Do You Know About Creation or Do You “No” About Creation?
Do You Know About Creation or
Do You “No” About Creation?
User: wb.fotografie
That was the question God asked me when I approached the subject of cosmogony. It all just seemed like a complicated way to explain what I already knew; God created the universe and everything else case closed, and I am not going to waste my time arguing with anyone about it.
Imagine my surprise to learn that learning to biblically explain the science of creation not only gave God glory but also helped remove stumbling blocks (1 Cor 8 and Rom 14) for others.
A “contributor to the problem is that creationism’s high profile silences many scientists and other scholars of faith from mentioning their creation beliefs in public. They keep quiet, not wanting to be branded an “evolution-phobic” or as skeptics of mainstream science who advocate placing religious dogma into public school curricula. Consequently, the public rarely, if ever, hears about (or from) Christian scholars (not to mention other critics of Darwinism) and their variety of views on creation. [1]
This leads us to possible confusion over creation, not the old argument about Intelligent-Design versus evolution, but how to deal with the “two creation stories” and whether or not the Bible is contradictory.
God created the world in six 24-hour days. And on the seventh day, God finished his work, and he rested. This version of the story is well known in most Christian circles and, in most cases, not up for debate. However, some have accused the Bible of being contradictory as it offers another version of the same story. Here is an example of “evidence” written by a guest blogger named Leigh B:
Most people don't realize it, but there are two (yes, count em TWO) different and contradictory stories of Creation in Genesis, the first book of the Bible. Check it out for yourself.
And the next time a Creationist tries to hoist some Intelligent Design poppycock on you, ask them if the world was created as described in Genesis; then ask em which version? Warning: Most Creationists faith is not actually very strong - learning that the Bible has serious internal contradictions may lead to their ill-being - use this knowledge with caution! --2 Biblical Stories of Creation (leighb.com)
Although the events are in different sequences the same events are described. And if that is the case, why stop at saying the Bible offers only 2 stories. The Bible says that God created the universe. “By the word of the LORD the heavens were made. . . For he spoke, and it came to be.”(Psalm 33: 6,9). “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. . . All things were made through him.” (John 1:1,3). And while not often connected with
Genesis 1, Psalm 104 offers a poetic meditation on key themes presented in the opening chapter of the Bible. [2] Another difference appears to be in literary style. The different styles would not easily throw off one who studies the Bible as the synoptic gospels are “famous” for that. While others insist that the two creation stories prove contradictions, others say the two stories give way for certain aspects of evolution to exist. However, neither of these beliefs is justified by Scripture.
By reading the two creation accounts individually and then reconciling them, we a description of creation in Genesis 1, then a clarification of its most important details, in Genesis 2. There is no contradiction just literary license describing an event from the general to the specific.
If you want to learn more check out this full debate https://youtu.be/hVCVt-dvVOc
[1] H. Ross, Creation as science: A Testable Model Approach to End the Creation/Evolution Wars (Navpress Publishing Group, 2006), 23.
[2] Bontrager, Krista K. In Wisdom You Made Them All: Psalm 104. Glendora, CA: Reasons to Believe, 2015. ASIN: B00USMQ2DO