According to evolutionary scientists, the earth is over 4 billion years old; but Biblical chronology dates the age of the earth at about 6,000 years. In an attempt to reconcile the two extreme positions, many creation scientists have used 2 Peter 3:8 to state that the six days mentioned in the Genesis account were not literal 24-hour days. However, if we used the “a day is as a thousand years” formula, we would have the six days of creation plus the day of rest equaling 7,000 years, at most. Hardly a good reconciliation with 4 billion years. So, how old is the earth?
From the beginning, the Jewish sages and the early church fathers interpreted the word “day” in the Genesis creation account as a literal 24-hour period, presenting a young earth. Scientists were in agreement with the young earth view until the early 19th century. Even the first edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica, published in 1771, stated that the creation of the earth occurred 4007 years before the birth of Jesus.1
In 1785, James Hutton, the father of geology, introduced the old earth theory with the concept of uniformitarianism, which is the theory that geologic processes we see today are those that have always been. This was contrary to the prevalent concept of catastrophism, which states that only great disasters – such as Noah’s flood – can modify the earth’s surface. Although Hutton introduced his theory in the late 18th century, it wasn’t until Sir Charles Lyell popularized it in 1830 with the publication of Principles of Geology. The rest is evolutionary history.
But are we to believe that centuries of Biblical scholars and scientists have been wrong about the age of the earth? The body of Scripture supports the literal six-day creation. Mark 10:6 states that God made man and woman at the beginning of creation, not millions of years later. Also, the curse of death didn’t enter the earth until after Adam sinned, so there couldn’t have been millions of years of fossilized death prior to the creation of man. Neither did God place death into the creation He called good.
Recent scientific discoveries are even placing doubts on the old-earth theory. The 4 billion year age of earth is based on radioactive dating, which uses the decay rates of radioactive materials, assumed to be constant, to assess age. However, in 2009, scientists discovered that the decay rates are not constant, but are affected by seasons and solar activity.2 Additionally, in two similar experiments, scientists took lava samples from known volcanic eruptions from Mount Ngauruhoe in New Zealand3 and Mount St. Helens4 in Washington state and had them analyzed using radioactive dating. In both instances, the rocks were aged in the millions of years, not the actual age of 25-50 years.
So, how old is the earth? It seems Scripture is once again more reliable than some science.
Full article - see online article for sources.
I’m still waiting for evolutionists to provide a good explanation for polystrate fossilised trees that doesn’t rely on handwaving and question-begging.
Why shouldn't the rocks be dated at millions (or billions) of years old? The magma was melted under the surface of the Earth for that long; the only thing "new" about those rocks is that now they are solid and exposed to air for the first time. The material they are made of is as old as the Earth.
It seems Scripture is once again more reliable than some science. >>
A 6000 year old earth only makes sense if you are a Biblical inerrantist—which is to say, wilfully and utterly ignorant of science and the laws of physics. It is also a clinging to protestantist religious bigotry because if the earth is NOT 6000 years old maybe them Cath-o-licks have the right idea after all (since they accept evolution, having learned their lesson from the Gallileo fiasco).
God does not lie. For the Bible to be literally true He would have had to create massive false evidence of a 13.8 billion year old universe, including falsely planted fossils of every variety and light from stars created in situ only a few hundred light years from our solar system so that they can arrive “just in time”.
God does not lie; he is, however, the original poet. And the Biblical image of creation is high, indeed the highest, poetry. But literally true? Only if Pi can equal precisely three (which the Bible claims).
Time is relative. If you were standing at the point of the big bang (where God would have been) The entire Universe would be, about six days old. I’m relying on a physicists calculations here, but that’s what several have come up with. People think just speed effects time, it is also mass.
So if I take a piece of rock, melt it, and let it re-solidify it will then be "brand new" rock - having just been "created".