A closer look at these verses reveals that the gap theory imposes an interpretation upon genesis 1. Genesis, prehistoric man, and the gap theory youtube. Following this, the standard events of cosmic evolution took place, which. The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. The gap theory of the bible in genesis chapter one proposes that a long period of time, an ambiguous gap, separates the first two verses of the bible genesis 1. The gap theory overview and history of the genesis gap doctrine ruinreconstruction interpretation of oldearth creationism. A gap theory story the book of michael the areopagus. The gap theory or better termed, gap principle is not a fundamental doctrine of the faith. Gap theory andor the ruin and reconstruction theory of genesis 1. The gap is said to have involved great eons of time. Quite comprehensive, he talks not only about the theory but the subsequent other erroneous theories that have come out from this gap theory. Its popularity has decreased in recent years but it is still widely taught in some biblebelieving schools. I do not have a problem with people who use the gap theory, but i personally do not feel it is likely to be a correct explanation of how god created the earth. The gap theories of creation 78 adamic world before the creation recounted in genesis chapter one.
This study will prove conclusively that moses did not make the blunder of either stating or inferring the earth is only 6000 years old. The gap theory is an attempt to reconcile what secular scientists believe about geology, paleontology, and cosmology with the sixday creation story in genesis 1. Some believe that angels existed on earth during this period. Notes on the gap theory by mike stallard introduction below is a discussion of one of the major interpretations of the genesis account of creation, the gap theory. The gap theory attempts to resolve the apparent conflict between scripture and modern geology by inserting a gap of unknown time between the first two verses of genesis 1. The gap theory arose when modern science began to argue for an ancient earth and universe. It records the beginning of time, life, sin, salvation, the human race, and the hebrew nation. The gap theory maintains that the genesis creation account is inerrant in matters of scientific fact, and gap creationists assert that there is a gap of time in the biblical account that lasted an unknown number of years between a first creation in genesis 1. It begins with primeval history centered in four major events. The new scofield reference bible makes this distinction. One popular interpretation of genesis 1 shoehorns a millionsofyears gap between verses 1 and 2.
The purpose of this writing is to ask those of you who hold the bible in high regard to give one more look at the gap between genesis 1. This is an important lesson because speculators are typically classified as societal thieves. Gap theory andor the ruinandreconstruction theory of genesis 1 gap theory the gap theory teaches that god created the world perhaps billions of years ago, and it was perfect and beautiful in every way. The work of an apologist in some ways parallels the work of a scientist. This brief overview shows that the gap theory is not biblical. In 1814, as a response to scientists who were beginning to teach that the earth was billions of years in age, chalmers theorized a gap in time between genesis 1. Gap creationism is a form of old earth creationism that posits that the sixyom creation period, as described in the book of genesis, involved six literal 24hour.
The controversy has centred upon whether or not there is a chronological gap of unspecified duration within the compass of what, at first glance, seems to. What is the main reason people adhere to positions such as the gap theory. Dec 21, 2011 this study is going to prove that the yec are the very ones who do not take the scriptures literally. Jan 02, 2020 the gap theory, which is distinct from theistic evolution and the dayage theory, is also called oldearth creationism, gap creationism, and the ruinreconstruction theory. Gap theory andor the ruin and reconstruction theory of. Temple institute and views on genesis 1 and the gap doctrine. All versions of the gap theory impose outside ideas on scripture and thus open the door for further compromise. It was an attempt to harmonize the lengthy time periods, or ages, with genesis.
Gap creationism also known as ruinrestoration creationism, restoration creationism, or the gap theory is a form of old earth creationism that posits that the sixyom creation period, as described in the book of genesis, involved six literal 24hour days light being day and dark night as god specified, but that there was a gap of time between two distinct creations in the first and. There has been so much separation over who is right and who is wrong, that it tear on the word of god, people dont seem to believe that jesus says we. The bibles account of joseph in genesis presents a story rich in lessons. First, the gap theory acknowledges that god created a perfect heaven and earth. The gap theory doesnt just insert a gap of time in order to give room for geological eras. No one claims to know for sure exactly how long this gap lasted, but it is generally assumed to have been a very long time i. This fact alone should make the entire theory suspect. In fact, several gap models have been proposed over the years for one reasonto add secular ideas of long ages to the bible. Like many attempts to harmonize the bible with uniformitarian geologys supposed long ages of earth history, the gap theory involves a wellmeant but misguided twisting of scripture. Mar 15, 2014 an overview of the genesis gap gap theory doctrine and its basis in the holy bible. For insertion before the holy book of genesis and in the hands of those certain loyal and righteous adepts only receiving his protection and provision as they protect this book of. Others want to know why scientists claim the earth is billions of years old. I have attempted to define it clearly and then refute it. The gap theory in the beginning god created the heaven and the earth.
But any rebellion of satan during this gap of time contradicts gods description of his completed creation on day six as all being very good genesis 1. Thus the gap theory is a subtle form of theistic evolution. In the beginning, to create, or make of nothing, the world, and all things therein whether visible or invisible, in the space of six days. The problem with the gap theory, as i see it is that it is an attempt to create a compromise between the literal interpretation of genesis 1 and the more symbolic interpretation of the. There have been attempts by christians to harmonize the genesis account of creation with the theories of modern geology and evolution. Since many of the advocates of the gap theory subscribe to the validity of the scriptures, an effort is made to substantiate the gap claims by appealing to word studies and textual references connected with comments and phrases found in the genesis narrative. Nevertheless i am increasingly convinced that it is a matter that needs to be addressed. Feb 21, 2015 many want to know if there was a prehistoric human before adam. Speculation in markets can play a positive role in promoting overall economic wellbeing.
