Allows a form of evolution by accepting a gap between gen. I believe that the bible offers many scriptures in support of a gap theory. Edenic judgment of some nature and most gap theories take it to be the judgment of satan. Hirsch how to read a book by mortimer adler and charles van doren hermeneutics. Since there is almost no information on this subject on the web, we built a repository an armory, here, to store it. Jul 03, 2015 after pember, the gap theory made its way into the scofield reference bible first published in 1909 and became entrenched as orthodoxy in fundamentalist circles. One of the most highly esteemed authorities of all was the 20th century bible commentator c. Mar 04, 2015 if you are one of those who have been redeemed and you have family and friends who are not, it is you duty, just like moses to stand in the gap for your family or friends and when the enemy approaches your family or friend he will see the gap and he will say, ah ha, no redemption there, god cannot put his hand of protection on them, im. Dr hutson preached a fascinating bible study series in the 1970s titled. Following this, the standard events of cosmic evolution took place, which eventually produced our solar system about five billion years ago. 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. This study is going to prove that the yec are the very ones who do not take the scriptures literally. Thankfully, theres another explanation that fits what the bible says much better. The only thing i differ on is dinosaurs, i believe they existed before mankind, not during the days of noah.
The modified gap theory or precreation chaos gap theory, which is the proposed gap between genesis 1. Almost all entries are copied materials giving credit to the. Apologetics press is the gap theory linguistically viable. From time to time, we receive questions about various aspects of genesis. The bible, genesis and geology gap theory of creationism. Second, it gives the appearance of profound and deep bible study as it is discovered for the first time the billions of years working ingeniously hidden between two verses of scripture and this remarkable fact is now reveal for all to use in their battle against the ranging forces of evolution. The doctrine of the gap theory, which is taught by some christians, is a form of oldage creationism, also known as gap creationism, ruinreconstruction theory and lucifers flood.
Language gap the bible was written in hebrew, aramaic, and greek. Tielmat, and used as part of the theory that the creation story in genesis came from the. First, the gap theory allowed bible believing christians to affirm what was patently obvious in genesis 1. Arthur custance defended the gap theory in detail in without form and void, 11 and fields wrote unformed and unfilled12 largely to refute. Again, the supposed time period is designed to reconcile the bible s creation account with the modern theories of geology and biology. Proponents of this theory suggest that perhaps satans fall from heaven to earth. The gap theory, on the other hand, teaches that god created the world pe. The gap theory was one of the earlier attempts to reconcile the secular belief in deep time millions of years with the biblical timescale of around 6000 years. Methodical bible study by robert traina interpreting the word of god by samuel schultz and morris inch the literature of the bible by leland ryken validity in interpretation by e. How is the gap theory different from and similar to the ideas of theistic evolution and progressive creation. When i was very young i recall my father telling me about the gap theory, based on his confidence in the scofield reference bible.
Patrick henry for most of the past 2,000 years it was a treasure that millions willingly died for. To formulate rules to bridge this gap is one of the most important tasks of biblical hermeneutics ramm, p. Ive seen some people get really upset emotionally over the gap theory debate. The most serious problem with the gap theory is that it requires sin to have entered the creation before adam. The gap theory, on the other hand, teaches that god created the world perhaps. In fact, several gap models have been proposed over the years for one reasonto add secular ideas of long ages to the bible. The following texts and sermons all deal with one subject matter. Nov 28, 2018 brother needham later made a response to this material in which he confused the gap theory, which he espoused in the article, with the dayage theory. 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 also has the advantage that it allows christians to apparently reconcile the bible with the belief of secular scientists that the earth is extremely old billions of years old. It was on that earth that the prehistoric men and animals were said to have lived.
Time gap because of the extensive time gap between ourselves and the writers and initial readers of the bible, a huge chasm exists. Principles and processes of biblical interpretation by henry a. After all, there are bible verses that indicate that the heavens and earth or various parts of them are old. Scofield included it in the footnotes of the scofield reference bible in 1909. The bible specifically says god created darkness isa 45. The link between evolution and the gap theory is found in the theorys. Perhaps the one who stoked that fire with the most zeal was robert g. History of the gap theory an exploration into the gap theory.
The gap theory is an example of the wrong way to look at issues of the bible and science. 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. The definitive, classic study on the whole subject of how do we understand early. We can make our own picture of god with our own ideas, but the truth is seen as he has shown us in his word.
We should add that there is no etymological support for tohu or bohu. The bible should be the source that we use to interpret the scientific data, not vice versa. Since there is almost no information on this subject on the web, we built a repositoryan armory, here, to store it. One popular interpretation of genesis 1 shoehorns a millionsofyears gap between verses 1 and. 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. The bible is no mere book, but it is a living creature, with a power that conquers all that oppose it. The four 4 bible creations according to the holy bible, there are four distinct creation events two were in the past and two will happen in the future. Nov 01, 2008 chuck missler discusses the gap theory. The gap theory, or the ruin and reconstruction theory, states that genesis 1. The ancient earth and the angels an introduction to the ancient earths first inhabitants, the sons of. 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. Koinonia institute is an online bible institute with a focus on versebyverse study where serious christians can grow in knowledge, understanding, awareness and commitment.
