Theories on Creation?

Hey Logos folk,

I'm starting a study through Genesis 1-11 in a couple weeks with a small group. We want to go through the first chapters and look at the theories of creation and examine them by scripture. I want to make sure I'm not missing any creation theories as we begin the study. Here are the ones I've heard of:

Literal 6 days of creation; Earth is very young. The modern science that says otherwise is wrong for various reasons.
Literal 6 days of creation but earth is very old because there is a gap between Gen. 1:1 & 1:2.
6 long periods of creation and earth is very old (day=period).
3 long periods of creation and earth is very old (day 1 = day 4, day 2 = day 5, etc.).
Literary theory (The first chapters are poetic and don't explain clearly the physical nature of creation.).
The first chapters are all spiritual in nature and don't refer to the scientific origin of the earth and humanity.
The first chapters are not true and the Bible is errant. Evolution presents a better theory for the origin of earth.

I know there are likely other major theories and even other ones that are nuanced versions of the ones I listed. If you know of any please post them here. I want to do this upcoming study with all the options in mind.

Thanks everybody!
This will be a huge help!

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James Taylor

other major theories and even other ones that are nuanced versions of the ones I listed

I'm assuming theistic evolution would be a nuance of one of these, but I'm not exactly sure.

Alan Palmer

A sticky topic for many people and a potential challenge in a small group.

I recently walked a small group through this mobile ed course: https://www.logos.com/product/45034/mobile-ed-ot301-origins-of-genesis-1-3

The course is about ancient near eastern cosmology and the challenge of interpreting Genesis (and other passages) as "outsiders" and not as first recipients of God's revelation. He tries to help put the passage in context (not just of the rest of the text but of the time and understanding of the Hebrew people who transmitted it).

Disclaimer: I am a Faithlife employee. However, I'm posting from my personal account as this is my own experience and opinions and not those of my employer.

Jan Krohn

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/921993#Comment_921993

Progressive Creation (6 overlapping periods of long time)
6 literal days with very long gaps in between
6 days of revealing creation to Moses
Temple interpretation
Framework interpretation

David Thomas

Literary theory (The first chapters are poetic and don't explain clearly the physical nature of creation.).

Another version of Literary is that they do explain the physical nature of creation, but the emphasis is on WHO more than HOW.--it could allow for either young earth or old earth, but that is not the major point of the text.

Brad

Hello Liam, John Lennox's Seven Days That Divide the World may be a helpful resource for you as you explore the various views.

He covers the major perspectives and more. Here's another viewpoint described in the book:

"...it is often assumed that the writer of Genesis intended us to take the days either as seven days of one earth week (as in the twenty-four-hour view) or as seven time periods of indeterminate length (as in the day-age view) or as a logical framework in which to help us picture creation (as in the framework view).

However, there is another possibility: that the writer did not intend us to think of the first six days as days of a single earth week, but rather as a sequence of six creation days; that is, days of normal length (with evenings and mornings as the text says) in which God acted to create something new, but days that might well have been separated by long periods of time. We have already seen that Genesis separates the initial creation, “the beginning,” from the sequence of days. What we are now suggesting in addition is that the individual days might well have been separated from one another by unspecified periods of time."

Lennox, J. C. (2011). Seven Days that Divide the World: The Beginning according to Genesis and Science (p. 54). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Liam

Thanks all for the recommendations!

Liam

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/922021#Comment_922021

Progressive Creation (6 overlapping periods of long time)

6 literal days with very long gaps in between

6 days of revealing creation to Moses

Temple interpretation

Framework interpretation

Hey Jan thank you for these. If anyone has any additional descriptions of any of these it would greatly help me. The last 3 especially I have never heard of, and I would be grateful for any further description of any!

Also any info/recommendations on resources that explain any or several of these would be fantastic!

Thanks again everyone!

Graham Criddle

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/927844#Comment_927844

Also any info/recommendations on resources that explain any or several of these would be fantastic!

The "Lost World of Genesis One" - https://www.logos.com/product/52907/the-lost-world-of-genesis-one-ancient-cosmology-and-the-origins-debate - is a fascinating read and speaks about the seven days of Genesis 1 as describing the "cosmic temple inauguration"

The first paragraph of section 9 reads:

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN cosmos and temple in the Bible and in the ancient world, and particularly the common connection between the two in creation texts suggests that we should think of Genesis 1 in relation to a cosmic temple. This is further confirmed by the divine rest on the seventh day, since divine rest takes place in temples. These ideas should lead us to investigate what other elements of Genesis 1 might be affected by thinking in temple terms.

John H. Walton, The Lost World of Genesis One: Ancient Cosmology and the Origins Debate (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2009), 86.

