Answers To Common Questions About Creation By Driscoll
BAYLOR SEMINARY
THE DRISCOLL ESSAY:
INTERPRETATIONS OF THE CREATION ACCOUNT
AN ESSAY SUBMITTED TO
DR. BOBBY GENTO FOR THE REQUIREMENTS OF
OLD TESTAMENT ORIENTATION 591
FOR THE COMPLETION OF A MASTERS DEGREE
IN MARKETPLACE CHAPLAINCY
by
Janis Betts
Lynchburg, Virginia
May 18, 2011 Introduction
Pastor Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church in Seattle, Washington, composed a comprehensive and succinct essay titled “Answers to Common Questions about Creation” that puts forth many principles surrounding the age-old question of Creation. He presents several different theories regarding Creationism that allows Christians the opportunity to form their own opinions about how the world came to be. Faced with modern day science …show more content…
Driscoll tells us that the word re’shit in Hebrew means “beginning” which literally means a starting point from which all things follow -- without giving a timeframe. I like the idea that God set the groundwork for creation during an unspecified period of time, perhaps billions of years, and when he was ready, took six days to separate light and darkness, sky and waters, dry land and waters, then created plants and trees, the lights in the heavens, fish and birds, animals, and ultimately mankind.
Historic Creationism correlates with my view as a Christian that the Bible is a poetic and historically accurate accounting of how we as humans came to be in this awe- inspiring world while holding to the scientific probability that the earth is billions of years old. Philosophers, theologians and lay people have forever debated creation, and I for one, believe there is room for more than one opinion. No one will know for sure until the day Jesus returns to shed his divine light on all his believers. Only then will the mystery of creation be …show more content…
Scientists estimate that the age of the earth is 4.54 billion years old. I can reconcile this “fact” with what Driscoll writes, that “the period of the earth is not of great concern in the Bible.” And I find it interesting that none of the writers or figures in the Bible refer to the age of the earth, but all are in agreement regarding a Divine Creation.
This question has been up for debate for centuries. There is evidence for many viewpoints and should not be a acrimonious principle with the realm of Christianity. Let’s refer back to the Hebrew term re-shit which does not refer to a specific length of time, but only a starting point. This allows for a student of religious studies/Christianity to merge science and faith without questioning the Scriptures.
In conclusion, the information put forth in Genesis 1 – 11 does not differentiate a specific era, period or age. The Bible is most notably a historical recollection of mankind, written by mankind, who were literally placed on earth by God to do His will.
The Issue of
THE DRISCOLL ESSAY:
INTERPRETATIONS OF THE CREATION ACCOUNT
AN ESSAY SUBMITTED TO
DR. BOBBY GENTO FOR THE REQUIREMENTS OF
OLD TESTAMENT ORIENTATION 591
FOR THE COMPLETION OF A MASTERS DEGREE
IN MARKETPLACE CHAPLAINCY
by
Janis Betts
Lynchburg, Virginia
May 18, 2011 Introduction
Pastor Mark Driscoll of Mars Hill Church in Seattle, Washington, composed a comprehensive and succinct essay titled “Answers to Common Questions about Creation” that puts forth many principles surrounding the age-old question of Creation. He presents several different theories regarding Creationism that allows Christians the opportunity to form their own opinions about how the world came to be. Faced with modern day science …show more content…
Driscoll tells us that the word re’shit in Hebrew means “beginning” which literally means a starting point from which all things follow -- without giving a timeframe. I like the idea that God set the groundwork for creation during an unspecified period of time, perhaps billions of years, and when he was ready, took six days to separate light and darkness, sky and waters, dry land and waters, then created plants and trees, the lights in the heavens, fish and birds, animals, and ultimately mankind.
Historic Creationism correlates with my view as a Christian that the Bible is a poetic and historically accurate accounting of how we as humans came to be in this awe- inspiring world while holding to the scientific probability that the earth is billions of years old. Philosophers, theologians and lay people have forever debated creation, and I for one, believe there is room for more than one opinion. No one will know for sure until the day Jesus returns to shed his divine light on all his believers. Only then will the mystery of creation be …show more content…
Scientists estimate that the age of the earth is 4.54 billion years old. I can reconcile this “fact” with what Driscoll writes, that “the period of the earth is not of great concern in the Bible.” And I find it interesting that none of the writers or figures in the Bible refer to the age of the earth, but all are in agreement regarding a Divine Creation.
This question has been up for debate for centuries. There is evidence for many viewpoints and should not be a acrimonious principle with the realm of Christianity. Let’s refer back to the Hebrew term re-shit which does not refer to a specific length of time, but only a starting point. This allows for a student of religious studies/Christianity to merge science and faith without questioning the Scriptures.
In conclusion, the information put forth in Genesis 1 – 11 does not differentiate a specific era, period or age. The Bible is most notably a historical recollection of mankind, written by mankind, who were literally placed on earth by God to do His will.
The Issue of