Other Creation Models
All of the four models interpret the first two verses from the Bible as meaning that there was a “long period of time” between the creation of the Earth and the rest of the Universe. Although the Bible says that “To God, a thousand years are like a day and a day is like a thousand years”, it is perhaps hard to understand why such a long time would pass before the pinnacle of creation, that is mankind, arrived.
Historic CreationismOld Earth 6 literal days for rest of creation Mankind is young The Earth was created first and is older than the rest of creation. Genesis 1:1–2: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.” |
Gap TheoryOld Earth 6 literal days for rest of creation Mankind is young The Earth was created first and is older than the rest of creation. There was an original human race but then a disaster struck Earth, maybe when Satan and the other angels fell to Earth, mankind was destroyed. Long gap (billions of years) between Gen 1:1 and 1:2. Then God re-created the Earth as per the rest of Genesis chapter 1 and a new human race descended from Adam and Eve. |
Literary Framework ViewOld Earth 6 “days” of creation are not literal Description is poetic – actual order of creation was different Mankind is young Genesis 1 and 2 does include some poetic style, but professors of Hebrew disagree with this interpretation. |
Day Age ViewOld Earth 6 “days” of creation are not literal, but long periods of time Mankind is young Progressive creation – death and suffering before the Fall Days 1–3, millions of years Days 4–6, God created animals and humans |
Two of these models on the right state that the 6 “days” of creation weren’t literal days, however, scholars of Hebrew agree that the Bible does refer to six literal days . In addition to the six creation models: Young Earth Creationism, Theistic Evolution and the four above, there is Atheistic Evolution.