The gap theory had a great appeal for earlier fundamentalists. Regardless of where the time interval is placed, the gap theory. First, and it is a way of dealing with the major problems associated with the evolutionary scenario the allege antiquity of the earth, the geologic column, fossils, dinosaurs, caveman, etc. One of the popular devices for trying to accommodate the evolutionary ages of the geologists and astronomers in the creation record of the bible has been the gap theory also called the ruinandreconstruction theory.
Its popularity has decreased in recent years but it is still widely taught in some bible believing schools. There is an abundance of biblical evidences that the gap is not a theory, but a fact. But still later, very late in his life, he studied the overwhelming scientific evidence for a very ancient earth and a still more ancient universe. The bible is worth all the other books which have ever been printed.
I have attempted to define it clearly and then refute it. Pdf a linguistic and theological assessment of the gap theory. Essentially, precreation chaos gap theorists do not see. Gap theory because it proposes a gap in the narrative of scripture between the first and second verses of the first chapter of genesis. Complete genesis study guide growing christians ministries. Without giving an exhaustive analysis of these verses, it suffices to say.
A study of creation and paradise bible commentaries. 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. May 05, 2004 the gap theory exists for the purpose of allowing the geologic ages as proposed by the assemblage of the geologic column. A critique of the precreation chaos gap theory digitalcommons. Study guide for isaiah by chuck smith blue letter bible. The conclusion is the gap theory does not have the support of the hebrew scholars.
Unfortunately for this theory, geologists have been unable to find a match between the geologic evidence and the creations of each of the 6day periods. Following this, the standard events of cosmic evolution took place, which eventually. In other publications it has been been shown that bill cavender and connie w. Of particular importance to the present study is the gap theory which. Arthur custance defended the gap theory in detail in without form. Why the gap theory wont work the institute for creation. The gap theory appeals to bible believing christians for two reasons. T he gap or ruinreconstruction theory aims to fit the alleged millions of years of earth and universe history into a postulated gap between the first and second verses of genesis chapter one. This site was designed especially for seasoned hebrews 5. Second, it gives the appearance of profound and deep bible study as it is. The gap theory did not arise merely from a study of scripture, it arose to solve the. In addition to the age of the earth, the gap theory presents possible solutions to other incompatibilities between scientific theory and the bible record. Much to the gap theorists chagrin this pertinent fact places it under the scope of gen 1.
Apr 02, 2019 although proponents of the gap theory deny the concept of an evolutionary process, they do believe the earth is much older than the 6,000 or so years accounted for in the scriptures. It is the belief that an unknown period of time usually billions of years existed between the first two verses of the bible genesis 1. In summary, the gap theory is not supported by the meaning of the hebrew words. Those geologists who believe in the veracity of this column as to its testimony of earth and life development do not believe in or allow for a worldwide catastrophic causation for the formations therein. It was not until the rise of the floodbased, sixday creationism of henry morris in the 1960s that the gap theory was dislodged. What the gap theorists neglect to mention in this context is darkness is a result of creation as well. This theory asserts that there is a tremendous time gap allowed for between genesis 1. The geological ages of science can be fitted in to agree with earths. Published by bible used with permission genesis a study of creation and paradise the book. The gap is not a theory section one introduction in the beginning gen. The genesis gap of creationism revisited this resource is comprehensive from the biblical perspective, on the subject of an earth created by god that predates the one that was later created to be adams domain. Since anyone with common sense and an english bible would find it difficult to accept gap theory from the genesis account alone, gap theorists often transfer the debate to the mysterious world of hebrew linguistics.
Later he taught that genesis 12 describes a recent creation event. This position holds that a gap of thousands or even millions of years took place between genesis 1. Bible study mp3 bible 10 commandments learn bible in 24 hours 40 spiritual lessons alpha foundations bible commentaries book of mormon temple study red letters divine healing training god story gap theory creation to christ book of john kids bible cartoons derek prince teaching jesus film digital bible. The name genesis is the greek word used in the septuagint for the first book of the pentateuch. Adams also advocated the gap theory in an effort to harmonize the apparent conflict between the bible and science. This study will prove conclusively that moses did not make the blunder of either stating or inferring the earth is only 6000 years old. What gap theory teaches the gap theory teaches that an enormous period of time passed between the events described in the first verse of genesis and those described in the second verse. After pember, the gap theory made its way into the scofield reference bible first published in 1909 and became entrenched as orthodoxy in fundamentalist circles. Feb 18, 2021 the gap theory, which is distinct from theistic evolution and the dayage theory, is also called oldearth creationism, gap creationism, and the ruinreconstruction theory. The gap theory arose when modern science began to argue for an ancient earth and universe. He was the first scholar to fill his annotated study bible with a running commentary on every page and he became known as the first serious advocate for what was called the gap theory. This brief overview shows that the gap theory is not biblical. The following article defends those who believe in the gap theory. The face of the earth bears everywhere the marks of such a catastrophe.
It was an attempt to harmonize the lengthy time periods, or ages, with genesis. One that comes up frequently is the gap theory which asserts that there was an enormous gap of time between genesis 1. The gap theory overview and history of the genesis gap doctrine ruinreconstruction interpretation of oldearth creationism. This theory did not arise from contemplation of scripture, but was an attempt to.
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