Ben

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/927856#Comment_927856

What's interesting to me is to consider the exegetical and worldview assumptions behind each person or theory, whch come out in debate/discussion. I've requested these in Logos, but not there yet.

Genesis: History, Fiction, or Neither?

Reading Genesis 1-2: An Evangelical Conversation

Jan Krohn

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/927844#Comment_927844

Generally a lot of details can be found in the Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics. https://www.logos.com/product/26313/baker-encyclopedia-of-christian-apologetics

There's also a short overview of different interpretations of the Genesis days in this one: https://www.logos.com/product/758/old-testament-survey-series-the-pentateuch as well as in the FSB.

Some more details for the individual interpretations:

6 days of revealing creation to Moses

Rethinking Genesis seems to be in favour of the revalatory view, but I've not looked into the details: https://www.logos.com/product/15544/rethinking-genesis

Temple interpretation

"Genesis 1 as Ancient Cosmology" seems to favour the Cosmic Temple View: https://www.logos.com/product/46731/genesis-1-as-ancient-cosmology

I've also not looked into the details. It came up in my search results.

Framework interpretation

John Lennox gives an overview of several interpretations, but the Framework View is quite prominent in his book.

https://www.logos.com/product/26715/seven-days-that-divide-the-world-the-beginning-according-to-genesis-and-science

By the way, as he approaches the question very unbiased, this wold be my resource of choice.

Veli Voipio

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/927865#Comment_927865

I have read many books and there are many theories available, for any taste. My concern is that they are mostly limited to the Western world view: we are happy and comfortable thinking within a box.

While I was in Africa, I found that they seem to think that all people are created by God individually (although obviously born), and they also see creation still ongoing everywhere.

What was the view of the people in the ancient Levant?

****

In Africa most ethnic groups have a creation story which seems to be the story of origins of their own group and the creation is local.

Thus I assume it is possible to think that Genesis creation describes a local creation (withdrawal of flood) and Gen 1:1 is the only verse related to the creation of the universe, which was completed before Gen 1:2. (and Gen 1-11 origins of the tribe of Adam, only later it was interpreted as origins of the human species)

Here are some more eccentric approaches:

https://www.amazon.com/Genesis-Unbound-Provocative-Creation-Account/dp/1935651218/

https://www.amazon.com/Adams-Ancestors-Religion-Politics-Historical/dp/1421400650/

Miles Custis

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/927993#Comment_927993

For those that are interested in this topic, we have a Mobile Ed course titled "Perspectives on Creation: Five Views on Its Meaning and Significance" that will be released in two weeks. It includes contributions from John Walton, Tremper Longman, C. John Collins, Mark Futato, and Joseph Pipa in the main course, plus a few additional videos by John Mark Reynolds and James Jordan in the Activities resource.

You can find more info on it here: https://www.logos.com/product/144126/mobile-ed-th331-perspectives-on-creation-five-views-on-its-meaning-and-significance

Liam

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/928048#Comment_928048

Thanks for all the responses on this everyone. This will be a massive help for me! And hopefully a great thread for anybody studying Genesis!

Liam

Here's a Google Doc I made with all the theories of creation (and some others) with links to all the resources for each that are mentioned (and some additional ones too). If you know of a good resource that isn't mentioned for one of the theories here, please mention it in another comment, and I'll add it to the doc! Hope this is helpful.

Enjoy:

Theologies of Creation Google Doc

GaoLu

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/928808#Comment_928808

Quite interesting. Thanks.

James Taylor

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/928808#Comment_928808

Enjoy:

Theologies of Creation Google Doc

Thanks Liam!

Mark

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/928808#Comment_928808

Here's a Google Doc I made with all the theories of creation (and some others) with links to all the resources for each that are mentioned (and some additional ones too). If you know of a good resource that isn't mentioned for one of the theories here, please mention it in another comment, and I'll add it to the doc! Hope this is helpful.

Enjoy:

Theologies of Creation Google Doc

This is very helpful. Thanks!

Jan Krohn

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/928860#Comment_928860

It just came to me that I have the Lexham Bible Guide Genesis 1-11. There's some more information in there:

• Robert Gurney offers a defense of the young earth creationist interpretation, taking the days of creation as six literal 24-hour days.
“Does It Matter?” Six Day Creation: Does It Matter What You Believe?

