Scholars on Old-Earth Creationism

The nature of the Genesis flood remains one of the most debated topics in biblical theology. However, a specific exegetical framework suggests that the key to understanding the scope of Noah’s Flood lies not in the Book of Genesis alone, but in the establishment of the earth’s foundations during the creation week. By examining the "boundaries" set by God at the beginning of time, a compelling argument emerges: while the original creation involved a truly global aqueous state, God established a permanent physical decree that the seas would never again cover the entire planet. This perspective necessitates that Noah’s Flood was "universal" in its impact on humanity, yet "local" or regional in its geographic extent. The Foundation and the Primordial Global Flood According to 2 Peter 3:5, the earth was originally "formed out of water and by water." This aligns with the initial state described in Genesis 1, where darkness was over the face...

The debate surrounding the scale of the Genesis flood often centers on the tension between Catastrophic Plate Tectonics (CPT) and the immutable laws of thermodynamics.  Catastrophic Plate Tectonics (CPT) relies on an eisegesis of Genesis 7:11, where the "fountains of the great deep" are interpreted as mid-ocean ridges. Critics argue this imposes modern geological concepts onto an ancient Near Eastern text. Rather than letting the verse describe a massive eruption of water, CPT proponents read "runaway subduction" and continental "sprint" into the narrative to align the Bible with a modified version of plate tectonic theory.  While proponents of a global deluge seek to reconcile the biblical narrative with geological evidence, the physical requirements for such a massive, rapid transformation of the Earth’s crust create a "heat problem" that is difficult to resolve within the known laws of physics. The Physics of Accelerated Decay Many...

The traditional imagery associated with Genesis 1 often involves a series of "divine snapshots"—instantaneous flashes where complex organisms appear out of nothingness at the sound of a voice. However, a closer linguistic and theological examination of the text, particularly the phrase "Let the earth bring forth" (Genesis 1:11, 24), suggests a process far more nuanced than a rapid, supernatural "poof." Rather than a series of immediate miracles, the language implies a mediate creation: a process where God empowers the natural order to act as a secondary cause in the unfolding of life. The Language of Potentiality In Genesis 1:11, the command is not "Let there be plants," but rather, "Let the earth sprout vegetation." Similarly, in verse 24, the text reads, "Let the earth bring forth living creatures." The Hebrew verb used here, dasha, suggests a sprouting or budding—a process of emergence. This distinction is vital...

For decades, the "Distant Starlight Problem" has been the Achilles' heel of Young Earth Creationism (YEC). The logic is simple: if the universe is only 6,000 years old, how can we see galaxies millions of light-years away? If light travels at a constant speed, those photons should still be in transit, leaving our night sky dark. To bridge this gap, YEC proponents have historically relied on three primary theoretical "escape hatches":  c-decay (the speed of light was much faster in the past). Anisotropic Synchrony Convention (light travels instantaneously toward the observer but slowly away), and Gravitational Time Dilation (time moved faster in deep space than on Earth during creation week). However, the 2017 detection of the neutron star merger GW170817 provided a multi-messenger "smoking gun" that effectively closed these loopholes. The Event: GW170817 In August 2017, the LIGO and Virgo detectors picked up gravitational waves ripples in t...