Re: Historical context (was craters)
David Campbell (bivalve@mailserv0.isis.unc.edu)
Tue, 16 Mar 1999 12:34:24 -0400
Again, the interpretation of the "days" of Gen. 1 has varied among those
considering only the text and not the physical evidence. The point that 24
hour days are unlikely before the existence of the sun goes back at least
to Origen, writing in the 3rd century AD. (Origen is not necessarily sound
in his exegesis, but he was certainly not influenced by Copernicus, Hutton,
or Darwin.)
The same point is made in The Fundamentals, from which the term
"fundamentalist" is generally derived. Tuomey (1848, Report on the Geology
of South Carolina) enumerates several options for reconciling the great
length of time represented by the geologic record with the account in
Genesis, under the heading "Consistency of Modern Geology with the Mosaic
account of the Creation". Flood geology is mentioned as not being among
the viable options.
David C.