Questions & Answers - Age of the Earth
Sub-sections on this page:
Fossils
Old Earth Creationism
What do major Christian leaders/organizations think about the age of the earth ?
This section provides some of the reasons why many committed Christians are intellectually unable, in good faith, to be Young-Earth Creationists.
There is no verse in the Bible that says how old the earth is.
It is true that some Christians believe that the earth is 6000 - 10000 years old. However this is NOT stated to be the case anywhere in the Bible. Furthermore, there are many Hebrew Scholars who see the Hebrew idioms in the Old Testament as being consistent with an old earth.
--
A note to Christians: Please note that I am not against some Christians believing that the earth is 6000-10000 years old. However, if this belief is a hindrance to a scientist who might be willing otherwise to consider the gospel (and commit his life to Christ), I would choose to give him the option of joining the many committed Christians (including many Christians who are scientists and/or Hebrew scholars) who believe in an old-earth.
There is no verse in the Bible that says how old the earth is.
For instance, it is not the purpose of the New York Telephone Directory to provide the phone numbers of people in Shanghai, China.
Similarly it is not the purpose of the Bible to tell us the age of the Earth.
The purpose of the Bible is to teach us how to come into relationship with the God of the universe.
There is no specific verse in the Bible that contradicts the notion of an old-earth.
Furthermore, there are many Hebrew Scholars who see the Hebrew idioms in the Old Testament as being consistent with an old earth.
There is no verse in the Bible that explicitly says that there were NO creatures that lived on earth millions of years ago.
It is true that some Christians believe that the earth is 6000 - 10000 years old (in which case, the fossils would have to be less than 10,000 years old). However this is NOT explicitly stated to be the case anywhere in the Bible. Furthermore, there are many Hebrew Scholars who see the Hebrew idioms in the Old Testament as being consistent with an old earth (in which case, the fossils could truly represent creatures that lived on earth millions of years ago).
There is no specific verse in the Bible that contradicts the notion of an old-earth, and the concept that creatures lived on earth millions of years ago.
Furthermore, there are many Hebrew Scholars who see the Hebrew idioms in the Old Testament as being consistent with an old earth (and the existence of creatures that lived millions of years ago).
A scientist I know is interested in Christianity. He asked, "Science has shown us that the earth is about 4.5 billion years old. Doesn't this contradict the Bible?"
[ EmQ-05092401, from Gordon S, September 2005 ]
Actually, this does not contradict the Bible.
Does the Bible tell us how old the Earth is?
[ EmQ-05092402, adapted from Gordon S, September 2005 ]
No. It does not.
Why does the Bible NOT tell us how old the Earth is?
[ EmQ-05092403, adapted from Gordon S, September 2005 ]
Because that is not the purpose of the Bible.
Is the Bible open to the idea of an old earth?
[ EmQ-05092404, adapted from Gordon S, September 2005 ]
Yes, the Bible is open to this idea.
A scientist I know is interested in Christianity. He asked, "Science has shown us the existence of fossils from creatures that lived millions of years ago. Doesn't this contradict the Bible?"
[ EmQ-05092405, from Gordon S, September 2005 ]
Actually, this does not contradict the Bible.
Is the Bible open to the idea of creatures that lived millions of years ago?
[ EmQ-05092406, adapted from Gordon S, September 2005 ]
Yes, the Bible is open to this idea.