There are several different theories of Creation that 21st
century Christian scholars embrace:
- Literal interpretation:
That the earth was created in 6 days.
- Day / Age Theory:
Each of the six days represents a geological age covering millions of years.
(Unfortunately for this theory, geologists have been unable to find a match
between the geologic evidence and the creations of each of the 6-day periods).
- The Gap Theory:
Allows a form of evolution by accepting a gap between Gen. 1:1 and 1:2.
Proponents of this theory suggest that perhaps Satan’s fall from heaven to
earth produced such chaos on earth that God destroyed creation and started
over.
- Symbolist Interpretation:
Each day is a symbol of some spiritual reality. Some ancient Christian and
Jewish scholars saw the 6 days of creation as symbols of the different periods
of Salvation history.
- Mythical View: All of the creation account is myth and none of it is
history. The Biblical account was completely invented by the Hebrew people to
explain their world and their early history much like the Egyptian mythological
account of creation. The Catholic Church does not accept this view.
Magisterium
of the Catholic Church has defined what Catholics must believe about the
history of creation:
- The creation by
God of all things at the beginning of time
- The special
creation by God of man
- Formation of
woman from man
- Unity of the human
race
- The original happiness
of our first parents in a state of justice
- The divine command
laid upon man by God to prove obedience
- Transgression of
that command at the instigation of the devil in the form of a serpent
- The fall of our
original parents from their primitive state of innocence.
- The promise of a future redeemer
[see
Humanae Generis, Pope Pius XII; Dr. S.
Hahn: Genesis 1-22: The Covenant as a Family Affair; Pope Pius X: Pascendi
Dominici Gregis, Sept. 8, 1907
The
Catholic Church rejects the theory that the first chapters of Genesis are pure
myth.
See "The Catechism of the
Catholic Church" # 198, 279-327.
M. Hunt, copyright 2004
