Creation Science Book Review
Is the Big Bang Biblical?
Question #39. Do Science and the Bible Conflict?
Review by Greg Neyman
© Old Earth Ministries
Review Published April 2006
This question starts the section that Morris titled "Creation Questions." Some people claim that the Bible and science are in conflict...therefore the Bible must be wrong. I do not believe this to be the case. Morris, in his explanation for this question, gives several examples. His first is that the big bang conflicts with Genesis 1:1. However, many Christians see the big bang within Genesis 1:1, and see no conflict. I am one of those Christians, as is Dr. Hugh Ross of Reasons to Believe. Next he mentions that the order of creation in Genesis is contrary to the order of events from evolution. This is not true, and shows that Morris does not understand the old earth creationist interpretation of the creation. For more on this topic, see Evolution vs. Creation: Order of Events.
I mostly agree with the basics that Morris is discussing...that both evolution and creation rely on "unobserved" events. I disagree with one point...astronomers, when they are viewing the stars, are looking at the past, in some cases they are observing light from as much as 13 billion years ago, and they are observing historic events.
The next point of contention is that scientists "often operate from a strictly naturalistic perspective," excluding the supernatural. Old earth creationist scientists do not have this problem, and yet they reach an old earth conclusion.
Morris claims that scientific opinion changes. This is true, and it is the beauty of the scientific system. However, he then makes a false claim. He states, "the standard big bang fizzles more and more with each new discovery." In the past 50 years, the big bang has gotten stronger and stronger. Each new discovery does not cause scientists to doubt the big bang. These new discoveries may occasionally cause the big bang theory to be slightly modified, but in each case, the theory becomes stronger as a whole. Of course, young earth creationists like Morris cannot point out that the big bang is getting better...that's not the message their readers want to hear. Therefore, they throw out accusations about periphery issues, and ignore the overall fact that the theory has been strengthened.
Morris contrasts this with the fact that Scripture does not change. I agree, however, our interpretations of Scripture can change. This is why so many are now becoming old earth creationists, as they realize that you can believe in an inerrant, literal creation, and an old earth. Praise God that we are each able to interpret the Word, and that many are coming to the Bible with an old earth belief.
Morris gives an excellent example of the young earth mind, this time from the words of Larry Vardiman. In summary, he says that although some issues may not have an answer, they will eventually be resolved....even if it is not in our lifetime. By this principle, the young earth believer may ignore whatever evidence is contrary to a young earth (in the case of science, he ignores 100 percent of the evidence.) This is a wonderful cop-out that the young earth creationist heavily relies upon.
Morris says "this is a wonderful time to be a Bible-believing Christian/creationist." As a Bible-believing Christian/creationist, I agree! However, one need not define the term Bible-believing Christian/creationist as strictly a young earth creationist. There are millions of us old earth believers who also fit this description.
Jumping into his conclusion, he continues this rhetoric, saying that his "semi-creationist" brothers should join him (i.e. become young earth) and try to solve the remaining conflicts between science and the Bible. We old earth creationists have already solved these conflicts! It is Morris that should join us, not the other way around. We fully accept both science and the Bible...an old earth is the solution.
If you are not a Christian, and you have been holding out on making a decision for Christ because the Church always preached a message that was contrary to what you saw in the scientific world, then rest assured that the Bible is the inerrant Word of God, and you can believe in Christ and receive salvation, while still believing in an old earth. Click here for more.
Are you a Christian who believes in young earth creationism? Now that we have shown the many difficulties of the young earth creation science model in this and many other articles, how does this impact your Christian life? If you are a young earth creationism believer, click here.
Is the Big Bang Biblical Book Review Home
Section 3 - Creation Questions
Q39 - Science/Bible Conflict
Q43 - Creation / Evolution Debate
(23 Questions)
Section 2 - Biology (15 Questions)
Section 4 - Geology, The Flood, The Young Earth (16)
Section 5 - Physical Science (10 Questions)
Section 6 - Impact on Society (20 Questions)
Section 7 - Personal Application (11 Questions)
To learn more
about old earth creationism, see
Old Earth Belief,
or check out the article
Can You Be A
Christian and Believe in an Old Earth?
Feel free to check out more of this website. Our goal is to
provide rebuttals to the bad science behind young earth creationism,
and honor God by properly presenting His creation.