Langford first contemplated in the fall of 1952 more extensive notes were gathered in the 1970s expanded the material in 2010 section one an examination of the first chapter of genesis answering the question is the initial creation of the heavens and earth, as described in genesis 1. Thomas chalmers of edinburgh university first proposed what has since become known as the gap theory of genesis 1. What has been called the gap theory was a popular and consistent explanation of the first chapter of genesis among fundamental, evangelistic christians up through the mid1900s. Proponents of the gap theory also postulate that a cataclysmic judgment was pronounced upon the earth. The gap theory has also been called the restitution hypothesis, meaning that the creation narrative in genesis is not about the original creation, but about the restitution of a fallen creation. Oct 18, 2018 gap creationism also known as the creeationism, 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 l. He also shows the various beliefs about this theory, and. 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 theoryalso called the ruinandreconstruction theory. The gap theory postulates that an indefinite span of time exists between genesis 1.
Gap creationism also known as the creeationism, 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 l. When you put a magnifying glass on the conjunction in genesis 1. First of all, the gap theory forces millions of years into the gap between genesis 1. The gap theory is another attempt to place a large, indeterminate amount of time into the book of genesis, in an effort to compromise scripture with evolutionary long ages.
In the beginnings is a defense of the biblical gap theory of creation. It was an attempt to harmonize the lengthy time periods, or ages, with genesis. It was during this period that scientists were beginning to teach that the earth was billions of years in age. The gap theory refuted he who has ears let him hear. Aug 06, 2010 the gaptheory affirms that the things created by god spoken of in the first chapter of the book of genesis are things which were remade or reconstructed by god, and therefore we should no longer speak of a creation but of a recreation or reconstruction.
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. This theory asserts that there is a tremendous time gap allowed for between genesis 1. The gap theory maintains that the genesis creation account is inerrant in matters of scientific fact, and gap creationists assert that there is a gap of time in the biblical account that lasted an unknown number of years between a first creation in genesis 1. Following this, the standard events of cosmic evolution took. As a response to the scientific community, chalmers theorized a gap in time between genesis 1. The truth is that genesis is the book of beginnings, with god the originator of all things. All chalmers basically states concerning the gap theory in these writings is.
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. 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. This theory is called the gap theory, or the genesis gap theory because of the huge gap it places in between genesis 1. The detailed history of creation in the first chapter of genesis begins at the middle of the second verse. In 1814, as a response to scientists who were beginning to teach that the earth was billions of years in age, chalmers theorized a gap in time between genesis 1. The history of the genesis gap theory interpretation and. Some believe that dinosaurs existed on earth during this time. This time span is usually considered to be quite large millions of years and is also reputed to encompass the socalled geologic ages. Is there a gap between the first and second verse of genesis. This theory, once popular in the late 19th and early to mid 20th centuries, has been rejected by many modernday creationists as being without biblical or scientific support. The gap theory arose when modern science began to argue for an ancient earth and universe.
Dec 18, 2016 this theory is called the gap theory, or the genesis gap theory because of the huge gap it places in between genesis 1. But the immediate context and subsequent scriptural allusions to genesis 1 make clear that the initial creation of the heavens and the earth gen. As this new gap theory began to be accepted by the church in the early 1800s, the majority of christians offered little resistance. Now let me give you my view on the gap theory, for what it is worth. His conclusion that this theory is not a reasonable compromise with modern evolutionary theory, but a dangerous diversion from biblical truth helps readers who struggle with the question of the time taken during the. Addressing the gap theory of creation reading genesis. Second, because the gap theory wants to take the six days of creation literally, it necessarily places genesis 1. Jan 02, 2020 the gap theory, which is distinct from theistic evolution and the dayage theory, is also called oldearth creationism, gap creationism, and the ruinreconstruction theory. So i went through a number of scriptures to show why the gap theory is untenable. The gap theory did not arise merely from a study of scripture, it arose to solve the problem of the bible and time. Some believe that angels existed on earth during this period. The gap is said to have involved great eons of time. Among other things, it attempts to deal with the creation of the angels, the fall of lucifer, and related topics.
This, in turn, prompts the question of the meaning of the term literal wordforword accuracy. How did the writers of these commentaries view genesis 111 as a whole, and genesis 1. The gap theory, which is distinct from theistic evolution and the dayage theory, is also called oldearth creationism, gap creationism, and the ruinreconstruction theory. It is a theological teaching that was espoused by the early church and even the fundamental protestant faith in the years before darwins theory of evolution was even published, at. Jul 03, 2015 second, because the gap theory wants to take the six days of creation literally, it necessarily places genesis 1. 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. The gap theory, rather than being the best of both worlds, is the worst of both worlds again, in my opinion. The socalled gap theory is a conjecture about a possible interval between the first two verses in genesis 1. An entire generation was fed this theory through the scofield reference bible. An examination of the first chapter of genesis by jack w.
But somehow, either god, or satan destroyed everything, and it became dark and. In fact, several gap models have been proposed over the years for one. The gap theory invites confusion about human origins. The genesis gap doctrine, commonly called the gap theory or ruinreconstruction interpretation of genesis, is not a modernday interpretation of the holy bible. The gap theory overview and history of the genesis gap doctrine ruinreconstruction interpretation of oldearth creationism. In this case, a large span of time is believed to occur in between the first two verses of genesis 1. Feb 05, 2016 missionary evangelist robert breaker talks about the gap theory, being careful to explain what it is, and where it is found in the bible. Astronomical proof for the gap theory biblical geology.
This fact alone should make the entire theory suspect. So we should not pander to a wholly materialistic explanation of things by trying to fit it into the bible and coming up with ideas like the gap theory. In fact, several gap models have been proposed over the years for one reasonto add secular ideas of long ages to the bible. Missionary evangelist robert breaker talks about the gap theory, being careful to explain what it is, and where it is found in the bible. The gap theory, at its core, is an effort to insert a huge amount of time between genesis 1. This is when god created both the stars and the earth that we live on. Research western bible commentaries, written before the 18th century. Or, as expressed by weston fields, it was in 1814 that dr. The gap theory model of creation in light of its experienced and critical opponents, by daniel g. In this book, fields makes a detailed study of the gap theory, paying particular attention to the hebrew of genesis.
According to the ggt, everything was created instantly whole, complete, and perfect in genesis 1. For more detailed accounts of what the gap theory entails, and the many good biblical objections to. According to the genesis gap theory, there are millions, or even billions of years lapse between genesis 1. The gaptheory affirms that the things created by god spoken of in the first chapter of the book of genesis are things which were remade or reconstructed by god, and therefore we should no longer speak of a creation but of a recreation or reconstruction. A complete look at the preadamic creation kindle edition by lowrance, james m download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Gap theory argues the verse says, became waste the second problem with the gap theory is that theorists argue that both isaiah 45. The ancient earth and the angels an introduction to the ancient earths first inhabitants, the sons of god. After a meeting in coventry, england, during which i had criticized the gap theory, two ladies approached me at my book table. The logic of the gap theory goes something like this. A complete look at the preadamic creation kindle edition by lowrance, james m download it once. In an effort to blend both beliefs, some theologians invented the gap theory which allowed millions of years to be placed between genesis 1. The modified gap theory or precreation chaos gap theory, which is the proposed gap between genesis 1. What is the main reason people adhere to positions such as the gap theory. By some the proposed gap is used to accommodate the alleged vast ages of cosmic, geological, and biological evolution, and has certain similarities with the theory that views the days of genesis 1, not as literal days representing but one complete rotation of the earth upon its axis, but as entire epochs, during which the earth was subject to.