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[Moon Watcher]

That's all: how old is the Earth?

[jimwalton]

I accept the scientific data that the earth is 4.5 billion years old. I also accept the Genesis account, but not the way fundamentalists traditionally do. A plausible theory about Genesis 1 & 2 is that they are about how God ordered creation (functions and roles) rather than about material creation (how they came to be). This perspective still believes God is the creator, but that Genesis 1 & 2 are not the narrative of material creation. Instead, Gn. 1-2 tell us why we are here, what our role and function are for being here. This theory is based on a literal reading of Scripture, what science tells us about the age of the Earth, and all that archaeology has shown us about the ancient world. It allows science to be all that it can discover, wherever truth is found, but only the Bible can tell us the purpose behind it all, something science can't answer.

The Bible doesn't say the earth is 6,000 years old. That was the errant math of a guy who tried to figure it out by adding up the genealogies, but we know now that the genealogies are telescoped: they never intended to include every generation. (Actually, this was easily figure-out-able before, so it was just shoddy scholarship.)

The scientists say the earth is 4.54 billion years old. I have no reason to doubt that number until some new evidence or information presents itself.