• Victor Hamilton’s commentary carefully explains the three major interpretive options: the literal 24-hour day, the day-age theory, and the literary framework theory. Hamilton’s preference is a literary reading of Gen 1 with an analogical understanding of the days of creation.
“The ‘Days’ of Genesis 1” The New International Commentary on the Old Testament: The Book of Genesis, Chapters 1–17

• R. Kent Hughes lists six different possible interpretations of the days of creation. He admits only one can be correct but cautions against letting the issue become a point of division among believers. He argues for the analogical view—that the days are God’s workdays, which are analogous with earth days but not necessarily the same as literal 24-hour days.
“Genesis 1:3–13” Preaching the Word: Genesis—Beginning and Blessing

• John Lennox has an old earth creationist perspective but discusses the options for understanding the days of creation as literal 24-hour days, as undefined lengths of time (day-age), or as a literary framework. His conclusion is a form of the punctuated activity view, in which long spans of time separate the literal 24-hour days of creation.
“But Is It Old? The Days of Creation” Seven Days that Divide the World: The Beginning according to Genesis and Science

• Hugh Ross believes in an old earth and that “days” represent ages or epochs of time. He explains how this view is not incompatible with Genesis.
“Introduction: The Dawn of a New Day” A Matter of Days: Resolving a Creation Controversy

• John Walton accepts that the days of creation could be 24-hour days, but he argues that God is creating functions not matter during the week of creation. By the end of the week, He takes up residence in His cosmic temple.
“Gen 1:1–31” The NIV Application Commentary: Genesis

Mangum, D., Custis, M., & Widder, W. (2012). Genesis 1–11 (Gen 1,1–2,3). Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

Pam Larson

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/921993#Comment_921993

I recently walked a small group through this mobile ed course: https://www.logos.com/product/45034/mobile-ed-ot301-origins-of-genesis-1-3

I'm currently working my way through this course (and I'm not a Faithlife employee). Walton's thesis is that the Genesis 1 creation story, like other ancient creation stories, has to do with functions and not with structure (physical materials).

Walton's NIV Application Commentary: Genesis ( https://www.logos.com/product/26691/niv-application-commentary-genesis ) would explain his thesis very well. It's used in the course.

For something by him addressing the issue that's less pricey, there's this one:
https://www.logos.com/product/52907/the-lost-world-of-genesis-one-ancient-cosmology-and-the-origins-debate

He's convinced me.

Lee

If you know of any please post them here. I want to do this upcoming study with all the options in mind. Thanks everybody! This will be a huge help!

Science confirms the very unintuitive principle that two observers in different space-time references can experience the "same" period of time differently. This and other weirder conclusions are borne out in the theory of relativity.

Of course, this was hinted at long ago in Psalm 90:4 and 2 Peter 3:8 which, while definitely employing simile, could be pulling the curtain back on some underlying reality.

So, it could be six days from one perspective (the Lord's), but a very long period of time from another (ours), both being literally true.

More of this perspective in Starlight, Time and the New Physics by John Hartnett which I would buy in a nanosecond if it comes out on Logos.

Liam

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/928920#Comment_928920

Wow! Thank you every one! There's only a few creation theories left that I don't know of any resources for:

The Ancient Cosmology View: The typically non-Christian one that views Genesis as containing errors
The Mature Creation View: God merely created everything to look old
Progressive Creation: Six overlapping periods of creation (a slightly nuanced version of the Day-Age theory)
The Religion Only View: The creation story in Genesis only has to do with spiritual matters, and we cannot derive any scientific data from it

If anyone knows resources for any of these I would be grateful! I'll add them all to the doc when we finish!

Jan Krohn

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/928997#Comment_928997

The Mature Creation View: God merely created everything to look old

This is a flavour of Young Earth Creationism.

Creation Series by Dennis Gordon Lindsay: https://www.logos.com/products/search?Author=3713%7cDennis+Gordon+Lindsay

Be careful with this. It was written before fact checking was easily done by using Google, and contains many factual errors.

The more recent and more accurate works by Denny Faulkner and Ken Ham for example also fall in this category, however, they're not in Logos (nor in Vyrso).

Progressive Creation: Six overlapping periods of creation (a slightly nuanced version of the Day-Age theory)

Progressive creationism is a flavour of the day-age-theory, and it's actually already contained in the list in that row. The other two flavours I know of are:

* Creation during 6 non-overlapping long periods

* Creation during 6 literal 24-hour-days with long periods in between

For both of these, I know no resources.

Wild Eagle

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/928997#Comment_928997

The Mature Creation View: God merely created everything to look old

Mature creation - Would anything get older or aging before the sin? Good web article but can’t find any good book in depth about it in Logos

https://answersingenesis.org/astronomy/age-of-the-universe/mature-for-her-age/

Liam

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/929012#Comment_929012

Thank you guys so much!

Ok, last request to a group of extremely generous forum users:

I would like to know the creation theologies of the best several commentary authors on bestcommentaries.com. Here's the list:

Gordon Wenham
Kenneth Matthews
Bruce Waltke
Derek Kidner
John Currid

I left out the ones already mentioned in the thread so far. Thanks again everybody!