Study the bible, learn about jesus christ, get christian living advice online. The gap theory is an early and significant attempt by christian theologians to explain the apparent short scale of world history found in genesis, in order to reduce or remove conflict with the popular belief that geologists since 1700 have provided undeniable evidence that the world is exceedingly old currently estimated at 4. Is there a gap between the first and second verse of genesis. This is when god created both the stars and the earth that we live on. This theory, once popular in the late 19th and early to mid 20th centuries, has been rejected by many modernday creationists as being without biblical or scientific support. The controversy has centred upon whether or not there is a chronological gap of unspecified duration within the compass of what, at first glance, seems to be continuous narrative. Research western bible commentaries, written before the 18th century.
In both cases, evolutionary time is inserted into the biblical account with no direct evidence. Here is his commentary on the westminster confessions phrase in the space of six days. Some put the fall of satan in this supposed period. It was during this period that scientists were beginning to teach that the earth was billions of years in age. According to the genesis gap theory, there are millions, or even billions of years lapse between genesis 1. The gap theory, sometimes called the ruin and reconstruction theory of creation, postulates that an unspecified amount of time passed between genesis 1. Some believe that dinosaurs existed on earth during this time. Gap theory argues the verse says, became waste the second problem with the gap theory is that theorists argue that both isaiah 45. If the author of genesis wanted to show a sequence even a gap of time as postulated by the gap theory, the typical wawconsecutive on an imperfect verb would have been used. He suggested that in this gap of millions or even billions of years, a previously unknown people group and world could have existed and that this preadamic group of people rebelled against god and were subsequently wiped out and destroyed in gods. And the gap theory is just about as popular as the talibana group of which we were happily ignorant in the 1960s. Other books can be too technical especially examination of the hebrew language concerning the words used in gen 1. It is, in fact, a compromise of the truth of genesis, which arose when christian leaders tried to accommodate the millions of years claimed for fossil layers.
Why the gap theory wont work the institute for creation research. This book treats this in just a few chapters and spends time on other items. It is not to show a sequence which the gap theory stipulates even though the two events in the sequence are an untold time span apart. According to the holy scriptures from the book of jeremiah 4. Only three creative acts of god are recorded in this chapter. In an attempt to accommodate the supposed evolutionary geological ages in genesis, certain theologians postulated a long gap in time here between genesis 1.
The gap theory, at its core, is an effort to insert a huge amount of time between genesis 1. We accept the young earth model because this is the one given to us in genesis, the book we are presently studying. The gap theory invites confusion about human origins. Is there evidence for the gap theory of the bible in genesis. There are some, however, who try to combine the biblical account with the evolutionary model and the theories they come up with are the subject for this lesson. But between those two verses there is the mysterious and enigmatic statement of genesis 1.
In the beginning god created the heavens and the earth. So i went through a number of scriptures to show why the gap theory is untenable. This ruinreconstruction interpretation of genesis was the bread and butter creation doctrine of the protestant fundamentalist church in the early part of the 20th century. Oct 01, 2010 after a meeting in coventry, england, during which i had criticized the gap theory, two ladies approached me at my book table. This proposed gap is the basis of what might be termed theories of accommodation. How did the writers of these commentaries view genesis 111 as a whole, and genesis 1. The modified gap theory or precreation chaos gap theory, which is the proposed gap between genesis 1. How genesis undermines the gap theory by phil robinson. Gap theory is considered an apostate heresy by mainstream, traditional christianity. Both seek to prove as in establish by testing the truth of their explanation for something and, thus, to defend their idea against challenges. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the spirit of god was hovering over the waters.
As a response to the scientific community, chalmers theorized a gap in time between genesis 1. A laymans critical appraisal preface when this work was originally written in 1975 the book unformed and unfilled by weston w. The ancient earth and the angels an introduction to the ancient earths first inhabitants, the sons of god. Its background the gap theory was first proposed in 1814 by a scottish minister named chalmers. Of the three major types, strict youngearth flood geology creation is the best knownindeed, it is often assumed that all creationists are of this. After a meeting in coventry, england, during which i had criticized the gap theory, two ladies approached me at my book table. What the book of genesis can teach us about speculation. The gap theory did not arise merely from a study of scripture, it arose to solve the problem of the bible and time. In the beginning, god created the heavens and the earth.
Dec 18, 2016 according to the genesis gap theory, there are millions, or even billions of years lapse between genesis 1. In the beginnings is a defense of the biblical gap theory of creation. Is the gap theory an acceptable way to harmonize the bible. Some want to know if adam, eve, abel, and seth existed. The temple institute had the following in its newsletter today. This would mean that adam was not the first man created, just the first man created after lucifers flood, and would clearly be a violation of scripture.
There is an abundance of biblical evidences that the gap is not a theory, but a fact. Is the gap theory an acceptable way to harmonize the. Jul 03, 2015 the gap theory attempts to resolve the apparent conflict between scripture and modern geology by inserting a gap of unknown time between the first two verses of genesis 1. The gap theory teaches that a race of men had previously populated the earth but were destroyed in lucifers flood. Gives the idea that the creation of the earth once had a previous existence.
615 942 421 777 1599 1378 834 1489 496 1514 692 1616 133 60 316 1249 1508 771 394 267 533 415 1396 27 935 628 514 421 1103 938 18 922 687 216 427 200 770 843 1090 395 927 844 345 1200 835