Young Earth Creationism Theory

Throughout history there have been many scholars and theologians that pick a side to this ongoing theological debate which is why throughout history the general consensus has swapped back and forth between the two sides. This paper will explain how the young-earth creationism theory is upheld and supported with scientific facts and Biblical scriptures.

After old-earth creationism gained momentum in the late 19th century and early 20th century, young-earth creationism was revamped by something called flood theology. The individual who spearheaded flood theology was a man named Geoge McCready Price. Ronald L. Numbers, The Creationists: The Evolution of Scientific Creationism (Los Angeles, CA: University of California Press, 1993), xi. Price

Archbishop James Ussher and John Lightfoot were the two men who came up with the 6,000 year timeframe based on compilations they had from Genesis genealogies. It was not until the 18th century that scientists of different professions came to a conclusion that the earth was millions of years old. Millions of years was a starch contrast to the 6,000 year conclusion that Ussher and Lightfoot had in dealing with earth’s creation. Feeling like something should be done to uphold Ussher and Lightfoot’s findings, a British preacher and biologist named Philip Gosse proposed a solution between the two conflicting time tables. Gosse proposed the “appearance of age theory” which explained that although the earth appeared to be millions of years old, it was actually only 6,000 years old. Hugh Ross, A Matter of Days: Resolving a Creation Controversy (NavPress Publishing Group, 2004), 35-38. Gosse went on to explain that God created the earth fully developed which included things like trees with growth rings. Philip Henry Gosse, Omphalos: An Attempt to Untie the Geological Knot (London: John VanWoorst, 1857), vii. Gosse’s theory was widely rejected during his lifetime except by astronomers, who continued to follow his

Taking a closer look at this topic to examine why Christians believe what they believe and how it fits into the timetable of life will better prepare them to defend what they believe in the face of this science driven, evolution minded world. (Terry Mortenson, “Systematic Theology Texts and the Age of the Earth” Answers Research Journal, accessed June 27, 2015, https://answersingenesis.org/age-of-the-earth/systematic-theology-texts-and-the-age-of-the-earth/. Looking at both young and old-earth creationism will help determine the question, were the six days of creation figurative or literal?

1. Creationism: the belief that God created all things out of nothing as described in the Bible and that therefore the theory of evolution is incorrect.

The following term and definition will be used throughout the