The Genesis Debate

The 24-hour view / J. Ligon Duncan III & David W. Hall -- The day-age view / Hugh Ross & Gleason L. Archer -- The framework view / Lee Irons with Meredith G. Kline

In this astute mix of cultural critique and biblical studies, John H. Walton presents and defends twenty propositions supporting a literary and theological understanding of Genesis 1 within the context of the ancient Near Eastern world and unpacks its implications for our modern scientific understanding of origins. Ideal for students, professors, pastors and lay readers with an interest in the intelligent design controversy and creation-evolution debates, Walton's thoughtful analysis unpacks seldom appreciated aspects of the biblical text and sets Bible-believing scientists free to investigate the question of origins. The books in the Lost World Series follow the pattern set by Bible scholar John H. Walton, bringing a fresh, close reading of the Hebrew text and knowledge of ancient Near Eastern literature to an accessible discussion of the biblical topic at hand using a series of logic-based propositions.

Reprint. Originally published: Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Book House, 1990.

"The heavens declare the glory of God"... and spark no small controversy among men. Christians have long debated certain aspects of the Genesis creation account, but in the modern era this discussion has turned especially strident, with some arguing that scientific understandings of the age of the earth and the manner of creation are fundamentally incompatible with the testimony of scripture. This is nothing less than a matter of man's word versus God's Word, we're told. Anything apart from a young-earth interpretation of Genesis is seen as a denial of the authority of scripture and an attack on the very foundation of the gospel itself. Creation in the Crossfire: A Study of the Genesis Debate in the Church examines the science/faith controversy in light of the most common arguments used to advance what might be thought of as "Young-Earth Onlyism" in the evangelical church. Topics examined here include: The creation debate and the matter of biblical authority. The creation views of ancient Jewish and Christian writers. How God communicates with man. The reliability of man's intellect and the value of his opinions. The impact of the creation debate on believers and evangelistic efforts. Textual clues suggesting that the Genesis creation account is deeper than it may at first appear to be. The nature of the "days" of Genesis 1. Misconceptions of the pre-Fall world. Animal death before the Fall of Man. The nature and extent of the Genesis 3 curse on the earth. Surprising theological implications of young-earth interpretations. The overall plan and often counterintuitive dealings of God in creation. The coming restoration of creation. The Fall of Satan and the possible role of angels in creation. Mysteries of the Genesis genealogies. Controversies surrounding the creation of man. Recent "mytho-history" and otherwise figurative interpretations of Genesis. The global v regional flood controversy. What Jesus believed about the age of the earth. Scientific evidences for an old cosmos. Written by a former young-earth creationist, Creation in the Crossfire takes aim at the Genesis debate in the spirit of "Come, let us reason together," and with an emphasis on presenting plausible alternative interpretations of the biblical text for those who may only be familiar with young-earth materials. It is the author's hope that believers will find the discussions presented here both informative and edifying, and that leaders in the church will take steps to dial back the unnecessarily inflammatory and divisive rhetoric that so often surrounds the first book of the Bible.

Modern readers often assume that Genesis 1 depicts the creation of the earth and sky as we know it. Yet in an appeal for textual honesty, Steven DiMattei shows that such beliefs are more representative of modern views about this ancient text than the actual claims and beliefs of its author. Through a culturally contextualized and objective reading of the texts of Genesis 1 and 2, this study not only introduces readers to the textual data that convincingly demonstrate that Genesis' two creation accounts were penned by different authors who held contradictory views and beliefs about the origin of the world and of man and woman, but also establishes on textual grounds that what the author of Genesis 1 portrayed God creating was the world as its author and culture perceived and experienced it--not the objective world, but a subjective world, subject to the culturally conditioned views and beliefs of its author. In the end, this book clearly illustrates that the Bible's ancient texts do in fact represent the beliefs and worldviews of ancient peoples and cultures--not those of God, not those of later readers, and especially not those of modern-day Creationists.