Many assume that “old earth biblical doctrine” was a direct response to Darwinian Evolution.  According to Henry Morris, as he explains in his book “The History of Modern Creationism,” this idea of space, time and matter being around “forever” has been a “core doctrine” of every pagan philosophy of antiquity.  Consequently, it has plagued monotheistic religions all along the way.

This inevitably happens when we begin to feel the need to view the Bible through the lens of our culture instead of viewing our culture through the lens of the Bible.  According to Morris both ancient Israel and the early Christian Church “repeatedly resorted to various allegorical interpretations of Scripture, involving some form of long-stretched-out creation, seeking to combine creationist/redemptionist theology with pagan humanistic philosophy.  Almost inevitably, however, such compromises ended in complete apostasy on the part of the compromisers.”

It is interesting to note that a majority of the founders of modern science (including Isaac Newton) held to a literal biblical chronology.  Even Charles Darwin himself began his career as a biblical creationist.  According to his writings, he then slipped into a form of progressive creation, then to a form of theistic evolution and finally into a totally atheistic/naturalistic mechanism for evolutionism.

Morris also chronicles a brief rebirth of creationism in the early 1900’s.  This resurgence, however, was compromised by an attempt to integrate “modern” science into the biblical record.  The result was the eventual fading of all of these movements and organizations, including: the Religious and Science Association, The Creation Deluge Society, the Evolution Protest Movement and the American Scientific Affiliation.  All of these organizations attempted to compromise the biblical record by accepting old earth doctrine as core to their beliefs.

In contrast, the Institute for Creation Research was founded in 1970 and has steadily grown to its present day influence as a training and research facility that has gained a worldwide audience of students and supporters.  Additionally, many young earth organizations have begun to amass and grow over the past couple of decades including: Answers in Genesis, the Creation Research Society, the Center for Scientific Creation and many others.  Over several decades now, these organizations have stood the scrutinizing test of both the Biblical Theology and scientific communities – and continue to gather a worldwide support and exercise an ever expanding influence in the Church.

You may be saying, “So what?  All that was a long time ago and modern science has shown us much more today about the age of the earth.”  Remember our number one rule?  Let’s start with the Bible and not science.  All that needs to be shown here is what happened historically when a non-literal interpretation of the Bible was embraced to try and make it fit what society was currently donning as the most fashionable paradigm.  Historically, when biblical theology attempted to embrace an old earth doctrine, it led to less than lucrative Kingdom results.

 Other articles in this series:

Is Young Earth Doctrine Important?

Historical Reasons for a Young Earth

Theological Reasons for A Young Earth