CRST 290 Exam 1 - Ross

Views of Creation

- Young Earth Creation

- Old Earth Creation

- Theistic/Evolutionary Creation

- Intelligent Design

- Naturalistic/Materialistic Evolution

Young Earth Creation

God exists and created all things

Young Earth Creation

The Bible provides an outline of how it happened

Young Earth Creation

This record in Genesis is a historical narrative, not mythic or allegorical; the people and events introduced are real

Young Earth Creation

The genealogies in Genesis 5 and 11 provide real historical info and provide boundaries to Earth's history in thousands of years

Naturalistic Evolution Basics: Earth History

Universe originated 13.7 billion years ago with the "Big Bang"

Naturalistic Evolution Basics: Earth History

Our solar system (and Earth) originated 4.6 billion years ago

Naturalistic Evolution Basics: Earth History

Life first evolved 3.5-3.8 billion years ago (bacteria)

Naturalistic Evolution Basics: Earth History

Most fossils come from rocks 542 million years ago----present

Naturalistic Evolution Basics: Life History

All life is connected through ancestor and descendant lineages

Naturalistic Evolution Basics: Life History

Lineages that have no living members are extinct

Naturalistic Evolution Basics: Life History

Evolution is most commonly thought of as a tree

Naturalistic Evolution Basics: Life History

Evolution has been very successful in the lab and the field

Naturalistic Evolution Basics: Life History

Genetic explanations for life's diversity are strong

Naturalistic Evolution Basics: Life History

Some good "transitional form" candidates exist

Young-Earth Creation Basics: Earth History

Earth and universe began several 1000 years ago with "Let there be.."

Young-Earth Creation Basics: Earth History

Creation week is 6 days (as we experience it according to their kind)

Young-Earth Creation Basics: Earth History

Life (plants and animals) is created according to their kind

Young-Earth Creation Basics: Earth History

Most fossils come from rocks formed during Noah's flood

Young-Earth Creation Basics: Earth History

Adam and Eve are created on day 6

Young-Earth Creation Basics: Earth History

Genesis 1&2 are complementary texts, not 2 different creation accounts

Young-Earth Creation Basics: Earth History

The themes established early in Genesis are woven throughout the Bible and cannot be removed w/o seriously impacting our theology

Young-Earth Creation Basics: Life History

Numerous and different "kinds" created at creation week

Young-Earth Creation Basics: Life History

Specification/differentiation within "kinds"

Important theme in Genesis 1

God creates the entire world by His command

Important theme in Genesis 1

God affirms and loves its work ("..it was good")

Important theme in Genesis 1

"Formless" and "void" becomes "formed" and "filled"

Important theme in Genesis 1

Creation is well-ordered (divisions, seasons; "after their kinds")

Important theme in Genesis 1

Humans are pinnacle of creation; we alone bear God's image and are placed as caretakers of creation

Important theme in Genesis 1

Day 7 is for rest

Important theme in Genesis 2

God creates a holy place in which to make humans

Important theme in Genesis 2

Chapter structure (Problem--Action--Solution)

The man is alone--The woman created--The first family

Important theme in Genesis 2

Direct, special, and different creation of humans compared to plants and animals

Important theme in Genesis 2

Nakedness and innocence prior to sin (so no need to hide from God)

Doctrine of Creation (Genesis 1-3)

God exists prior to, and independent of, His creation

Doctrine of Creation (Genesis 1-3)

Creation ex nihilo (from nothing)

Doctrine of Creation (Genesis 1-3)

Creator/creation distinction

Doctrine of Creation (Genesis 1-3)

God's creation is good because God is good

Doctrine of Creation (Genesis 1-3)

God created the world for His glory

Doctrine of Creation (Genesis 1-3)

God created a world that is orderly and comprehensible to us

Doctrine of Creation (Genesis 1-3)

God specifically created Adam and Eve to bear His image

Doctrine of Creation (Genesis 1-3)

Adam and Eve's actual and historical Fall brought sin into the world

Big Picture of Genesis 1-11

Hebrew word that starts the book is "beresit"

Big Picture of Genesis 1-11

Genesis 1-11 is "primeval history" (global focus)

Big Picture of Genesis 1-11

A good creation gone (very) bad, and God's plan to bless and redeem it

Big Picture of Genesis 1-11

These chapters are connected by a focus on the whole world

Big Picture of Genesis 1-11

Sin enters the world (permeates whole world)

Big Picture of Genesis 1-11

God judges the whole world with a Flood

Big Picture of Genesis 1-11

All the world is one language and one tongue

Big Picture of Genesis 1-11

Judgement disperses people across the world

Genesis 1

Name of God: Elohim

Genesis 1

Creation account is very formal and organized

Genesis 1

Global perspective: creation of entire world and all its inhabitants

Genesis 2

Begins with the word "toledot" (account, generations, and descendants)

Genesis 2

Rules for behavior given

Genesis 3

New character: the serpent

Genesis 3

Rules for behavior broken, results in sense of fear and ultimately a separation from God

Genesis 3

God comes looking for the man and the woman

Genesis 3

Judgement and curses

Genesis 3

Atonement and banishment

Genesis 4

Two brothers: Cain and Abel

Genesis 4

Sin permeates the world fast (Cain murders Abel)

Genesis 4

God is merciful even in judgement

Genesis 4

Cain lineage is both praiseworthy and contemptible

Genesis 6-9 - The Flood

Sin and violence has filled the world

Genesis 6-9 - The Flood

God's sorrow and condemnation of humanity

Genesis 6-9 - The Flood

One man is righteous: Noah

Genesis 6-9 - The Flood

The Flood narrative is structured as a chiasm, this is a balanced story/account

Genesis 10-11 - Table of Nations

Surrounding peoples from Ham and Japheph

Clement of Rome (130-140 AD)

- letter to the Corinthian Church

- mentions Adam 3 times

Theophilus of Antioch

- writing against Greek philosophies

- God created in 6 days according to Genesis

- noted creation of sun/moon on day 4

- Genesis 2 as expansion of Genesis 1

Antioch school of thought held to literal approach:

- Irenaeus

- Tertullian

- Hippolytus of Rome

- Basil of Caesarea (wrote Hexarmean)

Allegorical school of thought arises in Alexandria, Egypt

- Philo (Jewish commentator) adopts Greek philosophies

- element of Alexandria follows suit

- Origen and Augustine further develop

And yet everyone agreed...

- Adam and Eve were real, the first humans

- creation was young (less than 10,000 years)

Literalists in Medieval Period

- Venerable Bede

- Peter Lombard

- Nicholas Lyra

Allegorists in Medieval Period

- Eriugena

- Anselm walks it back

- Thomas Aquinas

And yet everyone agreed..

- Adam and Eve were real, the first humans

- Creation was young (less than 10,000)

The Reformation - Sees literal approaches among Protestants

- William Tyndale

- Martin Luther

- John Calvin

The Reformation

Allegorical approaches are marginalized and literal approaches woven into creeds, confessions, and catechisms of Protestant denominations

Gap Theory

- proposed gap in time between Gen 1:1 & Gen 1:2

- put all of geological history in this gap

- preserved creation week and literal Adam

Problems w/ Gap Theory

- "gap" isn't in the Hebrew

- placed death before Adam and Eve's sin

Day-Age

- each "day" of creation was actually a long period of time

- "days" correspond to different geological periods

Problems w/ Day-Age

- not supported in Hebrew

- 6 "days/ages" didn't match geological record

- placed death before Adam and Eve's sin

Assault on Biblical Reliability

Higher criticism makes gains in late 1800's

Fundamentalism

In the US, the conservative response to theological liberalism and higher criticism