Creation
Bibletruth believes the Bible lays out a careful doctrine of creation, including its historicity and relevance. Accordingly, we will advance a modest view and provide the reader some helpful links to assist study. We want to demonstrate charity among those who hold to a high view of Scripture (i.e., believe the Bible is fully inspired, see article on inspiration elsewhere in this site). Some good scholars who dearly love our Lord differ on some particulars of the doctrine of creation. We would commend to our readers Three Views on Creation and Evolution, eds., J.P. Moreland and John Mark Reynolds (Zondervan, 1999). Bibletruth found this book helpful in clarifying some popular views among those who hold to a conservative view of Scripture.
Some helpful links:
Young Earth Defense:
Christian Answers (young earth defense)
Institute for Creation Research
Progressive Creationism:
Reasons to Believe (Hugh Ross)
Genesis International Research Association
Bibletruth believes theistic evolution runs contrary to the creation account in Genesis and thus does not count it among the conservative views.
The Framework Hypothesis
Simply stated, The Framework Hypothesis argues that the creation account was organized topically rather than chronologically. Accordingly, it denies a literal six day creation. Moses, assuming Framework advocates affirm the Mosaic authorship of Genesis which most do, structured the creation account in a poetical, or literary, framework suited to the reader's "frame" of mind. Days 1 through 3 depict the creation of the realms of sky, sea, air and earth, while days 4 through 6 supply each of those realms with creatures.
Progressive Creationism
Progressive Creationists (or "Old Earth" Creationists) essentially change the meaning of "day" in the creation account to mean "age," or prolonged period of time. Here God created the world in numerous progressive stages, thus "Progressive Creation." Not all progressive creationists share every detail alike, they have been known to hold several of the following views:
- an old earth view
- the "Big Bang" theory
- death existing from the beginning of creation and not the result of Adam's sin. Adam would have died naturally but, because of his sin, he would now die spiritually.
- Noah's flood was a local event, not global, thus having only a small effect on the planet's geology.
Bibletruth sees no reason to abandon the literal six day creation of Moses, citing the difficulty scholars have of reconciling other views with the Genesis account.