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The Bible and geological time: Why does it matter? Suzanne Phillips Loma Linda University

The Bible and geological time: Why does it matter? Suzanne Phillips Loma Linda University. Goals of this talk - summarize:. Bible claims about origins Alternative explanations and their implications Theistic evolution and its implications

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The Bible and geological time: Why does it matter? Suzanne Phillips Loma Linda University

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  1. The Bible and geological time:Why does it matter?Suzanne PhillipsLoma Linda University

  2. Goals of this talk - summarize: • Bible claims about origins • Alternative explanations and their implications • Theistic evolution and its implications • Why it is important for YOU to understand time and what evolution implies

  3. The Bible claim about origins Seven day creation week

  4. The Bible claim about origins Seven day creation week Literal Adam and Eve created

  5. The Bible claim about origins Seven day creation week Literal Adam and Eve created Fall into sin

  6. The Bible claim about origins Seven day creation week Literal Adam and Eve created Fall into sin Global flood

  7. Alternatives Millions or billions Thousands of years of years for life for life on earth on earth Claim of secular science The Bible story Genesis is false No time for evolution Life is from evolution God is creator Humans evolved Humans created

  8. What is the main theme of the Bible?

  9. What is the main theme of the Bible? Sinless creation Fall into sin Redemption Final restoration

  10. Does time . . . . . (millions vs thousands of years) influence that theme? Millions of years Thousands of years No Garden of Eden Garden of Eden No Adam and Eve Adam and Eve No Fall into sin Fall into sin No Satan Satan’s influence No need for redemption Redemption

  11. Does time . . . . . (millions vs thousands of years) influence that theme? Millions of years Thousands of years No Garden of Eden Garden of Eden No Adam and Eve Adam and Eve No Fall into sin Fall into sin No Satan Satan’s influence No need for redemption Redemption

  12. Why do many scientists believe in millions of years? • Evidence - radiometric dating 2. The philosophy, or worldview: Methodological Naturalism They must have enough time for evolution

  13. Why do many scientists believe in millions of years? • Evidence - radiometric dating 2. The philosophy, or worldview: Methodological Naturalism They must have enough time for evolution This worldview REQUIRES billions of years

  14. Why do many scientists believe in millions of years? The alternatives: 1. There must be enough time to evolve life -Or- 2. Accept the literal creation

  15. Why accept the short time scale? • Worldview: Bible history is factual • There is evidence that favors the short time scale

  16. Why accept the short time scale? • Worldview: Bible history is factual • There is evidence that favors the short time scale Bottom line: Creation, fall, and redemption areessential for the biblical worldview

  17. How do we deal with the evidence? Secular worldview: Rely on radiometric time scale Interpret other evidence to match it Biblical worldview: Predicts new geological evidence will favor: A short time since creation Catastrophicgeological action (global flood)

  18. The character of God

  19. A story of two owners A Parable

  20. A story of two dog owners A Parable

  21. What does the parable mean? It’s a parable of two stories about creation

  22. Creates Adam and Eve – the earth is GOOD

  23. Adam and Eve created – the earth is GOOD Adam and Eve sin – then evil, pain and death

  24. Creates Adam and Eve – the earth is GOOD Adam and Eve sin – then evil, pain and death Jesus was tortured and killed to save humans

  25. Creates Adam and Eve – the earth is GOOD Adam and Eve sin – then evil, pain and death Jesus was tortured and killed to save humans Literal creation as in Genesis

  26. God “creates” by allowing life to evolve

  27. God “creates” by allowing life to evolve Evolution = survival of the strongest

  28. God “creates” by allowing life to evolve Evolution = survival of the strongest Pain, suffering, and death – part of God’s plan

  29. God “creates” by allowing life to evolve Evolution = survival of the strongest Pain, suffering, and death – part of God’s plan Theistic evolution

  30. The character of God Literal creation and Adam and Eve: Evil resulted from Satan and our sin God’s character is vindicated.

  31. The character of God Literal creation and Adam and Eve: Evil resulted from Satan and our sin God’s character is vindicated. Theistic evolution: Death and suffering (evil) was part of God’s plan God is responsible for evil

  32. Hypotheses and evidence • Our worldview also makes predictions of what research will discover • General biblical prediction: • Accumulating evidence will favor short time and/or catastrophic processes and biblical accuracy

  33. Hypotheses and evidence • Our worldview makes predictions of what research will discover • General biblical prediction: • Accumulating evidence will favor short time and/or catastrophic processes and biblical accuracy • Does this work? Yes

  34. Hypotheses and evidence EXAMPLES: Archeology - growing support for biblical accuracy Biology – Darwinian theory (random mutations and natural selection) is collapsing Geology – growing evidence that doesn’t fit the long time scale

  35. Why should YOU understand this? YOU already believe what the bible says about creation, the fall, and the flood. Your countries are growing more modern every day. This is influenced heavily by “intellectuals.” ALL modern “intellectuals” are taught to despise religion and creation. If you want to protect the next generation of Seventh-day Adventist Christians, you need to understand the challenges they will face in their modern intellectual education

  36. Conclusions Genesis claims a literal creation and Adam and Eve Literal Adam and Eve and the Fall are the necessary foundation for the story of redemption Literal creation and Fall preserve the character of God Biblical worldview and growing evidence support this story

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