In July 1925, a highly publicized trial took place in Dayton, TN. The “Scopes Monkey Trial” centered on a high school teacher named John Scopes who was accused of violating Tennessee’s Butler Act, which made it illegal for teachers to teach the theory of evolution in state-funded schools. The trial was deliberately staged in Dayton in order to attract publicity as two high-profile lawyers agreed to represent each side of the case. William Jennings Bryan, three-time presidential candidate and former secretary of state, argued for the prosecution, while Clarence Darrow served as the defense attorney for Scopes.
The trial brought the fundamentalist-modernist controversy to the national center-stage, pushing people to wrestle through the implications of creation or evolution. At the heart of the debate was the question of the relationship between God and modern science. How did the world begin? How did we get here? Who is in charge? How do we know?
There are few questions more important than these. The answers we give to these questions are foundational to how we understand meaning, purpose, authority, morality and so much more. Though we are nearly 100 years removed from the Scopes Monkey Trial, we still must think through our answers to the questions of how the world began, how we got here, who’s in charge, and how do we know.
Now, with all that being said, it is also important to note that we can be subject to creating false dichotomies. For instance, Christians at one time generally held to geocentrism as something that was clearly and definitely taught in scripture. When increasing evidence was produced to show that the earth actually rotated around the sun, a false dichotomy was created between science and the bible. The problem was not that the bible was untrustworthy and science was a superior authority. The problem in this case was the misinterpretation of biblical texts that seemed to be incompatible with scientific findings.
On the other hand, the revelation of God’s Word in the Bible is our supreme authority. We believe God is sovereign over his creation. Therefore, the scientific method is only helpful insofar as it bears truthful witness to the measurable material of the world God has created. We recognize that science is good. But it is also limited. Morality, aesthetics, how to use knowledge, and the supernatural are all outside the realm of science.
So, yes, the foundational questions about our beginnings are important. But, we also want to be aware of the boundary markers of where the Bible speaks clearly and where we begin to draw inferences. We must be careful not to create false dichotomies. We must not demand the Bible to answer our questions on our terms. In light of these parameters, we want to explore some of the primary theories regarding creation. There are some theories that are clearly outside the boundaries of orthodox Christian teaching. However, there are other theories that seek to provide a plausible Christian framework for how to understand the creation account.
Foundational Beliefs About Creation
Our statement of faith sums up the biblical teaching on creation this way:
In the beginning, the triune God freely created out of nothing the universe and everything in it by the word of his power, all for his own pleasure and the display of his glory…As supreme Creator, God is separate from and transcendent over all he has made.
CREATION OUT OF NOTHING
God created the universe out of nothing. He did not use pre-existing materials, but spoke the universe into existence by himself.
Gen 1:1 ESV - 1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.
Psa 33:6, 9 ESV - 6 By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host. ... 9 For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm.
Jhn 1:3 ESV - 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made.
Rev 4:11 ESV - 11 "Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”
God calls into existence what did not previously exist
Rom 4:17 ESV - 17 as it is written, "I have made you the father of many nations"--in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.
There is no matter in the universe that is eternal. All things came into existence when God created them.
CREATOR/CREATURE DISTINCTION
God is “transcendent” (above) the creation. He is greater than the creation and independent of creation. At the same time, the Bible teaches that God is involved in creation. The technical word is “immanent.” The Bible is the story of God’s involvement in creation.
Job 12:10 ESV - 10 In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.
Act 17:25, 28 ESV - 25 nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. ... 28 for "'In him we live and move and have our being'; as even some of your own poets have said, "'For we are indeed his offspring.'
Col 1:17 ESV - 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
Heb 1:3 ESV - 3 He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high
False Theories About Creation
With these foundational matters established, some theories are clearly inconsistent with scripture.
Secular Theories - Any theory of the origin of the universe that does not see an infinite-personal God as responsible for creating the universe by intelligent design or any theories that hold that matter has always existed are outside the realm of orthodoxy. This includes philosophical materialism, because it denies the existence of God. Big Bang cosmology, the leading theory on the development of the known universe, is usually dependent on materialism. Evolution is also anti-biblical since it affirms something contrary to Scripture with a progressive change in species that erases the distinction of man being uniquely created in the image of God.
Theistic Evolution - This position holds that God intervened to start the process of evolution. But scripture teaches that there is purposefulness in God’s work of creation, not randomness. Scripture speaks of immediate change based on God’s creative word (Gen. 1:11). Plants and animals are said to reproduce according to their kind - indicating that there was differentiation from creation. Louis Berkhoff said - “theistic evolution is really a child of embarrassment, which calls God in at periodic intervals to help nature over the chasms that yawn at her feet. It is neither the biblical doctrine of creation, nor a consistent theory of evolution.”
Possible Theories About Creation
Gap Theory - Some have proposed a “gap” in time between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2. This is where there were possibly millions or billions of years between God’s initial creation in Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2 which begins the 6 days of creation.
Day-Age Theory - Others have opted for the day-age view of the original 6 days of creation. They argue that “day” in Genesis 1 (Hebrew: yom) is actually a really long period of time. Just as the English word for ‘day’ can mean a long period of time.
Literary-Framework Theory - They propose that the 6 days of Genesis 1 are not intended to indicate a chronological sequence of events. Rather, the arrangement of the 6 days is a literary device the author uses to teach that God created everything and that the pinnacle of his creative activity was man. The days in Genesis 1 are a framework for creating and filling the universe. On the first three days, the basic structure of the universe were formed (light, darkness, sky, water, dry land separated). On the second three days, the universe was filled (sun, moon, stars, fish, birds, animals, and man).
Young Earth Theory - This position holds that the age of the universe is relatively young. Though estimates vary, it’s usually dated to be between 6,000-20,000 years old – far younger than the 13.8 billion years proposed by modern cosmology. The biblical rationale for the young age of the universe includes:
Genesis 1 indicates there were 6 days of creation. It seems these are literal or normal days in the plain reading of the text.
The genealogies in the Bible tie back Adam to Abraham, David, and Jesus (Genesis 4, 5, 11, Matthew 1, Luke 3, etc.). Counting years from the genealogies can provide an estimate of how many years it’s been from the creation of Adam until today.
It could be that God created a young earth with the appearance of old age.
The Flood of Noah’s day was a tremendous natural force that significantly altered the face of the earth.
Conclusion
Though there is a spectrum of theories, they all desire to hold the line on the bible’s teaching that there is a God who is eternal, independent, transcendent, immanent, and personal. They all agree that God created the world, that he did not use evolution to create man and the variety of animals, and that the original creation was very good and created for his glory. In these things, many Bible-believing Christians tend to agree.
Theologian Keith Mathison once said:
If the universe turns out to be six thousand years old, that fact will not ultimately conflict with what Scripture actually teaches. If the universe turns out to be billions of years old, that fact will not ultimately conflict with what Scripture actually teaches. We do not need to renounce Christianity in either case. Only if Christ is not risen from the dead is our faith in vain (1 Cor. 15:14).
How did the world begin? How did we get here? Who is in charge? How do we know? The scriptures teach us that God created the heavens and the earth. That is how we got here. He is in charge. There is a definitive purpose for all of his creation - including you and I. Colossians 1:16 says:
For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things were created through him and for him.
