Old earth creationism is the belief that God created the universe over a long period of time, perhaps billions of years, rather than in six literal 24-hour days as young earth creationists believe. Old earth creationists accept the scientifically determined age of the earth and universe while still holding to the divine creation of all things by God. There are several key aspects to old earth creationism:
Acceptance of an Old Earth
Old earth creationists accept the conclusions of modern science that the earth is around 4.5 billion years old. This is based on radiometric dating of rocks on earth and meteorites, the rate of cosmic expansion shown by astronomy, geology, paleontology, and other fields. While young earth creationists believe the “days” of Genesis 1 refer to literal 24-hour days occurring about 6,000-10,000 years ago, old earth creationists see them as longer periods of time. So they have no issue with the earth being extremely old.
Special Creation by God
A core belief of old earth creationism is that while the earth itself is ancient, the different life forms on it are the result of special creation by God, not simply naturalistic evolution. So while accepting geological timescales and the great age of “deep time” for earth’s formation, old earth creationists maintain that God specially intervened at key points to create new life. This includes the separate creation of human beings bearing God’s image. The timing and mechanisms of these creative acts are debated among old earth creationists.
Rejection of Atheistic Evolution
Old earth creationists emphatically reject the view that life arose spontaneously from natural chemical processes and then gradually evolved over eons through fully naturalistic evolutionary mechanisms into all current species including humans. They affirm that God supernaturally created distinct kinds of plants and animals including mankind. However, some do allow for limited evolutionary change within created “kinds” of organisms.
Variety of Approaches
There are a variety of approaches taken among old earth creationists. Some popular views include:
- Gap creationism – God created life in a first creation in Genesis 1:1. Then after a long gap or period of time there was a devastating judgment, leading to the state described in Genesis 1:2. Then the six days of creation followed to repopulate the earth.
- Day-age creationism – The “days” of creation represent long epochs or ages of geological time.
- Progressive creationism – God intervened at specific points in natural history to specially create new forms of life gradually over long ages.
- Evolutionary creationism – God ordained and uses natural evolutionary mechanisms to develop life over time under His sovereignty.
Commitment to Scripture
Old earth creationists have a very high view of biblical authority and inerrancy, but disagree with young earth creationists in how to interpret the opening chapters of Genesis. They argue their approach is just as faithful to the text, allowing for figurative language and different genres that were common in ancient near eastern literature when Genesis was written. Their science-faith integration allows acceptance of modern science while seeing the hand of God in creation.
History of Old Earth Creationism
Throughout church history there were theologians and scientists who held to old earth creation views at times. But it really became a major perspective in conservative Protestant Christianity during the early and mid-1900s. Prominent early advocates of forms of old earth creationism included theologian B.B. Warfield and scientist George Frederick Wright. Major organizations that developed around promoting old earth creationism included Reasons to Believe founded by Hugh Ross and the American Scientific Affiliation. This perspective continues to grow as it provides an alternative to strict young earth creationism and fully naturalistic evolution for Christians seeking to integrate science and faith.
Contrast with Theistic Evolution
Old earth creationism should be distinguished from theistic evolution, the view that God used the natural mechanisms of evolution like mutation, natural selection, and geographic isolation to produce all life forms. Old earth creationists allow some limited evolutionary changes within created kinds, but they affirm God’s supernatural intervention at key junctures to bring about new complex lifeforms, something theistic evolution generally denies. Theistic evolution also tends to have a much more distant view of God’s involvement in creation compared to old earth creationism.
Debates and Disagreements
There are many points of disagreement and debate among old earth creationists, including:
- How literally to interpret the creation days of Genesis 1
- How many divine creative interventions were there and when did they occur?
- What biological changes can be attributed to microevolutionary processes vs. requiring supernatural creation?
- How and when did humans bearing God’s image arise?
- How should the Genesis accounts be reconciled with modern paleoanthropology and population genetics?
- How could there be suffering and death long before the Fall of humanity?
So while united on major points, old earth creationism has many internal theological and scientific debates. Models continue to be developed and improved as believers seek to best understand God’s revelation in Scripture and in nature.
Common Objections
Here are some common objections raised against old earth creationism:
- Biblical objections – Argues the straightforward reading of Genesis teaches a recent, literal six-day creation a few thousand years ago. Sees death only entering creation after Adam’s Fall. Says old earth views compromise scriptural authority.
- Scientific objections – Contends old earth creationism accepts modern geology and cosmology too uncritically. Debates dating methods, flood models, radiocarbon results. Argues more data supports young earth.
- Theological objections – Says old earth death and suffering before Adam undermines the Genesis account of original perfection. Undercuts doctrine of the Fall. Questions God allowing long ages of animal pain.
- Slippery slope objections – Fears old earth views lead to increased acceptance of Darwinism and moving away from faith foundations, a slippery slope toward unbelief.
Advocates of old earth creationism try to address these concerns through in-depth biblical exegesis, scientific examination and response, and constructing theologically robust frameworks.
Conclusion
Old earth creationism occupies an middle ground between young earth creationism and theistic evolution. It takes the biblical accounts of creation seriously while also accepting well-established modern science showing an ancient universe and earth. Details of old earth models continue to be researched and debated. But this perspective allows many Christians to have a faith-science integration that upholds God’s revelation in Scripture without denying His revelation in nature.