon the Bible as its central and main point for their beliefs. However, they only rely upon key verses and passages from its various books and simply focus exclusively upon three key stories from the Book of Genesis...The Creation, The Fall, The Flood. The Scientific Creationist uses a “...alleged literal reading of Genesis 1 – 3 as an accurate depiction of the origins of the species.” [4]
All of these various views of Creationism seem to have one thing in common and that is they use The Scriptures. Unfortunately, their central focus seems to be either there exists a lapse of time between Genesis 1:1 and 2 or only 3 stories. If one would notice Genesis 1:1 [5] and Genesis 2:4 [6], they exist as bookends to The Creation Story. In Hebraic writings, it remained customary to write a summary at the start and at the end. Furthermore, The Bible repeatedly affirms that the world and the life on it remain the results of Divine Creationism. In denying such, one would have to deny not just Genesis 1 as a whole, but the very fundamental essence of The Scriptures as a whole. Here are just a few examples:
· Jeremiah 10:12 – “{It is} He who made the earth by His power, Who established the world by His wisdom; And by His understanding He has stretched out the heavens.” [7]
· Acts 17:24 – “The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands...” [8]
· Romans 1:20 – “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.” [9]
· Hebrews 1:10 – “And, ‘YOU, LORD, IN THE BEGINNING LAID THE FOUNDATION OF THE EARTH, AND THE HEAVENS ARE THE WORKS OF YOUR HANDS...” [10]
They also deny other numerous doctrine such as Psalm 33:6-9; John 1:1-3; Psalm 102:25; 89:11; 90:2; 104:5-9,24-28; 19:1; 24:1,2; 95:5; 146:6; 136:5-9; 8:3,6-8; 148:5; Isaiah 42:5; 45:18; 40:21,26; Jeremiah 27:5; 32:17; 51:15; Hebrews 1:10; 11:3; Acts 14:15; 2 Peter 3:5; 2 Corinthians 4:6; Nehemiah 9:6; Psalm 100:3; Proverbs 3:19; and Zechariah 12:1. Just as creation should remain a fundamental reason in the belief in God, so evolution remains a fundamental tenet of unbelievers. When one denies the obvious proof of God’s existence, you deny creation.
There has existed this long and deep battle between evolutionists and creationist that has caused division amongst humanity and brought, at times, people to their very knees as they have searched and attempted to teach these ideas all with one very simple goal...where did it begin. There exists no adequate explanation for the actual origin of man or life, even down to the simplest forms of life remains tremendously complex. Fossil records lack the transitional forms that would make any links from one species to another. The so-called pre-man (ape-man) fossils remain simply to be those of extinct apes, a fully man, or historical frauds. The scientific community rejects any ideas from creationists because science looks at tangible evidence for its support where as creationists believe in the supernatural unseen world. Science remains to this day unable to answer the question of where did the material come from that initiated The Big Bang. They look to the religious community to answer this and many other question and simply refute the answers they receive. One should always rely on The Scriptures for the difficult questions in life. However, we must remember that there exist people that are riding the fence line in the attempts to decide which side to fall on, evolutionism or creationism. The church has long stated that creation remains a key article of faith. For the church, these stakes remain high of losing these people to evolutionism. If the polls are correct, we as Christians have ultimately failed in teaching faithfully the faith for which we believe.
Footnotes:
[1] Noah Adams, “Timeline: Remembering the Scopes Monkey Trial”, 2005, <http://www.npr.org> (accessed March 27, 2011) – “A group of town leaders in Dayton, Tennessee read...about...ACLU's search. They quickly hatch a plan to bring the case to Dayton, a scheme that they hope will generate publicity and jump-start the town's economy. They ask 24-year-old science teacher and football coach John Thomas Scopes if he would be willing to be indicted to bring the case to trial. Scopes agrees...”
[2] Clark Dorman, “McLean vs. Arkansas Board of Education”, 1996, <http://www.talforigins.org> (accessed March 27, 2011) – “The Governor of Arkansas signed into law Act 590, entitled ‘Balanced Treatment for Creation-Science and Evolution-Science Act.’ The Act is codified as Ark. Stat. Ann. & 80-1663, et seq., (1981 Supp.). Its essential mandate is stated in its first sentence: ‘Public schools within this State shall give balanced treatment to creation-science and to evolution-science.’”
[3] Douglas Theobald, “29+ Evidences for Macroevolution, Part 1: The Unique Universal Phylogenetic Tree”, 1999, <http://www.talforigins.org> (accessed March 27, 2011).
[4] S. Brian Stratton, “Genesis after The Origin: Theological Responses to Evolution,” Word and World, Winter 2009, pg. 11.
[5] “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth...”,.New American Standard Bible, Updated Edition (La Habra: The Lockman Foundation), Genesis 1:1
[6] “This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the LORD God made earth and heaven”, .Ibid, Gen 2:4
[7] Ibid, Jeremiah 10:12
[8] Ibid, Acts 17:24
[9] Ibid, Romans 1:20
[10] Ibid, Hebrews 1:10