Old Earth Creationism

• The Big Bang (7-20 Ga) points to a creator

• The fine-tuning of the universe and our solar system point to a creator (60 or so parameters identified)

• The days of Genesis 1 are long periods of time (the "day-age" theory)

• Or there is a large time gap between Genesis 1:1 and 1:2 (the "gap" theory)

• Evolution has occurred, but with God's help

  • Theistic evolution - God set evolution in motion
  • Progressive creation - God repeatedly stepped in to move evolution to the next level as needed

• Pre-men hominids existed, God infused a soul at the right time

• Noah's flood was just a local event or a tranquil global flood

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Old Earth creationists accept all of the scientific evidences that indicate an old age for the Earth and the universe. They take the Big Bang as an historical event showing that the universe had a definite beginning and therefore has not existed eternally. This, along with the many fine-tuned parameters of the universe, Solar System, and Earth that are necessary to support life point to the presence of a creator. Some of these parameters are the gravitational coupling constant, the strong nuclear force coupling constant, the velocity of light, etc. See "The Fingerprint of God", Hugh Ross, Chapter 12 for an extensive list. Hugh Ross is a leading progressive creationist and formed the "Reasons to Believe" organization.

Two popular theories concerning the creation days of Genesis are the "day-age" theory (that each "day" represents long ages), and the "gap" theory (that the geological column was formed before the creation week, leaving the Earth ruined and empty, after which God "remade" the Earth in six literal days).

Old Earth creationists believe that evolution has occurred, but only with God's help. He either set it in motion (theistic evolution), or else stepped in repeatedly to move it to the next level whenever it reached a dead-end on its own (progressive creation). Since they believe in the standard evolutionary scenario, they also believe that pre-men "hominids" existed. At some point they were infused with a soul by God to become the Adam and Eve of Genesis. Old Earth creationists do not believe a global flood occurred which scoured the Earth down to its basement rocks. Noah's flood, if it did occur, was either merely a local flood or a widespread tranquil flood (if there can be such a thing!).

Essentially, old Earth creationists have a view of history which is the same as that of secular science. They simply supply God as the answer to the difficult questions of how the universe got here, how was the first life formed, and as a necessary driver of biological evolution.