... on Gap Theory and 13.7 Billion Years

Q

According to Genesis 1:1-2 Could this mean that the earth pre-existed before the creation as recorded in the Bible?
https://www.quora.com/According-to-Genesis-1-1-2-Could-this-mean-that-the-earth-pre-existed-before-the-creation-as-recorded-in-the-Bible/answer/Hans-Georg-Lundahl

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Quora Question Details Bot

Aug 8

Science claims the universe was created 13.7 billion years ago, based on a lot of observable data. Could God have "triggered" the big bang to form the universe but had a separate creation for life 13.7 billion years later? Is it also possible that there are parallel creations of universes and "earths" happening now?

Hans-Georg Lundahl

Studied religions as curious parallels and contrasts to Xtian faith since 9, 10?

Answered just now

Answering the details in Q bot:

"Science claims the universe was created 13.7 billion years ago, based on a lot of observable data. Could God have "triggered" the big bang to form the universe but had a separate creation for life 13.7 billion years later? Is it also possible that there are parallel creations of universes and "earths" happening now?"

Now, one by one.

"Science claims the universe was created 13.7 billion years ago,"

No, certain scientists claim it. Science as such has no separate existence from scientists and not all scientists agree on this.

"based on a lot of observable data."

And also based on a certain ideology in interpreting the date, part of which is Heliocentrism.

"Could God have "triggered" the big bang to form the universe but had a separate creation for life 13.7 billion years later?"

Was God able to? Yes.

Is it probable God did so? No.

• One of the problems is, the creation days are not just about creation of life on earth, but also involve on day four creation of heavenly bodies - including those thought to be 13.7 billion light years away.
• One other problem is, the time a "Science believer" attributes to previous to the six days as situated by Bible chronology involves quite a lot of remains of biological life.
• The vastest problem is, the idea contradicts other words in the Bible, since Genesis 1 is not our only clue to how long there is a universe. See Mark 10:6.

"Is it also possible that there are parallel creations of universes and "earths" happening now?"

That is possible, but not testable. Unless you can find good biographic documentation of Susan Pevensie existing outside certain novels of C. S. Lewis and certain fan fictions based on those novels.

When St John on Patmos saw certain things, did he see them through time travel, through "going to another universe" (in which these things are more contemporary, and in which human actors could be present as beasts), or did things from the future project back to him and did he give them names emblematising them, like "beast"?

It could be any of the three. The first, a parallel universe in which for instance this or that world leader is not present in his human form but is turned into a beast of a certain number of heads and horns, like Eustace was turned into a dragon in the Narnian Universe, is of course theologically possible, but it could be as easy that St John simply saw the world leader along a mascot image in animal and monstruous form. By time travel or by things from our or an even later time projecting back, through God's omniscience and omnipotence.

Therefore, God creating new universes all the time is possible, but not likely.

Also, if God is doing it, it is not a solution to the question, since the objects 13.7 billion light years away, or supposedly so, are clearly in our universe. And the verse 1 clearly refers to heaven and earth in our universe.

Other answers

Anthony Zarrella

Lifelong Catholic and avid student of theology

Answered Jan 17

As I’ve said elsewhere, Genesis 1:1–2 could mean the earth pre-existed the Genesis 1 creation. But that’s hardly the most natural reading.

Imagine I write,

1 Two years ago, I built a house.

2 The house was a 1,000 sq. ft. ranch with red wooden siding.

Does “verse 2” imply that the house existed before I created it in “verse 1”? Of course not - it simply describes the state of what I created, subsequent to me creating it.

Likewise, the natural reading of Genesis 1:1–2 is, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. [When He had done so] the earth was without form and void…”

Now, as to whether this initial “created the heavens and the earth” could have happened long before some of the later “days” of creation - sure, in fact, it’s highly likely.

While I won’t say that it’s absurd to read the “six days of creation” as literal 24-hour days (because I do respect the faith of Young Earth Creationists, even though I’m not one), I do think it’s a reading that has deep problems - not least of which being the (now somewhat cliched) issue of, “Why would a ‘day’ be a solar day, if the sun wasn’t created until the third day?”

Most Christians, however (and certainly a vast majority of Catholics) don’t insist on reading Genesis 1 as scientific truth. It is true, and it is literally true - but it is “literally true” in the sense in which it is meant… which is as a communication of theological truths, not scientific cosmology.

Hans-Georg Lundahl

19m ago

You have two problems.

• You are denying factuality to the text, without clearly candidly admitting so, on a subterfuge;
• This subterfuge confuses what category would be holding the factual account. The real category is history, not science. And Genesis clearly is history.

Hans-Georg Lundahl

18m ago

This is however excellent:

Likewise, the natural reading of Genesis 1:1–2 is, “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. [When He had done so] the earth was without form and void…”

Hans-Georg Lundahl

16m ago

// not least of which being the (now somewhat cliched) issue of, “Why would a ‘day’ be a solar day, if the sun wasn’t created until the third day?” //

Fourth.

This would leave at least latter half of day four, day five, day six and day seven on which God rested as solar days.

And the answer is obviously : by parallel.

The previous days have features that solar days have, God acting about the light He first created can easily explain these features, and they are enumerated in a series with the clearly solar days.

Edward Smith

studied at Colleges and Universities (1973)

Answered Oct 7

The verses are plain. Verse 1 simply says, “In the beginning, God created the jeavens and the earth.” No time given for either when, or how long it took.

Verse 2 says the creative days began after that. Again, no time given.

So the Universe and the Earth could well be as old as science’s best guess of 14b and 4.5b years respectively.

A careful reading of Genesis shows that each “day” was not 24hrs long and could be millennia in length.

The appearance of days, Sun, moon and stars were as written from the view of the Earth’s surface and describe the times the Earth began rotating on its axis and the clearing of the atmosphere allowing the heavens to be seen and the light to reach the Earth’s surface.

The order of the appearance of life from plant to Man agrees with science.

Hans-Georg Lundahl

Just now

"No time given for either when, or how long it took."

The words "in the beginning" would indicate the first instant of time, not a long sequence of it.

"Again, no time given."

Technically, correct. For this particular passage.

"So the Universe and the Earth could well be as old as science’s best guess of 14b and 4.5b years respectively."

You are forgetting quite a few things. Other Bible authorities, like Mark 10:6, for one.

"A careful reading of Genesis shows that each “day” was not 24hrs long"

Apart from fact that first day beginning before creation of light was somewhat longer, and sixth day ending already on evening was just 12 hours, this is rubbish.

"and could be millennia in length."

No, a millennium does not have an evening and a morning.

"The appearance of days, Sun, moon and stars were as written from the view of the Earth’s surface and describe the times the Earth began rotating on its axis and the clearing of the atmosphere allowing the heavens to be seen and the light to reach the Earth’s surface."

The text does not say they only appeared.

"The order of the appearance of life from plant to Man agrees with science."

If by "science" you mean evolutionism, there are several discrepancies, like birds on day five being created before any and all land animals on day six.