A hallmark of Type 1 assumptions (see May 11 post for assumption types) is the conclusion that since God exists, he is responsible for creating everything. Creation is a word widely misconstrued word, especially among Christians. There are many senses in which people use this word. It sometimes refers to the view that God simply created everything rather than the Type 2 perspective that the laws of physics spontaneously generated the universe and everything in it. This view affirms that God, not nature, is responsible for the origin of everything, but says nothing about the age of the universe or how God did it. A second view is that God created everything, and that he also used evolution as the primary way of creating and running the universe. There is a third view about creation that affirms that God made everything in six 24-hour days, and this happened about six to ten thousand years ago. No evolution is involved, according to most who hold this view, because God would not have used evolution and there hasn’t been nearly enough time for evolution to occur anyway. Many who hold this view question Christians who affirm that God created, but see the universe as ancient. The young earth group doubts that old earth fans are orthodox in their view of the Bible and suspect that they are closet evolutionists.
The facts are that if a person believes God created everything, then he or she is technically a creationist regardless of which of the three major views he or she affirms. Genesis 1:1 is pretty clear that in the beginning God created, not the laws of physics. That makes all three views acceptable for Christians, though one view may be more preferable than the others depending on the person. However, Christians shouldn’t attack each other, but engage in a friendly debate over which of the three creationists view is best supported by the Bible.
Young earth creationists are more inclined to accuse the other two views, which hold to an ancient view of the universe, as sloppy in their biblical interpretation at best and heretical at worst without being critical of the shortcomings in their own view. Many young earth creationists likewise have compiled lists of colleges, churches, organizations, and prominent individuals that are to be shunned, marginalized, and even attacked for not holding to their perspective. Somewhere I think Jesus said something about “all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another…that they may all be one…so that the world may believe that You sent Me” John 13:35; 17:23.
Strident young earth creationists often lack love and don’t seem to be interested in unity with other Christians who hold to the authority of the wholly inspired Word of God and hold to the fundamental truths of the faith. By sacrificing unity and appearing unloving to other brothers in Christ to a watching world they give those outside the faith further reason to reject Christ. This is particularly sad because the young earth view is one of several views which do not compromise the integrity of scripture and have been held historically by Christians for centuries.
I am personally an ardent conservative, evangelical Christian who believes the Bible is completely God’s Word, authoritative on everything it speaks, and inerrant in the original manuscripts. I was once a young earth creationist. Years ago I lived in San Diego, and went to the Institute for Creation Research (ICR) many times. I met John Morris, Steve Austin, Duane Gish, and Ken Ham. Years later I also met Gary Parker and John Baumgardner as a part of my work with professors. I have been to ICR’s Back to Genesis conferences, and taught their material in church for many years. I am no longer persuaded by their position, but I am still very much a creationist.
All traditional Christians affirm that God created everything. This is a conviction level belief that it is difficult to reject and still call a person Christian. How old the universe is and how long God took to make everything has varying answers from the biblical data. It is not an open and shut case for young earth creationism any more than it is for the other more ancient views. It just isn’t. Some views may be more preferable to a believer than others (for instance, I do not prefer theistic evolution, but I do prefer a more ancient view of creation). To elevate one’s creation preference to the level of conviction is unwarranted from the biblical data, it is unnecessary, it is divisive, and counterproductive to the overall cause of Christ.