The age of the Earth is a question that has fascinated humans for centuries. Religious texts like the Bible provide one perspective on the Earth’s age, while scientific research gives us methods like radiometric dating to estimate the age empirically. This article will examine what the Bible says about the age of the Earth and the interpretations of these passages.
The Creation Week
The primary passage used to determine the age of the Earth according to the Bible is the creation account in Genesis 1. This chapter describes God creating the heavens and the Earth over the course of six days:
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth…And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day.” (Genesis 1:1, 3-5)
The passage goes on to describe each subsequent day where God created features of the Earth like the sky, dry land, sun and moon, creatures of the water and air, and finally mankind. At the end of the sixth day after creating man and woman, “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.” (Genesis 1:31).
Following this narrative of the six creation days, the very next verse states: “Thus the heavens and the earth were completed in all their vast array. By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.” (Genesis 2:1-2)
Taken literally, this Genesis account depicts God creating the entire universe in six normal 24-hour days, followed by a day of rest. If we take the six days as regular 24-hour periods, and given that the Bible provides detailed genealogies from Adam to known historical figures, we can derive a maximum age of the Earth using the Bible.
Biblical Genealogies and Chronologies
In addition to the creation week, the other key element for determining the age of the Earth from the Bible is the genealogical information provided from Adam to historical persons and events. Specifically:
- Adam to Seth (Genesis 5)
- Seth to Noah (Genesis 5, 1 Chronicles 1)
- Noah to Abraham (Genesis 11, 1 Chronicles 1)
- Abraham to Israel entering Egypt (Exodus 12)
- Israel entering Egypt to the Exodus (Exodus 12)
- Exodus to the building of Solomon’s temple (1 Kings 6)
- Building of the temple to the Babylonian captivity (2 Chronicles)
- Babylonian captivity to Jesus Christ (Matthew 1)
Scholars have used these biblical genealogies to construct chronologies and calculate age ranges. Two of the most commonly cited are:
- James Ussher – The 17th century Archbishop Ussher calculated creation at 4004 BC, giving an age of about 6000 years up to his day.
- John Lightfoot – Another 17th century scholar, Lightfoot dated creation to 3928 BC, with an age of about 5828 years up to his time.
These calculations were done by meticulously going through the various Old Testament genealogies, adding up lifespans, dates, and chronological references within the accounts. Of course, both Ussher and Lightfoot took the creation week as 6 literal 24-hour days when establishing their timelines.
The “Literal” Young Earth View
The resulting age range of 6000-10,000 years from these biblical calculations represents the most literal, face-value reading of Scripture. This Young Earth Creationist view takes the Genesis account as historical, scientific fact regarding the physical origins and timeline of the universe. Adherents believe the Bible provides an accurate, authoritative account of cosmic and human beginnings.
Proponents of this view point to evidence like:
- The Genesis creation week describes normal days bounded by “evening and morning.”
- Adam and other biblical figures show no signs of primitive origins.
- Genesis portrays Adam as the first man created instantaneously, not through evolution.
- The Bible links sin and death directly to Adam’s disobedience.
- Scripture refers to Adam and Eve as historical people.
- Biblical genealogies with long lifespans tie Adam to known history.
Based on this reasoning, the Young Earth view takes the roughly 6000-year date as the actual, objective age of the Earth according to the biblical timeline. Mainstream science dating the Earth at billions of years is rejected as contradictory to Scripture.
Criticisms
However, some challenge whether Genesis 1 must be taken as scientifically literal. Issues raised against the Young Earth view include:
- “Days” need not always refer to literal 24-hour periods.
- Genesis is describing functional origins, not material specifics.
- Biblical genealogies often skip generations, making the chronology incomplete.
- Creation week conflicts with scientific evidence for an old Earth.
- Death and suffering existed long before human sin.
In light of these criticisms, many search for alternative interpretations that might allow for an older Earth.
Old Earth Creationism
Old Earth Creationism is an umbrella category for biblical interpretations that, while still holding Scripture as authoritative, do not take the six creation days as strictly literal. Hence, they allow for an older Earth that fits geological evidence.
Prominent Old Earth views include:
Day-Age Theory
This view says the “days” in Genesis 1 represent long epochs or ages. God’s creative activities simply took place over long, undefined periods rather than literal 24-hour days. The Genesis account is then seen as accommodating an old Earth without conflict.
Gap Theory
According to gap theory, there was an indefinite span of time between the first two verses of Genesis. This allows for an ancient Earth. The creation week is limited to reordering the chaos after this initial gap, not creating from absolute nothingness.
Literary Framework
This perspective takes the creation week as a literary framework to convey theological truth, not scientific history. It draws parallels between the days to highlight cosmic order and Sabbath rest.
Each of these interpretive schemes provides room for understanding both the biblical text and scientific evidence. But critics say they force Scripture into old Earth frameworks driven by modern science rather than exegesis.
Theistic Evolution
Theistic evolution goes a step further by incorporating mainstream evolutionary science into the Genesis narrative. This accepts the ancient age of the Earth and the biological evolution of life over billions of years, while affirming that God guided the process.
Theistic evolution generally views Adam and Eve as representatives of early humanity chosen by God, not literally the first humans. It contends that biblical genealogies allow room for a symbolic reading.
This view accepts modern geology, paleontology, biology, and archaeology while still seeing God as the ultimate creator. But critics contend it strays too far from biblical orthodoxy in over-accommodating secular science.
Questions and Challenges
Interpreting Genesis and biblical chronologies to determine the age of the Earth is filled with complex debates. Some key questions include:
Are the creation days literal or symbolic?
This is the core issue. Reading the days as literal 24-hour periods limits the Earth’s age to thousands of years. But other definitions allow for an older Earth. How should we understand the creation week?
Do genealogies allow gaps?
Biblical genealogies appear comprehensive but could have missing generations. If so, the chronology derives an incorrect young age. But are there textual clues signaling omitted names, or is this an ad hoc assumption?
Does “yom” (day) require a 24-hour day?
Context indicates the meaning of biblical words. Does yom always signify a normal day, or does it have flexibility depending on usage? How should we interpret yom in Genesis 1?
Does science contradict Scripture?
Most scientists assert an ancient Earth. Do these conclusions represent empirical facts, or biased interpretations? Should science inform our biblical hermeneutic, or should we interpret Scripture independently?
Did animals die before the Fall?
A young Earth requires animal death after Adam’s sin. But the fossil record has carnivorous activity and death long before humans. Does this conflict with Genesis or reflect a fallen creation?
Are genealogies chronological or theological?
Biblical genealogies shape history from Adam forward. But are they theological frameworks or chronological records? Should we read them literally regarding timeframes?
Conclusion
In the end, faithful interpreters and scholars disagree on the exact age of the Earth from Scripture. But all agree on Genesis 1’s fundamental message – that God purposefully made the heavens and Earth, culminating in mankind as His image-bearers and the pinnacle of creation for relationship with Him. Though the Earth’s precise age from the Bible is debated, its theological significance is clear.