The Basaltic Dyke of Fayal Island a Testament to Deep Age

A basaltic dyke, like the prominent examples found on Fayal Island in the Azores, Portugal, is a striking geological feature representing a conduit for past volcanic activity. It forms when molten rock, specifically basaltic magma originating from deep within the Earth, forces its way upward through pre-existing rock layers. This magma intrudes into vertical or near-vertical fractures, essentially injecting itself like a sheet cutting across the older surrounding rock, known as country rock. Once emplaced, the magma cools and solidifies underground, forming a distinctive, typically dark-coloured, fine-to-medium-grained igneous rock band.

Fayal Island itself is a product of extensive volcanic activity associated with the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The island's structure is built from countless layers of lava flows, ash deposits, and other volcanic materials accumulated over long periods. The basaltic dykes represent the solidified "plumbing system" that fed some of these surface eruptions or near-surface intrusions. Often, these dykes are harder and more resistant to erosion than the surrounding rock. Consequently, as the softer country rock weathers away, particularly along coastlines exposed to wave action like those on Fayal, the dykes can stand out in sharp relief as natural walls or ridges, providing a dramatic visual testament to the island's fiery geological past and the immense forces at work beneath the surface. They offer geologists valuable insights into magma composition and emplacement dynamics.

Basaltic Dykes and a Global Flood:

A global flood, as typically envisioned involving vast amounts of surface water for around a year, cannot explain the formation of a basaltic dyke. Dykes are igneous intrusions, meaning they form from molten rock (magma) originating deep within the Earth under immense heat and pressure. This magma forcibly injects itself into fractures in existing solid rock and cools slowly underground. A flood scenario lacks the necessary heat source, the mechanism for injecting magma vertically through potentially kilometers of rock, and the conditions for slow cooling deep underground. Furthermore, the dyke cuts through pre-existing rock layers, implying those layers were already formed, solidified, and fractured before the dyke intruded—a sequence requiring significant time incompatible with a single, short-term flood event.

How Old-Earth Creationism Accommodates This:

Old-Earth Creationism (OEC) readily accommodates features like basaltic dykes by accepting the scientific consensus regarding the Earth's great age and the established principles of geology. OEC views God as the Creator who utilized natural processes, including plate tectonics, volcanism, erosion, and sedimentation, over vast eons to shape the Earth. A basaltic dyke on Fayal is seen as evidence of God's creative work through these ordained physical laws. It represents a specific volcanic event within the long geological history of the Azores, fully consistent with the scientifically understood mechanisms of magma generation, intrusion, and cooling operating over millions of years, all within God's overarching creative plan.

How OEC Believes in Long Genesis Days Accommodating This:

Old-Earth Creationism interprets the "days" (Hebrew: yom) of the Genesis creation account not as literal 24-hour periods but as extended, sequential ages or epochs. This "Day-Age" view allows OEC to harmonize the biblical narrative with the scientific evidence for deep time, providing ample room for the millions of years required for geological processes like island formation, rock solidification, fracturing, and subsequent magma intrusion to form basaltic dykes.

• Old-Earth creationists interpret Genesis 1:9-10 day 3 within a framework of vast geological timescales. They see the "gathering of waters" and "appearance of dry ground" as referring to tectonic shifts and the formation of continents and oceans over millions of years. This aligns with scientific evidence of plate tectonics shaping Earth's surface. Isaiah 44:24 also mentions this “spreading out the earth.”

• Old Earth Creationism (OEC) interprets Job 9:5-6 as a description of God's immense power and sovereignty over natural forces, rather than a literal 24 hour depiction of specific, recent geological events. OEC acknowledges that mountains and geological features are formed through long, natural processes, but attributes the ultimate cause to God's design and ongoing control. "Removing mountains" and "shaking the earth" are seen as descriptions  of God's ability to orchestrate and influence the Earth's systems, including tectonic shifts and geological upheavals, over vast periods. This verse highlights God's role as the sustainer and director of the physical world, aligning with OEC's view of God working through established natural laws and deep time.

How Old-Earth Creationism Relates to God's Glory:

Within Old-Earth Creationism, the vastness of geological time and the complexity of processes like the formation of basaltic dykes are seen as magnifying God's glory. The immense age of the Earth reveals God's patience and eternal nature. The intricate workings of geology—volcanism, erosion, tectonics—demonstrate His incredible power, wisdom, and the detailed nature of His design. For OEC adherents, studying such features inspires awe and reverence for the Creator who orchestrated such a grand and ancient universe.