LIBERTY BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

REFLECTIONS ON MARK DRISCOLLS ARTICLE ANSWERS TO COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT CREATION

AN ESSAY SUBMITTED TO DR. STEVEN GUEST IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE COURSE OLD TESTAMENT ORIENTATION I OBST 591

BY JERRY S. WALTERS MOULTRIE, GEORGIA JULY 3, 2011

Mark Driscoll is the pastor of Mars Hill Church in Seattle, Washington. Mars Hill is a growing, multi-campus church in one of the most unchurched cities in America. The church has a goal of making disciples and planting churches. To that end, they strive to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, train leaders, plant churches, and work to establish a biblical legacy.1 Driscoll does not shy away from heavy teaching. This is evident in his article Answers to Common Questions about Creation, published on the Resurgence website.2 In this article, Driscoll discusses different views of creation, theories of the age of the universe, ideas related to evolution, and the possibility of these things being reconciled with what is recorded in the Bible. As non-Christians sometimes put forth questions about creation in their objections to Christianity, it is important to have thought through the views on creation. The following are my reflections on Driscolls article in light of the Bible. I believe that God created the entire universe in six literal, twenty-four hour days. This view is the most logical and faithful to the biblical text. Chapter 1 of Genesis speaks of six literal days, being as precise as saying there was evening and there was morning, on each day of creation. Also, Exodus 20:11 also speak of a literal six day period of creation. I acknowledge that the Hebrew word reshiyth as used in Genesis 1:1 can refer to a beginning as an indefinite period of time as historic creationism holds, but I see troubles with that view and hold to a young earth creationist view. The verses that follow Genesis 1:1 speak of the creation of day and night (1:5), the oceans and land (9-10), the heavens (8), vegetation (11-12), the sun and moon (16-18), living creatures (20-22), other creatures and man (25-27), all in six literal days. Referring to the earth

1 2

See About Mars Hill Church online at http://www.marshillchurch.org/about (Accessed July 2, 2011).

Mark Driscoll, Answers to Common Questions about Creation, from The Resurgence. Online at http://theresurgence.com/2006/07/03/answers-to-common-questions-about-creation (Accessed July 2, 2011).

being without form and void in Genesis 1:2, Driscoll says, but rather the earth was not yet in a state that could accommodate human life.3 Later, Driscoll speaks of dinosaurs and says Those who hold an old earth position generally believe that the dinosaurs lived and became extinct before Adam was ever born.4 I agree that before the six days beginning in verse 2, the earth would have been uninhabitable for humans, but it would have been the same for dinosaurs. It is after speaking of the earth being without form and void that Genesis tells us about the creation of vegetation and other animals that the dinosaurs could eat. Verse 21 speaks of the creation of every living creature that moves, which should include the dinosaurs. It appears that God created man, plant life, and other animals in an advanced state so that they could immediately go forth and multiply. There is no reason that God could not have spoke into existence a world that was advanced enough to support life two days later.5 Most of the information in Driscolls article I was already familiar with, although I had never heard of Historic Creationism. This is an intelligent view that is hard to refute, but I still could not see past some things. I understand the young earth view has challenges too. The best function this document will serve is a concise reference for information on creation. The main thing that stands out about Genesis 1-3, as opposed to other biblical narratives, is the existence of several supernatural events such as Gods creative acts, his walking and talking with Adam and Eve in the garden, and the talking serpent. There is nothing to suggest that these passages are doing anything but reporting on what actually happened. The existence of a miraculous event in a narrative should not discredit it. Although it is a unique one, Genesis 1-3 is a historical narrative of creation.
3 4 5

Ibid., Point # 5 of section titled Why does the earth appear so old? Ibid., section titled What about dinosaurs.

This theory is called the ideal-time theory and is discussed in Millard J. Erickson, Christian Theology, 2nd ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 1998), 406.

The telling of the days of creation appears to be actual 24-hour days. The author is very specific by providing details like evening and morning. While it is true that the Hebrew word for day, yom can refer to an indefinite period of time, when it is modified by a number, such as six days or the third day (as it is 359 times in the Old Testament outside of Genesis 1), it always means a literal day.6 Also, the promises of God and consequences of the Fall recorded in Chapter 3 all happened as recorded and accurately describe the situation we live in now. The young earth view seems to be the most in line with biblical data. Just as God apparently created Adam as a full-grown man, he could have done the same thing with Earth. Erickson criticizes the ideal-time theory saying that it makes God an apparent deceiver, which is contrary to Gods nature.7 I acknowledge that scientific evidence shows an apparent old earth, however we also have to admit that scientific theories have often changed throughout history, and it is changing at a quicker pace as technology increases. One-hundred years from now, if Jesus still has not returned, there will likely be a totally new theory on the origin of the universe. While I believe in a new earth, I am not dogmatic about it. I agree with Driscoll that the age of the earth is simply not stated in the Bible and it may be young or old.8 I find nothing in the Bible that suggests God created the universe through an evolutionary process. The Bible says that God created all things, apparently in a short period of time. If God had used evolution, it would indicate that the Bible was deceptive. It seems that the theistic evolution theories are mans attempts to use our finite minds to grasp infinitely hard-to-grasp ideas. As the creation account in Genesis 1 shows, God was directly involved in the creation of the animals and plants, not just humans. He spoke all things into existence. Driscoll correctly
John Morris, The Young Earth: The Real History of the Earth Past, Present, and Future (Green Forrest, AR: Master Books, 2007), 27.
7 8 6

Erickson, 407. Driscoll, section titled How old is the Earth?

shows that the biblical problems with theistic evolution are many. He points out that creation was a response to Gods commands, not a detached process. He shows that the Genesis account says that each species had offspring according to its kind, not that one animal evolved from another. Finally, he points out that Scripture shows a God who is continually involved in keeping his creation going.9 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them (Matthew 6:26). The debate goes on about the how God worked in order to create the universe. It will likely go on until Christ returns. While I hold to the view that God created everything in six literal days, I see no need to break fellowship with a Christian who believes that the Lord created everything over a much longer period of time. Despite our inability to adequately prove one view over the other, I do not think that we should stop discussion about theories of creation, as these debates help us to become better apologists against the criticisms that non-believers put forth.

Ibid., View # 6 in the section What are the various Christian views of creation?

BIBLIOGRAPHY Driscoll, Mark. Answers to Common Questions about Creation. The Resurgence. Online at http://theresurgence.com/2006/07/03/answers-to-common-questions-about-creation (Accessed July 2, 2011). Erickson, Millard J. Christian Theology, 2nd ed. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 1998 Morris, John. The Young Earth: The Real History of the Earth Past, Present, and Future (Green Forrest, AR: Master Books, 2007).