Theology 101: Five Views of Creation

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So you believe the world was created in 6 days and on the 7th day God rested, correct?

Great.

What about dinosaurs? What about all those fossils? Is the earth millions of years old or is it only thousands of years old?

How do all of our scientific questions and discoveries fit into the creation story?

Well, here’s the thing-there’s a few answers for that. What you may not realize is that there are 1001 different theories on all of that, many of which are under the umbrella of Christianity. Meaning, you can believe a bit differently on creation and still be a Christian, it is not a heretical notion.

Today, on the podcast, I gave a brief overview of the most common creation theories that come up in my classes. I’m going to list them here with a brief description for you to research further if you choose.

Five Popular Views of Creation

The Literal View: This is the view we all know so well, God created the world in 6 literal 24 hour days and rested on the seventh day. While it certainly is the easiest view to accept, it does not provide answers for some the more difficult scientific questions.

The Gap Theory: The Gap Theory is just that, a theory relating to the possible “gap” between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2. This poises Genesis 1:1 as an event rather than just a sentence leading to the next. The time gap between the two is unsure but does allow for such things as dinosaurs or other creatures and gives some kind of explanation to them being extinct prior to the creation of man.

The Framework Theory: In this theory, Moses is simply using the creation story as a framework for God’s design and desires for the people of God. This simply means each day and time is not literal but rather a reference. There are some problems with this theory as it reorganizes the structure of creation which poses a direct threat to the fourth commandment, to obey the Sabbath.

The Day Age Theory: This theory takes a stab at the Hebrew word for “day,” which could mean 24 hours or it could mean an unknown amount of time. The interesting part about this theory is that it allows for the “evolution” of animals in that there could be a lengthly amount of time passing before each day of creation.

The Apparent Age Theory: The Apparent Age Theory is an interesting one, it supposes that the earth was created “old” in the same way Adam was created as a man and not a child. This theory is an odd attempt at reconciling science and the Bible and has some obvious holes.

Conclusion

Obviously, this is a brief overview, the purpose of which is to simply expose you to some different points of view. I would strongly encourage more study on each theory and of course, looking up other existing theories.

Just keep in mind, wondering about these things does not mean you are doubting your faith-it also does not mean that there are not others who have also had the same questions. After all, what are theologians to do except question and seek deep answers and truths?

The most important thing to remember is not necessarily the “how” behind creation but the “who.” We know God is the creator of all things, worlds, dinosaurs, humans and all the things in between. Perhaps how God created all these things is not for us to fully know?

Check out all the latest podcast, Five Views on Creation and stay tuned for more!

Sarah Ann

Sarah Ann is an author, speaker and media personality committed to honesty, vulnerability and authenticity. She has a passion for empowering people who are willing to be honest and walk out life in Christ together. Sarah holds a Bachelors in Biblical Studies and a Masters in Theology and Apologetics, she also owns a clothing company, Ascent516.com and is the creator of SarahAnnSpeaks.com and the Sarah Ann Speaks Podcast. Sarah is featured daily on GEB TV.