Old earth vs. young earth—what are the core issues in the debate?

Answer

Both old-earth creationism and young-earth creationism aim to resolve the apparent conflict between science and the Bible regarding the age of the earth. What is this apparent conflict? If the book of Genesis is strictly interpreted, it appears to suggest that the earth and the universe are approximately 6,000 years old. In contrast, various scientific dating methods estimate the age of the earth to be around 4.5 billion years and the age of the universe to be around 14.6 billion years.

The possible solutions to this apparent conflict are as follows: the Bible is incorrect, the Bible is being misinterpreted, or the scientific data is being misinterpreted.

Neither old-earth creationism nor young-earth creationism asserts that the Bible is incorrect. Generally, both old-earth and young-earth creationists uphold the inspiration, inerrancy, and authority of God’s Word. The distinction lies in how each interprets what the Bible is conveying. It boils down to interpretation.

Old-earth creationists believe that a strictly literal approach is not the appropriate method to interpret the early chapters of Genesis. They see Genesis 1–2 as primarily symbolic and/or poetic. On the other hand, young-earth creationists interpret Genesis 1–2 as a literal, historical narrative of God’s creation of the universe. Young-earth creationists question why, if the remainder of Genesis is historical, the first two chapters should be interpreted differently. Old-earth creationists question why, if the Bible employs symbolism in many other books, metaphor cannot be used in Genesis.

Young-earth creationists argue that the scientific data supporting a billions-of-years-old universe is being misinterpreted. They perceive old-earth arguments put forth by naturalistic scientists as primarily serving as a defense for Darwinian evolution. They argue that the dating methods are, at best, flawed and are conducted by naturalistic scientists who are influenced by evolutionary presuppositions.

Scientists may have bias, presuppositions, and agendas. Old Earth creationists consider scientific dating methods to be reasonably accurate and thus acknowledge that the Earth and the universe are indeed old. Additionally, many Old Earth creationists do not support Darwinian evolution.

In the debate between Old Earth and Young Earth perspectives, who is correct? GotQuestions.org, as a ministry, tends to favor the Young Earth viewpoint. We believe that Genesis chapters 1 and 2 should be interpreted literally, and Young Earth creationism aligns with a literal reading of those chapters. However, we do not consider Old Earth creationism to be heretical. We respect the faith and intentions of our fellow believers in Christ who hold different views on this matter. Ultimately, one can adhere to beliefs other than Young Earth creationism and still grasp the fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith.

Our interpretation of the Bible suggests that the Earth is relatively young. On the contrary, secular scientists and proponents of an Old Earth interpretation of Scripture argue that the Earth is very old. Since neither perspective can be definitively proven, we opt for a straightforward/literal understanding of the Bible.